FOOTBALL legend Bryan Robson has revealed himself to be a bit of a homebody. The married dad-of-three told Limited Edition he likes nothing more than relaxing at home with his family in leafy Hale on the Cheshire-Greater Manchester border.

"I've been living in the same house now since 1984," said the former native of the north east.

"Even when I managed Middlesbrough I just bought a small place up there but kept the family in Hale.

"The kids haven't really known anywhere else but Manchester and Cheshire. It's where they grew up, went to school and where all their friends are."

The 50-year-old was in Warrington to promote the new paperback version of his autobiography Robbo at Borders book store on Riverside Retail Park.

But the ex-Manchester United and England ace is also using his spare time to suss out potential job offers in management, dabble in football punditry and sample some of the area's top restaurants.

"Around Cheshire there are lots of great restaurants," he said.

"That's what I spend most of my time doing with my family - going to a nice restaurant for a bite to eat."

Although not forthcoming about his favourite eateries in the county, he didn't hold back on voicing his opinions on football matters. Asked if he preferred being a manager, where he has yet to win any silverware, or a player, where as captain of United he won every honour going, he said: "For me it is more difficult being a manager because you are worrying about all the players.

"Every day of every week you are concerned about your players, their fitness, their form. You have to put a lot more into it than being a player."

During his time as manager of Middlesbrough, Robson also assisted England's head coach Terry Venables during the side's Euro 96 campaign.

"It was really enjoyable being number two to Terry," he said.

"Obviously we were very successful but it was unfortunate we only got to the semi as we deserved to go all the way."

Robson is also sympathetic to the plight of England's current head coach, the beleaguered Steve McClaren.

"The balance in the midfield is not quite right but we've got some very good players and can still be a real force," he said.

"The area where a lot of work is needed is in the striker. We rely far too much on Wayne Rooney and because Michael Owen is injured we don't have a world class goal scorer.

"Hopefully one of the young lads will come though in time for the next one because I am not sure about Jermaine Defoe or Peter Crouch and there's no guarantee Michael Owen will come back as sharp."

Robson played alongside some of the great English strikers, including Gary Lineker and Peter Beardsley, but his own game was about getting from box to box, occasionally getting on the end of things, rather than poaching 20 a season.

Asked if he harboured any resentment towards former Old Trafford teammate Eric Cantona after the Frenchman failed to pass to him in front of goal in his last game, he said: "The United lads were trying everything they could to give me a chance to score that 100th goal.

"They were trying all sorts of stuff but I kept missing the target on the day!"

After hanging up his boots in the 1996/1997 season and almost a decade in and out of club management, Robson has dabbled in football punditry but says he wouldn't want media commitments to get in the way of landing his dream role - managing boyhood club Newcastle United.

"I've done TV work and I take the odd job now and again but I wouldn't want to do it full time because if a reasonable enough job came along I would want to get back into the game.

"A couple of Championship sides towards the bottom of the division have approached me but I looked at the overall picture and feel that after coming from West Brom where we had a great chance of promotion, the thought of not realistically being able to go for promotion wasn't the challenge I wanted.

"I had quite a few meetings with the Nigerian FA and they were really keen on me taking the job and we sort of shook hands on the deal.

"But then right at the last minute the Nigerian government stepped in and said no to the FA and put pressure on them to appoint a Nigerian coach."

He added: "I keep an eye out for the results of not only all the teams I've managed or played for but Newcastle as well.

"Even though I never played for them I supported them as a boy.

"They are a club I really would enjoy being manager of. They are a massive club and as a manager you would have a real chance of having success with them."

But it remains United where Robson's heart seems to lie.

Asked about his former boss, Sir Alex Ferguson's long-anticipated retirement, he said: "When he does retire it's going to be a massive job because of his record at United.

"It's difficult to say who would take over because sometimes it's just the flavour of the month, and other times it's who has done well in management over the years.

"But for me, as long as his health is good it will be a lot of years to come before he retires because the hunger is still there."