WITH the New Year Honours about to be handed out to a long list of people, with varying degrees of justification, it is worth highlighting one particularly deserving cause here in the North-East.

If the honours system is to recognise true dedication, commitment and achievement in a particular field, even Sunderland fans would find it hard to argue against Bobby Robson being given a knighthood one day.

At 68, he continues to display passion, honesty and integrity which pour shame on those who bring football into disrepute with their thuggery, drinking binges and conceit born out of absurdly high wages.

When most people of his age are content to settle into retirement, he still burns with a desire to bring success to his beloved Newcastle United the club he would have managed much sooner in his illustrious career if fate had been kinder to his dreams.

A year or so ago, he was being written off even by many Newcastle fans as a football dinosaur, past his sell-by date.

Now, he is praised for driving Newcastle to the summit of the Premiership an achievement younger men like Dalglish and Gullit didn't even come close to matching.

As a younger man at Ipswich, he took an unfashionable club and created a team capable of challenging Europe's best.

On the national scene, he was the width of a goalpost or a missed penalty kick away from taking England into the World Cup final.

But it is much more than his ability as a football manager which sets Bobby Robson apart. It is his sheer decency as a man which has earned respect worldwide.

And he represents a pertinent reminder to society that those over a pensionable age can still shine through their wisdom and experience.

Whether it is this time or in a future honours list, the country must pay a fitting tribute by saying: Arise Sir Bobby Robson.