Joseph Kevin KeeganOBE (born 14 February 1951)[2] is an English formerfootballer and manager. Nicknamed "King Kev" or "Mighty Mouse",[3][4] Keegan was recognised for his dribbling ability, as well as his finishing and presence in the air, and is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time.[5][6][7]
Keegan moved into management at Newcastle in 1992, and the team won promotion to thePremier League as First Division champions in his first full season, the following year. Newcastle finished second in the Premier League in the 1995–96 season, despite leading the way for most of the campaign. After managingFulham for two seasons, he took charge of the England national team in February 1999. However, he resigned in October 2000, following a 1–0 loss againstGermany in qualification for the2002 FIFA World Cup. In 2001, he became manager ofManchester City for four years, until he resigned in 2005. Keegan had been out of football for almost three years when he returned to Newcastle for a second spell as manager in January 2008. However, this lasted only eight months, as he resigned in September, following speculation about a dispute with the club's directors.[9] He has the unique distinction of beingpromoted as champions in his first full season with the three clubs he managed.
Keegan was born in February 1951 at his aunt Nellie's house in Elm Place in Armthorpe, as she had electricity that made it safer for childbirth.[19] Keegan attended St. Peter's High School in nearbyCantley.[1]
Keegan was given his first football by his uncle Frank and his first pair of football boots by his father after he won betting on horses.[20] They were a second-hand pair of Winit boots bought from a sports shop run by formerDoncaster Rovers centre forwardRay Harrison. Keegan played football at Hyde Park using his baby brother Michael's pushchair as a goal post.[21] As a boy, he supportedDoncaster Rovers. His favourite player wasAlick Jeffrey, a player once described byMatt Busby's assistant,Jimmy Murphy, as the EnglishPelé, and once described by Milburn as "the best young player he had ever seen".[22] As a schoolboy, Keegan had a trial forCoventry City under managerJimmy Hill. Despite being one of two players kept on for an extra six-week period, the club did not offer Keegan a contract. They did offer apprenticeship terms to the right-backBrian Joy, who went on to have a 15-year career in football.[23] Keegan had another trial with Doncaster Rovers arranged by his father, but when Keegan arrived he found out he had the wrong information — the trial was earlier in the day and at a different place.[24]
Keegan participated in various sports, such as cross country running, rugby, and football, and served his school's cricket team as captain.[25] He also boxed at his local club, run by the former British Heavyweight championBruce Woodcock.[26] At age 15, Keegan and two friends completed a 50-mile run fromNottingham toDoncaster. In his autobiography, Keegan claimed this run prepared him physically and psychologically for any running he had to do in future pre-season training or football matches.[27] Keegan left school withO Levels in History and Art.[28]
At the age of 15, Keegan started working atPegler Brass Works as an office clerk, though he has said he was more of a tea boy and messenger than a clerk.[29] Whilst working at Pegler, Keegan played Saturday afternoon football for his local youth club, Enfield House, and Sunday morning football for the Lonsdale Hotel.[30] It was during this time that a colleague named Harry Holland invited him to play for the Peglers Works reserves.[31] His chance at professional football came when he was playing Sunday morning league football for the Lonsdale Hotel in a match against Woodfield Social in 1966. Keegan was marked by an older player named Bob Nellis, who was so impressed by the ability of Keegan that he offered him a trial atFourth Division sideScunthorpe United — one of just two professional sides in the division. This trial would lead to the Scunthorpe managerRon Ashman giving Keegan his first contract in professional football.[32][2][33]
Scunthorpe United could not afford a set of football nets and trained on a rugby pitch atQuibell Park.[34] They also had five-a-side training sessions on theOld Show Ground concrete car park.[35] Keegan took training very seriously, twice a week training with teammate Derek Hemstead by doing weightedfarmers walks up and down the cantilever stand at the Old Show Ground.[36] In running drills at Scunthorpe, Keegan liked trying to finish first and was told by coachJack Brownsword that one thing he had going for him was that he was a "one-hundred percenter" and he should never lose that.[37] This will to be first in his running drills would later irritate senior professionals such asLiverpool'sTommy Smith,[38] andBill Shankly would later advise Keegan that he did not have to win all his runs.[39]
Scunthorpe did not have the funds for a full-time driver to drive them to away games, so Keegan and the other younger players would take turns in driving the minibus to and from away games.[40] Keegan, Nigel Jackson, Jimmy Coyne, Alan Olbison and Steve Hibbotson once borrowed Brownsword's stopwatch and had timed rallies around the Old Show Ground with the club's vintage tractor.[41] On Keegan's turn, the tractor crashed and the tractor's axle went through the engine.[41] The crash was very expensive to fix and the five players were harshly reprimanded by managerRon Ashman. This experience gave Keegan awareness of his responsibility as a representative of Scunthorpe United. In 1968, Keegan made his debut againstPeterborough United at the age of 17, and went on to make 29 league starts in his first season.[42] He became a regular in the first team by the1969–70 season, playing all 46 league games for the club.[43] That season saw the team reach the fifth round of theFA Cup, beatingFirst Division sideSheffield Wednesday along the way. His low wages at Scunthorpe meant Keegan had to find summer jobs, such as plate-laying at theAppleby Frodingham Steelworks.[44]
Keegan played regularly in acreativeright midfield role for the Scunthorpe first team, scoring 18 goals in 124 games for the club. After his first season, he started attracting interest from higher division clubs. In a rare televised interview at Scunthorpe during the 1969–70 season, Keegan tried to play down the interest, stating: "I'm getting first-team football here. Should think if I went First Division, I'd struggle a bit."[45] Not long after this interview, Keegan began to feel impatient about playing in higher divisions and even considered quitting the game and getting a full-time job.[46] Higher division clubs such asPreston North End,Birmingham City,Notts County,Millwall andArsenal all showed interest in Keegan but nothing came of it.[47]
