Robert joined us from FC Volendam in January 1997 for a £1 million fee under manager George Graham. Affectionately nicknamed “The Terminator” for his imposing physical presence and no-nonsense style of defending, he quickly became a fans’ favourite at Elland Road. His time at Leeds was disrupted in 1999 by serious ligament damage suffered following a challenge from Nicolas Anelka, which limited his appearances. He eventually departed the club in December 2000 for £500,000. He is remembered by supporters as a tough, reliable centre-back from Leeds’ late-1990s Premier League era. After retiring, he moved into coaching and management, most recently serving as assistant manager at Royal Antwerp FC in the Belgian Pro League.
