SIR Bobby Robson today defended his bargain swoop for teen ace Darren Ambrose.The Newcastle boss was speaking for the first time since the youngster's £1million move from Ipswich in March.

By Mel Henderson

SIR Bobby Robson today defended his bargain swoop for teen ace Darren Ambrose.

The Newcastle boss was speaking for the first time since the youngster's £1million move from Ipswich in March.

Some Town fans were incensed that such a promising player, who scored 11 times before his departure for the North East, appeared to be picked up on the cheap.

They were further riled that an ex-Ipswich manager should appear to be taking advantage of the club's

financial crisis.

But Sir Bobby, in town for last night's dinner to mark the 25th anniversary of Ipswich's FA Cup win, hit back at claims that he had cashed in on his former club's misery.

He said: "I watched Darren and my scouts saw a lot of him before we decided he was a player to enhance our squad.

"I said to my chairman 'There's a young player we should have here' and he went off to do the best deal possible for Newcastle United.

"That's how any chairman would handle it, isn't it? I didn't get involved in negotiations myself – that's the chairman's job."

FULL STORY IN TONIGHT'S STAR