Keegan (left) walking out for a game againstFC Zürich in 1977
In 1971, Keegan attracted the attention ofLiverpool's head scoutGeoff Twentyman,[48][49] whose opinion was held in high regard by managerBill Shankly. After Twentyman's recommendation, Liverpool made an offer for Keegan which Scunthorpe accepted. After Scunthorpe agreed to the fee offered, Keegan was driven the four hours to Liverpool by managerRon Ashman, who was determined to get a cash influx for the club.[50] Prior to the journey, Keegan's father advised Keegan to not sell himself cheap.[51] Keegan negotiated a contract worth £50 a week after Shankly had originally offered him £45. Ashman, sensing the deal may fall through, was at one stage aghast at Keegan's negotiation tactics. On the drive back to Scunthorpe, Ashman was critical of Keegan's bluff that he was earning almost £45 a week at a Fourth Division club. After the negotiation, 20-year-old Keegan was transferred to Liverpool for a fee of £33,000.[33][52]
Liverpool bought Keegan as a midfielder, but Shankly soon decided to move Keegan up front alongsideJohn Toshack. In a reserve match againstTranmere Rovers, Keegan played right midfield, and after playing with an attacking mindset he was strongly warned byRonnie Moran that he was "playing too free and easy," and "nearly playing up front."[53] Keegan took Moran's criticism as a slight, and for a period perceived that Moran strongly had it in for him.[54] As a result of Keegan's lack of positional discipline, he was tested up front in a preseason reserve match againstSouthport.[55] Keegan scored both goals in a 2–1 victory observed by Shankly. Liverpool then tried Keegan in attack atMelwood in a game between the first team and reserves.[56] Keegan played for the first team and scored four in a 7–0 victory.[57] His attacking ability prompted Shankly to keep Keegan up front, and he was immediately deployed as the new strike partner for Toshack.[58][59] Though Keegan liked Toshack as a teammate, they did not socialise off the pitch, and Keegan said it was strange how quickly they could understand each other's play styles. Keegan claimed that the only other player who reached that level of football understanding with him was England internationalTrevor Brooking.[60] On 14 August 1971, Keegan made his Liverpool debut againstNottingham Forest atAnfield, scoring after 12 minutes.[61]
In the1972–73 season, Keegan won his first major titles. As the season was coming to a close, Liverpool was in a tight race withLeeds United andArsenal for the top spot in the First Division.Don Revie's Leeds squad visited Anfield for a showdown onEaster Monday. Two plays on either side of halftime decided the match. First, Leeds'Peter Lorimer missed an open goal just before halftime. Two minutes after the break,Peter Cormack scored to put Liverpool ahead. Keegan added a late second goal to seal the win. Arsenal dropped a point atSouthampton, and Liverpool clinched the title with a 0–0 draw againstLeicester City in the final game. This was their first major trophy since 1966.[62] In theUEFA Cup, Liverpool reached thefinal, where they would face German sideBorussia Mönchengladbach. The first leg at Anfield was abandoned after 27 minutes due to a downpour and rescheduled for the next day. The 27 minutes they played gave Shankly an insight into Mönchengladbach's defensive vulnerability in the air. To exploit this, he brought tall forward Toshack into the starting team, demoting the smallerBrian Hall, who appeared only as a late substitute.[63] Keegan scored two goals set up by Toshack headers in a 3–0 win. Liverpool lost the second leg 2–0 away, winning the title 3–2 onaggregate.[64]
Keegan was a frequent scorer the following season, but Liverpool lost the league title to a Leeds team that went unbeaten for a then-record 29 games at the start of the season. The team was more successful in theFA Cup. Their campaign in the competition started with a match against the club which had rejected Keegan, Doncaster Rovers, and it was Keegan who scored both Liverpool goals in a 2–2 draw. Liverpool won the replay and advanced. Keegan scored twice more on the way to the cup finals atWembley Stadium, including a lob-volley over the head ofPeter Shilton in the semi-final against Leicester City atVilla Park.
In the1974 final, Liverpool playedNewcastle United. Keegan explained Liverpool players were motivated by trash-talk from Newcastle'sMalcolm Macdonald andJohn Tudor.[65] Macdonald and Tudor gave pre-game interviews confidently proclaiming superiority over Liverpool and criticising older Liverpool professionals likeTommy Smith. Keegan also believed Shankly may have got into the heads of the Newcastle players when, on the night before the game, Shankly and Newcastle managerJoe Harvey were being interviewed. Shankly was audible off-camera, stating, "Joe looks a bag of nerves..." Keegan explained it would not have surprised him if this was not an accident, and that Shankly did this to neutralise Newcastle's confidence. In the final, Keegan scored two as Liverpool beat Newcastle 3–0.[66] It was the first brace in an FA Cup final sinceMike Trebilcock scored twice forEverton in 1966. Keegan claimed that with 100,000 people in attendance, the non-stop chanting of both sets of supporters, and the millions watching on television, this game was "as close to a non-drug-induced psychedelic experience as he could ever get".[65]
Keegan's next visit to Wembley was three months later in theCharity Shield, the traditional curtain raiser to a new season. The match was contentious and turned violent. Leeds midfielderJohnny Giles punched an unsuspecting Keegan, but was spared sending off after Keegan asked the referee to be lenient. Giles later lunged two-footed at Keegan. Upon Keegan's outraged reaction,Billy Bremner challenged Keegan, who then exploded and punched Bremner. Bremner punched back, and they were both sent off, the first time anyone had been sent off in a Charity Shield match.[67] Both players removed their shirts in protest, with Keegan vocally outraged by the decision. Inside the Liverpool dressing room, Bremner approached Keegan to apologise and was met by the fury of Keegan's father who had come down to check on his son. The fight was shown that night on theBBC. Keegan and Bremner were fined £500 each, with Keegan being suspended for three games and Bremner eight.[33] Despite this, Keegan, Bremner and Giles remained good friends outside of football.
The next year saw Keegan score 12 goals for Liverpool, but the1974–75 season was a trophyless season. There were numerous honours for Keegan over the next two years, however, as Liverpool again won the League championship and UEFA Cup in the1975–76 season. Keegan scored in both legs of theUEFA Cup final againstFC Bruges, which Liverpool won 4–3 on aggregate.[33]
In the1976–77 season, Keegan helped Liverpool win the League championship andEuropean Cup. Midway through the season, he announced his intention to leave Liverpool in the summer to play abroad. He scored 20 goals in his final season with the club. Keegan's last appearance in a Liverpool shirt on home soil was Liverpool's loss in theFA Cup final to bitter rivalsManchester United.[33] TheEuropean Cup final inRome against Borussia Mönchengladbach was four days later. Keegan did not score, but he did make a late run which led to a foul inside the penalty area byBerti Vogts. This led to a penalty which was successfully converted byPhil Neal, sealing a 3–1 win. During the season, on 4 December 1976, Keegan's father died of cancer at the age of 71.[17]
After 323 appearances and 100 goals, Keegan left Liverpool. He had offers from clubs across Europe, and chose to joinHamburger SV in the West GermanBundesliga for £500,000. Liverpool replaced him withKenny Dalglish.[33] Of his time inLiverpool, Keegan later said, "The only thing I fear is missing an open goal in front of theKop. I would die if that were to happen. When they start singing "You'll Never Walk Alone" my eyes start to water. There have been times when I've actually been crying while I've been playing."[68]
Keegan's transfer toHamburger SV was agreed between the FA Cup final and the European Cup final of 1977, although Keegan had negotiated a maximum transfer fee the season before.[69] The agreement set the British record transfer record at £500,000,[70] and nearly doubled the German transfer record.[71] Keegan arrived in Germany, joining a club that had not finished higher than sixth in two decades.[72] He toldITV'sBrian Moore that his annual salary the last season he played forLiverpool was £22,000, whereas at Hamburg it was £122,000.[73]
Following his move to Hamburg, Keegan became an early trendsetter with his new haircut, a perm. On first sight, his wife thought it was hilarious and his agent jokingly tried to disown him in public.[74] Soon though, players such asBryan Robson,Charlie George,Phil Neal,Terry McDermott also had perms.[75] Later, when Keegan was atNewcastle United as a manager, he and McDermott would joke about the perm in an advertisement.[76] Keegan became Hamburg's best-paid player and was billed by the club's business manager, Dr. Peter Krohn, as the superstar signing from England who would transform an average German team.[77] Keegan did not feel immediately accepted by his new teammates, and perceived slights from teammates that supported this idea, like making an open run in training but not receiving a pass.[78][79]
Rules stated that no club was allowed more than two foreign players on its squad. Unbeknownst to Keegan, his transfer had indirectly moved out the three-time European Cup winnerHorst Blankenburg. Blankenburg was a very popular member of the squad, and this upset some players.[80] There was also some resentment among the other players who thought that the previous coach, whom the players liked, was replaced by Krohn to accommodate Keegan.[81] It was not until Keegan had moved out of temporary accommodation and moved to a bungalow in the little village ofItzstedt that Keegan began to feel he could make inroads and have a successful career and life in Germany.[82]
In one early interview, Keegan mentioned how he was settling in, he explained how he missed British cereals that he could not find in the supermarkets in Germany. The Hamburg supporters then flooded him with parcels of his favourite cereal with lists of the suppliers.[83] There were language difficulties early on. In one instance in the summer, Keegan went into a hardware shop intending to buy a fuse and he eventually left the shop after buying Christmas lights.[84]
He scored in pre-season friendlies againstBarcelona and his former club Liverpool, but Hamburg would later suffer defeat in theEuropean Super Cupfinal against the latter opposition. Keegan's time in Hamburg got off to a bad start as Hamburg lost 5–2 toMSV Duisburg in their first league match.Rudi Gutendorf, the manager some believed was appointed for Keegan, would only last until October.[85]
In the winter break of his first season, feeling isolated by the clique in the dressing room, a frustrated Keegan was sent off in a friendly against lower league clubVfB Lübeck.[86][87] A player in the match was targeting Keegan, and after the third time being smashed, Keegan walked to the goading Lübeck player and punched him. Keegan, who knew he was going to be sent off, walked off the pitch prior to any decision by the referee. Keegan maintains this was his lowest point in Germany. After the incident, he decided to master the German language to fully integrate himself in the team. Up to this point, he did not have the language to ask teammates why they were not passing to him, nor to show them that he too loved the club.[87]
Keegan was suspended for eight weeks and in that time he and the squad made efforts to integrate.[88] He knew the dressing room was turning in his favour when he got invited to the squad nights out. Eventually, one player told him he could get cheap meat for Keegan's dogs, and full-backPeter Hidien even got a perm. An unhappy first few months at the club gave way to a more successful season. Although the club finished tenth in the league in the1977–78 season, Keegan's 12 goals helped him pick up a personal honour, theFrance FootballEuropean Footballer of the Year award for 1978.[86][89]
Hamburg appointed CroatianBranko Zebec as a new coach.[90] Zebec was a man who was known to work players to the max. Zebec's squad did a lot of running and Keegan claimed he had never been worked as hard in his life.[91] The1978–79 season saw a vast improvement on the club's 1978 finish. A rigorous training regime, Keegan's increasing grasp of theGerman language, and the newly imposed discipline contributed to Hamburg's first league championship in nineteen years.[86] The club's success also translated into individual recognition for Keegan, who picked up the European Footballer of the Year award for a second consecutive season.[89] Before Keegan, onlyAlfredo di Stéfano,Franz Beckenbauer andJohan Cruyff had won the award two or more times.[92] As of 2023, six more players have won the award multiple times, bringing the total to ten.
After the 1978–79 season,Juventus,Real Madrid and theWashington Diplomats tried to sign Keegan by offering good terms, but he decided to see out his contract at Hamburg.[93] In 1979, Hamburg supporters gave Keegan the nickname "Mighty Mouse" from thepopular cartoon superhero from the 1970s and 1980s.[4]
In February 1980, Keegan announced he was leaving after his contract expired. One of the reasons for leaving was Zebec's training regime. Keegan had a lot of respect for Zebec, but thought that Zebec's extreme fitness regime was flawed for the modern-day footballer.[94] Keegan told Zebec that his training regime was going to burn him out as a footballer, and that he believed he would be finished from playing by 30 if he continued. Zebec, in turn responded to Keegan's critique and explained to Keegan it was the same for all the players. Keegan then implied to Zebec that players have different roles and not all players run the same distances on match days; he pointed out to Zebec that because of his role and his effort, on match days not many players in the squad ran as much as himself. After he left the club, drawings were found in Keegan's training ground locker depicting Zebec treating the squad as prisoners, with a figure of Keegan counting down the days to his release. The drawings and Keegan's personal locker are now held in the Hamburg Museum, under the title "HSV Legenden".[95]
Hamburg'sEuropean campaign of 1979–80 saw Keegan score two goals to help Hamburg pastDinamo Tbilisi, the Soviet champions who had beaten Liverpool to advance. On the run Hamburg beat Dinamo Tbilisi,Valur,Hajduk Split andReal Madrid.[96] In the first leg against Madrid, they were comfortably beaten 2–0 and most football pundits predicted Hamburg were probably going out. Hamburg beat the odds by winning the return leg 5–1. Keegan regarded this as one of the most outstanding team performances he had the fortune to be a part of. In thefinal, they playedNottingham Forest. Forest won the game 1–0 with a goal fromJohn Robertson. This cup final defeat was coupled domestically with losing theBundesliga title toBayern Munich. Having negotiated a maximum transfer fee of £500,000 in his contract the year before and agreeing to a move in February, Keegan left Hamburg forSouthampton in the summer of 1980.[97]
On 11 February 1980,Southampton bossLawrie McMenemy called a press conference at the Potters Heron Hotel inAmpfield to announce that Keegan would join theSaints in the summer.[98] The news caused surprise throughout the world of football and around the city ofSouthampton, as they were a relatively small club.[99] The club was beginning to become established in the top division, but this signing showed how persuasive their manager could be.[99] Supporters' excitement only grew when Keegan captained England atUEFA Euro 1980 in Italy.
Keegan had a clause in his contract with Hamburg that gaveLiverpool the option to buy him back.[100] Liverpool, however, opted not to exercise this clause. As late as November 2011, Keegan has stated, "I was with Lawrie [McMenemy] at a charity event the other day, and he said he phoned up Peter Robinson because he wanted me, but Liverpool had a clause. Peter said, 'No, we won't be signing him, definitely, we don't need him.'" Southampton snapped him up for £420,000, and Keegan made his Southampton debut atLansdowne Road in a pre-season friendly againstShamrock Rovers on 23 July 1980.
In the following season, Keegan played some of his best football, and at the beginning of April 1982, Southampton sat at the top of theFirst Division table.[102] They managed only three wins after February, however, leading to a seventh-place finish, 21 points off first place.[103] Despite this, Keegan was voted thePFA Player of the Year and awarded theOBE for services to Association Football. Keegan had scored 26 of the team's 72 league goals and was voted the club'sPlayer of the Season by theSouthern Daily Echo.[104] This second season was the most prolific of his career, scoring 30 goals in all competitions and winning the golden boot.
Keegan fell out with McMenemy over the manager's failure to strengthen Southampton's defence (which conceded 67 goals in the1981–82 season) while the team was at the top of the table.[105] There were also rumours that McMenemy had accused the whole team of cheating after a 3–0 defeat byAston Villa in April 1982, to which Keegan took great exception.[106] Although Keegan joined theSaints' next pre–season tour, he had already decided to move. In 2019, McMenemy explained that prior to the start of the 1982–83 season, Keegan believed that Southampton did not match his footballing ambitions, he had made up his mind and demanded to leave, and there was nothing the club could do about it.[107] A few days before the start of the season, he signed forNewcastle United for a fee of £100,000.[108]
Keegan joinedNewcastle United and spent two seasons there, during which time he was extremely popular with the supporters. The press conference to announce his signing was held in the Gosforth Park Hotel.[109] Reacting to the two-time Ballon d'Or winner joining a Second Division team, a local newspaper's main headline was simply, "Here he is!"[110]
Keegan always felt at one stage in his career he would play for Newcastle.[111] As a child, Keegan's father would tell him football stories aboutHughie Gallacher andJackie Milburn. Keegan claimed that his father would have loved to have seen him playing football in black and white stripes, and to Keegan, playing for Newcastle felt like coming home.[112] There was euphoria in Newcastle at the signing of Keegan and he felt he was there to help the supporters to start believing in themselves.[113] Keegan had never experienced that kind of deification before. He explained, no one could have made him more welcome.[114] People had warned Keegan that whatever he was thinking his welcome would be like, it would not be enough.[115] To Keegan, who had played in a European Cup final, Wembley and Hamburg, the atmosphere on his debut was unique, explaining that the noise on his debut came from all sides of the ground like a surround sound system. He made his debut and scored his first goal againstQueens Park Rangers. After scoring, Keegan did something he had never done before — he instinctively and famously threw himself into the crowd to show the supporters he was one of them.[113] He explained to the press afterwards that "I just wanted to stay there for ever..."[116] Keegan had a fear of letting the supporters down, constantly telling himself, "You can't let them down."[117]
Keegan, along withTerry McDermott,Jeff Clarke andDavid McCreery, now had senior status at the club. Newcastle manager,Arthur Cox, who would later join many of Keegan's coaching staffs, had a different relationship to Keegan than with other players. Cox would ask Keegan his opinion on players.[118] To Keegan, Cox was a task master with a good sense of humour.[119] Cox would condition the players like commandos by having Keegan and his teammates running up and down the hills inGateshead.[120] In his first season, Newcastle finished fifth, which Keegan maintained was a "flattering" league position, after a faltering season.[121] He finished the season with 21 goals in 37 appearances and won North East Player of the Year.[122]
In September 1983, Keegan answered a phone call at 1:00 am from Cox. In the phone call Cox explained to Keegan that he had signedPeter Beardsley from theVancouver Whitecaps and suggested that Keegan would like him. A few days later, Keegan met Beardsley atBenwell. Keegan and his teammates thought Beardsley was "just a lad who had won a competition" to train with the first team. It was only when they saw him in action that they knew he had something about him. At Beardsley's first training session Keegan could not believe his eyes. Keegan once stated about Beardsley, "AtScunthorpe I always thoughtTerry Heath had the wow factor, because of his skill on the ball, and when I moved toLiverpool I had never seen anyone withPeter Thompson's ability. By the time I started playing for Newcastle, however, I had played againstCruyff,Maradona andPelé, and yet I have never had my mind blown as I did on the first day I saw Peter Beardsley."[123]
Keegan announced his retirement prior to the end of the1983–84 season, on 14 February 1984 — his 33rd birthday.[124] Keegan felt his career was finished after a cup game, a month prior, away atLiverpool. In this match, Keegan was put through on goal from a pass that left him one-on-one with the goalkeeper,Bruce Grobbelaar. He thought this was his moment to put Newcastle 1–0 up in front of the thousands of supporters behind the goal. Before he could finish his move and put the goal away, Keegan was intercepted by the recoveringMark Lawrenson. As Keegan was moving towards goal with his pace, Lawrenson caught up to him and stole the ball off him from the side. At this precise moment, it occurred to Keegan he had now lost his pace. At the end of the game, a frustrated Keegan, while clapping off the supporters, decided this would be his last season as a footballer.[125]
Keegan felt if he were to extend his career at Newcastle in the First Division, he would have to adjust his game and move from the attacking role on which he built his footballing identity. Keegan did not want to move back into midfield, and instead decided to retire on a high note.[126]
'I was the mongrel who made it to Crufts, and that was fine by me...'
Keegan's last league game was againstBrighton & Hove Albion, scoring in a 3–1 victory. He played 78 times in his Newcastle career, scoring 48 goals and helping promote them from theSecond Division in 1984. His final appearance for Newcastle came in a friendly against Liverpool some days later, leaving the pitch in a helicopter while still dressed in his kit.[128][129] Thirteen-year-oldAlan Shearer, who Keegan would later sign while manager of Newcastle, was a ball boy in Keegan's testimonial.[129]
Keegan moved with his family to Spain. He claimed he would never enter football management, but did carry out occasional work as a football pundit for British television.[citation needed]
In April 1985, Keegan briefly came out of retirement to play a two-game stint as a guest player forBlacktown City in Australia'sNational Soccer League. He scored in the first fixture in a 3–2 loss toCanberra City.[130]
During 1972, Keegan made five appearances for theEngland under-23 team, with his only goal coming in a friendly match againstEast Germany. That same match also saw Keegan receive his only red card at international level.[131]
Keegan made hisEngland debut on 15 November 1972 in a 1–0 World Cup qualifying win overWales. Keegan managed only two appearances during this campaign, both against Wales, as England failed to qualify for the1974 FIFA World Cup.[132] He scored his first international goal in his third appearance, also against Wales, on 11 May 1974.[133] He was given the captaincy by managerDon Revie in 1976 afterGerry Francis fell victim to a long-term injury. He went on to captain England 31 times, retaining the captain's armband until his international retirement after the1982 World Cup.
Keegan captained England atEuro 1980. England failed to progress from the group stage after finishing third in their group behindItaly andBelgium.
He managed only one World Cup appearance, as England failed to qualify for both the1974 and1978 tournaments. He finally reached the World Cup in 1982, held in Spain. He was named in the squad for the tournament, but was suffering from a chronic back injury and was unfit to play in any of England's group games. In a last desperate effort to play in a World Cup — knowing that he would not be around for the 1986 competition — he secretly hired a car and drove from Spain to aspecialist he knew in Germany for intensive treatment. He recovered sufficiently to appear as a substitute for the last 26 minutes of England's second-round game againstSpain. While on the pitch, he missed a point-blank header which would have put England ahead. England needed to win by a scoreline better than 2–1 to progress to the semi-finals (a 2–1 victory would have left them tied withWest Germany). England drew the game 0–0 and were eliminated from the competition.
Following the successful start to the1982–83 season withNewcastle United, there was much controversy when newly appointed England managerBobby Robson did not select Keegan for his first squad, a decision Keegan learned of from the media rather than Robson himself.[134] Keegan publicly expressed his displeasure at not being given the courtesy of a phone call from Robson, and never played for his country again. He finished his international career with 63caps and 21 goals.
On 5 February 1992, almost eight years after his final game as a player, Keegan returned to Newcastle United as manager. The club had been relegated from the top flight in 1989 and narrowly missed out on promotion in 1990 after losing in the playoffs to arch-rivalsSunderland. In 1991, they failed to make the playoffs and occupied last place in theSecond Division at several stages. Following the dismissal of previous managerOssie Ardiles, Keegan was appointed to prevent Newcastle from being relegated to thethird tier for the first time in the club's history. The club was suffering from internal struggles and boardroom battles which were holding them back. After three or more years trying,John Hall had recently won the board room from the old regime. Though Hall was not yet confirmed as the chairman, he had accrued enough power to make the key decisions. Hall told board members one hour before Keegan's first press conference that he would be the manager.[135] Keegan had watched only two live matches in seven years. One was theEuropean Cup final in 1991, the other being a goalless draw between Newcastle andBlackburn Rovers; as such, it was suggested that Keegan was unprepared and inexperienced.[136]
When Keegan turned up toBenwell for his first training session as manager, he noted the training ground was in a mess. He was surprised at the neglect of the facilities.[137] The training ground was in the process of being sold; despite this, Keegan paid for the clean-up of the grounds with his own money, with the cleaning work being done in one weekend. Keegan felt this clean-up work was an important move and an indirect message to the players that their professionalism had to be high.
Assessing the squad, Keegan felt the team was not good enough to reach the level at which he andTerry McDermott once played.[138] In five-a-sides he and McDermott, both in their 40s with a lack of conditioning, believed they were two of the best players. Keegan noted the club had an impressive crop of youth players. This crop included:Lee Clark,Steve Watson,Steve Howey,Alan Thompson andRobbie Elliott. These young players would form the core of Keegan's Newcastle squads from 1992 to 1997. Keegan noted Watson would take throw-ins via a somersault throw and this amused and shocked him. He regarded it as a gimmick and could not believe the club's supporters would take joy in it. The throw-in, to Keegan, was a sign of how far Newcastle had fallen.[139] He wanted the club to be known for scoring goals and thrilling football. Prior to his first game, Keegan made his first tough call with his squad of players when he dropped Clark.[140] Though he liked Clark's spirit, Keegan believed he was at risk of being sent off. Prior to the game, Keegan arranged a training match for the reserves and included himself to make up the numbers.[141] In the training match, a frustrated Clark went through the back of Keegan in a knee-high tackle on ahospital pass, in a similar way to aRomeo Benetti tackle on Keegan in anEngland–Italy match. A melee ensued, resulting inPavel Srníček swinging a roundhouse kick at Clark's head. Keegan was not upset and he did not punish either player. To Keegan, Srníček and Clark's response showed they cared about their football. Keegan's first game, againstBristol City, ended in 3–0 victory in front of a capacity crowd.
On 14 March 1992, following a 3–1 win overSwindon Town, Keegan became frustrated with Hall.[142] Keegan had been not given the transfer funds he was promised. As a result of this frustration, Keegan briefly walked out on the team. This resulted in a phone call between Keegan and Hall, where they settled their differences, and where Hall guaranteed millions of pounds to spend on new players.[143] Further assessing his squad, Keegan noted some players could not handle the pressure and would sneak in by a turnstile rather than meet and greet the big crowds at the front entrance prior to games.[144] Keegan decided to move these players on. With the club's transfer funds Keegan decided he needed a leader in the team.[145] Keegan signed the experiencedBrian Kilcline. Keegan stated about Kilcline, "Even on his bad days his head never dropped, he was tough as teak, absolutely fearless", and "He was a ready-made captain, one of my more important signings as Newcastle's manager." Keegan's managerial guidance in the1991–92 season helped Newcastle finish 20th out of 24 teams in the Second Division, avoiding relegation. This meant, with the establishment of the newPremier League, the team would play in the new First Division for the1992–93 season.
Prior to the 1992–93 season, Keegan strengthened the defence with the acquisition ofBarry Venison fromLiverpool andJohn Beresford fromPortsmouth. Newcastle began the season with 11 successive wins and led the league virtually all season. The club-record signing ofBristol City strikerAndy Cole in February further strengthened their side; Cole netted 12 goals in his first 12 games for the club. The addition ofCharlton Athletic'sRob Lee bolstered the midfield in the autumn. Newcastle finished first in the First Division, eight points clear of second-placeWest Ham United, and were promoted to the Premier League as First Division champions. Top scorerDavid Kelly and influential midfielderGavin Peacock were both sold after the season, and Keegan brought strikerPeter Beardsley back to Newcastle fromEverton, six years after he had been sold by Newcastle to Liverpool.
The1993–94 season was an enormous success for Newcastle as they finished third in the Premier League and qualified for the UEFA Cup, bringing European football to the club for the first time since 1977. Cole was the Premier League's top scorer with 34 goals in 40 games, and he set a club record with a total of 41 goals in all competitions. Keegan then strengthened his side by signingSwiss defenderMarc Hottiger,Belgian defensive midfielderPhilippe Albert, andNorwich City's quick winger,Ruel Fox.
Newcastle won their first six games of the1994–95 season to top the league and they appeared capable of winning their first league title since 1927. The shock departure of Cole toManchester United in January weakened their attack, and they finished the season in sixth place—not enough for another UEFA Cup campaign. In the meantime, autumn signingPaul Kitson was partnered with Beardsley in attack. Keegan made several important additions to the Newcastle side in the summer of 1995:Reading goalkeeperShaka Hislop,Paris Saint-Germain's French wingerDavid Ginola,Queens Park Rangers strikerLes Ferdinand, andWimbledon defenderWarren Barton. Ferdinand was Newcastle's biggest signing at £6 million, while the £4 million paid for Barton was the highest fee paid for a defender in English football at the time.
Newcastle excelled in the first half of the1995–96 season, leading the league by ten points on 23 December 1995 and holding a 12-point lead from early in January to 4 February. After a 2–0 defeat at West Ham on 21 February, the lead was cut to nine points. A 1–0 defeat at the hands of fellow title-challengers Manchester United cut the gap to a single point on 4 March. Within two weeks, Newcastle's lead evaporated and they were unable to recover it. Newcastle's4–3 defeat to Liverpool on 3 April is widely considered to be a classic Premier League match. With two games remaining, Newcastle and Manchester United both had 76 points. Newcastle managed a 1–1 draw againstNottingham Forest on 2 May, and another 1–1 draw againstTottenham Hotspur on the final day of the season. The title was won by Manchester United, whose 3–0 triumph atMiddlesbrough would have been enough to win, regardless of Newcastle's result against Tottenham. Keegan stated in 2018 that if Newcastle had won the title in that season, the squad, which included players such as Ferdinand, Ginola, Beardsley, Lee,Darren Peacock, andFaustino Asprilla would have stayed together, built up momentum, and won more trophies.[146]
During the race for the 1995–96 title, Keegan directed remarks at the Manchester United manager,Alex Ferguson, during a post-match interview live onSky Sports. His outburst — "I would love it if we beat them! Love it!" — is frequently referred to when describing their relationship.[147] In April 2003, it was named as Quote of the Decade in thePremier League 10 Seasons Awards and Most Memorable Quote in the20 Seasons Awards in May 2012. It also appeared inChannel 4's100 Greatest Sporting Moments.[148]
Keegan then broke the world transfer fee record by signing strikerAlan Shearer from Blackburn in July 1996. Shearer, who had been the Premier League's top scorer the last two seasons, was born in Newcastle and had grown up as a fan of the club.[149] He made an instant impact on his native Tyneside. The club lost in his debut, a 4–0 Charity Shield defeat at the hands of Manchester United, but redeemed themselves two months later with a 5–0 victory against the same opposition, in which Shearer scored. Newcastle briefly led the league at several stages in the first half of the season, and Shearer led the league scoring 25 goals.[150]
On 8 January 1997, Keegan announced his resignation as manager. A club statement following his resignation read:
Newcastle United Football Club today announce the resignation of manager Kevin Keegan. Kevin informed the board of his wish to resign at the end of the season, having decided he no longer wishes to continue in football management at this stage in his life. Following lengthy discussions of which the board attempted to persuade Kevin to change his mind, both parties eventually agreed that the best route forward was for the club to, reluctantly, accept his resignation with immediate effect.
Keegan left the club with a short statement reading:
It was my decision and my decision alone to resign. I feel I have taken the club as far as I can, and that it would be in the best interests of all concerned if I resigned now. I wish the club and everyone concerned with it all the best for the future.
On the Newcastle United DVDMagpie Magic, it is said that chairman John Hall asked for a long-term commitment as manager from him, which Keegan was unwilling to give. It also states that the pressure and criticism of selling Cole, and the failed title challenge in the1995–96 season, took a toll on him.[151]
He was succeeded byKenny Dalglish, the same man who had replaced him as a player at Liverpool 20 years earlier. Newcastle finished second place that season but 13th the following season, although they were FA Cup runners-up. They did not return to the top five of the Premier League until the2001–02 season, when they finished fourth underBobby Robson.
It was during his time as coach that Keegan gained the nickname "King Kev" from Newcastle supporters.
Keegan returned to football on 25 September 1997 as chief operating officer at Second DivisionFulham, withRay Wilkins as head coach. Fulham finished sixth in the final table, but Wilkins was sacked just before the first leg of the playoff semi-final and Keegan took over as manager.
His appointment came a few months after the takeover of the club byHarrods ownerMohamed Al-Fayed, who gave Keegan £10 million to spend on players that season. That was the first part of a £40 million attempt to deliver Premier League football to theCraven Cottage club, who had been outside the top flight since 1968, and had not played in the league's second tier since 1986.[152]
Keegan was unable to inspire Fulham to overcomeGrimsby Town in the playoffs, but good form in the1998–99 season — helped by the acquisition of players who would normally have signed with Premier League or First Division clubs — clinched them the Second Division title and promotion to First Division. Keegan left at the end of the season to concentrate on his duties as England manager, having succeededGlenn Hoddle in February 1999.[153]
Fulham replaced Keegan withPaul Bracewell and reached the Premier League two years later under Bracewell's successor,Jean Tigana. The squad still featured many of the players bought by Keegan or Wilkins.[154]
After weeks of speculation,[155] Keegan was named as the newEngland manager on 18 February 1999. He succeededGlenn Hoddle, who had been sacked two weeks earlier for a newspaper interview in which he suggested that disabled people were being punished for their sins in a previous life.[156][157] Keegan led the team to a winning start with 3–1 victory overPoland to reignite England's campaign to qualify forEuro 2000 inGroup 5 following a slow start to the qualifiers.[158] Points dropped in draws againstSweden,Bulgaria, and the return fixture against Poland left England facing elimination as the end of the qualifying stages neared. Poland lost their last match to Sweden, and England finished second in the group to gain a place in the qualification playoff withScotland. Two goals fromPaul Scholes gave them a 2–0 win in the first leg,[159] and despite a 1–0 defeat in the second leg,[160] they qualified for the championships for the fourth straight tournament.
This success brought goodwill, but Keegan began to come under fire for his perceived tactical naivety. This came to a head during the unsuccessful Euro 2000 tournament. England began with a 3–2 defeat againstPortugal, despite having a 2–0 lead after 17 minutes.[161] England beatGermany 1-0 in their next game, the first English victory over Germany in a competitive match since the 1966 World Cup final. In the final group game againstRomania, England once again lost 3–2, this time after taking a 2–1 lead, and their hopes of reaching the quarter-finals were over. Despite this disappointment, Keegan remained in charge of the national side.[162]
Keegan resigned as England manager on 7 October 2000.[163][164] This came after England lost to Germany in their first2002 World Cup qualifier, the last game played atWembley Stadium before it was rebuilt.[165] Keegan won only 38.9% of his games in charge, the lowest such percentage of any permanent England manager — although unlikeDon Revie (1974–1977) orSteve McClaren (2006–2007), Keegan achieved qualification to a major tournament for England.
WhenSven-Göran Eriksson became England manager, he appointed the 64-year-oldTord Grip as his assistant. This caused Keegan to complain that when he was England manager,the FA had told him that he could not haveArthur Cox as his assistant because at 60, Cox was too old for the role, although he was allowed a lesser role on the coaching staff. Keegan went on, "I wasn't allowed to bring in the people I wanted and that was wrong. Mr. Eriksson was and I'm delighted for him because that's the way it should be."[166]
On 24 May 2001, Keegan returned to football as successor toJoe Royle atManchester City, who had just been relegated from the Premier League. Keegan signed experienced international players such asStuart Pearce,Eyal Berkovic andAli Benarbia. That season, City were promoted asFirst Division champions after scoring 108 league goals. Keegan was the first manager in the Premier League era to win the First Division title with two different clubs.[167]
For the2003–04 season, the club's first season at the newCity of Manchester Stadium, Keegan addedSteve McManaman,Paul Bosvelt,David Seaman andMichael Tarnat to City's squad.[176] City started well and were fifth in the league by the start of November.[177] However, a draw at home to Polish minnowsGroclin led to their second round elimination from the UEFA Cup,[178] which was followed by a slump in form. City did not win again in the league until 21 February,[179] and finished 16th in the league.[180] The mostnotable match of the season came atTottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup on 4 February 2004. Despite being down 3–0 at halftime (with ten men afterJoey Barton was sent off), City came back to win 4–3.[181]
The2004–05 season brought better form for City, but Keegan agreed to leave as manager on 10 March 2005 after telling the chairman his desire to retire from football at the end of the season.[167] The club went on to finish eighth under his successor Stuart Pearce, and only missed out on a UEFA Cup place whenRobbie Fowler missed a penalty in stoppage time of a 1–1 draw withMiddlesbrough on the last day of the season.[182] Earlier that season, while still under Keegan's management, City beat Chelsea 1–0 which turned out to be the only defeat in the league that season for Chelsea, who ended up as Premier League champions.[183]
After declaring his retirement from football in 2005, Keegan remained out of the media spotlight, working at the Soccer Circus football school inGlasgow.[184] In October 2007, he indicated he was unlikely to manage again.[185]
Following the dismissal of managerSam Allardyce,[186] Keegan made an unexpected return to Newcastle United on 16 January 2008. Newcastle supporters welcomed the manager back as he arrived to see the FA Cup third round replay againstStoke City, alongside ownerMike Ashley and chairmanChris Mort.[187] He managed his first game at the club since 1997 againstBolton Wanderers on 19 January.[188] He awarded the club captaincy toMichael Owen, stating, "He's not scared to give his opinion when he's right, and he's not scared to say what he feels. He's a tremendous professional, and he trains properly every day."[189] Keegan announced on 22 January that he andAlan Shearer held talks about the two linking up, with Shearer as his assistant, but decided against the idea, leaving the door open for Shearer to take other roles.[190]
Keegan failed to win any of his first eight games back at Newcastle. On 22 March, Newcastle earned the first win of Keegan's second managerial spell, a 2–0 victory against his former club,Fulham.[191] The team followed it up with wins overTottenham Hotspur andSunderland, maintaining his perfect record over the club's local rivals in theTyne-Wear derby, and also putting Newcastle on top of the league's form chart.[192][193] This run of good form was hugely thanks to a new 4–3–3 formation, spearheaded by the productive strike trio of Owen,Obafemi Martins andMark Viduka. The trio scored 11 of the club's 14 goals in this run, which safely secured the club from a relegation battle. Newcastle's seven-game unbeaten run came to an end in a home defeat toChelsea, and they finished the season in 12th place.[194]
As the2007–08 season drew to a close, rumours of tensions between the club's directors and Keegan began to surface, as he publicly criticised the board, claiming they were not providing him the financial support necessary to break into the top four of the Premier League standings.[201] His accusations caused bad press for ownerMike Ashley, who was already battling reports that he had lost hundreds of millions of pounds in a disastrous stock market venture.[202]
Following the closure of the transfer window at midnight on 1 September 2008, various media sources reported that Keegan had either resigned from the club or had been sacked,[203] leading to fan protests around St James' Park.[204] The club released statements denying that Keegan had left, but stated that talks were ongoing between the manager and members of the board.[205][206] On 4 September, Keegan issued a statement confirming that he had resigned the same day, stating that, "A manager must have the right to manage and that clubs should not impose upon any manager any player that he does not want."[9] Late on 12 September, it was reported Keegan met Ashley inLondon in an attempt to resolve their differences, but the meeting ended without a satisfactory conclusion for either party.[207]
Richard Bevan, chief executive of theLeague Managers Association (LMA), stated the following month that Keegan would consider a return to the club but only if those who held the ownership were willing to develop a structure which he was happy with.[208] The club was also warned by the LMA on 5 September to develop a structure which would satisfy the next manager to replace Keegan to avoid a similar situation repeating itself and damaging the club's image.[209] FollowingDennis Wise's resignation as director of football in April 2009, many supporters directed the blame for Keegan's exit at both Wise and Ashley, as a result of such a position being established and poorly used.[210]
In December 2008, it was reported that, following Mike Ashley's decision to withdraw the sale of Newcastle, a legal dispute over Keegan's departure from had arisen; Keegan claimed unfair dismissal and Ashley claimed damage to his public image.[211] In September 2009, it was reported that Keegan had met with Ashley and the Newcastle board — including former members — in a Premier League arbitration hearing for a claim of £10 million in compensation for his shock resignation.[212] All sides agreed to the arbitration being held publicly.[213]
Keegan's dispute with the club was resolved in October 2009. The tribunal ruled in favour of Keegan, agreeing that Newcastle hadconstructively dismissed him by insisting on the signing of midfielderNacho González on loan, against his wishes. The move was made to replaceJames Milner following his move toAston Villa, after a bid forBayern Munich'sBastian Schweinsteiger was rejected.[214] Although Wise's signing of Spanish strikerXisco was not mentioned in the hearing, Keegan stated that this had also been a central factor in his departure.[215]
The ruling was based around seven issues.[216] The panel declared that Keegan had been led to believe he had the final decision on player transfers, and was never explicitly told in writing, his contract, nor by word of mouth that he did not, nor that his role would see him report to others. Given the generally understood role of a Premier League manager, the panel agreed he could reasonably expect that this was not a factor. The club's signing of González meant that they had violated his employment contract, which amounted to constructive dismissal. While González was the main issue in the decision, the club's alleged mistreatment of Keegan, claiming they were in a position to sack him should he not agree to the terms they offered, as well as his decision to remain at the club until 4 September instead of resigning on 1 September, allowing the club to reach a compromise, led to the ruling in Keegan's favour. Keegan was awarded £2 million (plus interest accrued) according to severance clauses in his contract. Claims for more were turned down on the basis that the standard contract severance clauses covered constructive dismissal. Keegan stated afterwards that the purpose of his claim had been to restore his reputation, and was delighted with the outcome, allowing him to move forward.[217]
In pursuit of winning the tribunal, the club admitted to misleading the media and their supporters. Several key senior staff, includingDennis Wise andDerek Llambias, had publicly claimed that Keegan had "the final word"; they claimed to the tribunal that this was not in fact the case and that their claims were just "PR". It was then revealed that Wise asked Keegan to sign González after watching him "onYouTube". On 21 October, a subsequent meeting of the same panel found that the club should pay all legal and associated costs incurred by Keegan as a result of the tribunal. They reached this conclusion based on their view that the club's "defence on the primary liability issue was, in our view, wholly without merit".[218]
Keegan stated after the hearing he still wanted to manage top flight football, and would consider returning to his position at the club, but felt the supporters may be exhausted from his last tenure and would prefer him not to.[219] In June 2013, Keegan stated he would only consider a return should Ashley leave the club.[220] Over the years, Keegan continued to criticise Ashley, accusing him of a lack of respect for the supporters.[221] Following the sale of Newcastle United to thePublic Investment Fund, Keegan spoke publicly at an event inCramlington, stating his delight at Ashley's departure and excitement at the new ownership's ability to compete financially with the wealthiest football clubs in the world.[222]
In 1976, Keegan competed onBBC's television programmeSuperstars. Despite suffering severe cuts after crashing his bicycle, he insisted on re-racing and secured second place in the event, before going on to win that edition of the programme.[223] He also advertisedBrutaftershave alongside boxerHenry Cooper.[224]
In 1979, Keegan and his wife were featured onITV'sBrian Moore meets Kevin Keegan, a documentary filmed over the course of the season. Cameras documented activities at the family's Hamburg home and Keegan's personal business appearances, offering a rare glimpse into the life of a modern millionaire footballer away from the pitch.[73]
The same year, during his daughter's christening reception at a London hotel,Eamonn Andrews, the presenter ofThis Is Your Life, emerged from a giant cake to surprise Keegan and his guests with his famous big red book. The television show was broadcast on Keegan's 28th birthday, ten days later. Keegan quipped, "I'm so glad that I wore brown trousers."
He narrated the 90-minute documentaryKeegan on Keegan, released via Castle Vision onVHS cassette in 1992.
In August 2009, nearly a year after his departure from Newcastle, Keegan was confirmed as the lead pundit onESPN UK.[225] During the course of the2010 World Cup, Keegan featured as a pundit forITV. He was part of ESPN's live coverage of the2011,2012 and2013 FA Cup finals, with pitchside build-up and post-match commentary.
Keegan released a single in 1972 titled "It Ain't Easy". His song "Head Over Heels in Love", written byChris Norman and Pete Spencer, was released on 9 June 1979. It peaked at number 31 in the UK charts, but climbed to number 10 in Germany where Keegan was based at the time, and where Norman's bandSmokie was popular.[226] He released another single, "England", on his return to England from Germany, but it failed to chart.
In September 1970, Keegan met his future wife, Jean Woodhouse, on the Waltzers at Doncaster fair.[227] They married on 23 September 1974 and have two daughters.[228] Early on in his career atLiverpool, Keegan began using his middle name rather than his first name Joseph, changing his autograph to "Kevin Keegan" from the "JK Keegan" that he used atScunthorpe United.[229]
Keegan became renowned for his "poodle perm" hair in the 1970s, and has regularly appeared at the top of "worst hairstyles" surveys.[230][231]
In July 2008,Flybe International announced the naming of one of their new Bombardier Q400 aircraft in honour of Keegan's service to Newcastle United, both as a player and as manager. The plane was used on the regular service fromNewcastle International Airport to London'sGatwick Airport.[232]
He is known[by whom?] for aiding charities, including appearances at cricket matches forLord's Taverners and Sussex Cricket Club.[233][234]
In April 1991, he was attacked while sleeping in hisRange Rover by theM25 atReigate Hill in Surrey. His assailants later said in court that they needed money for a drug debt and did not know they were attacking Keegan.[235]
^abChalk, Gary; Holley, Duncan; Bull, David (2013).All the Saints: A Complete Players' Who's Who of Southampton FC. Southampton: Hagiology Publishing. p. 367.ISBN978-0-9926-8640-6.
^"Keegan in shock Newcastle return". BBC Sport. 16 January 2008. Retrieved16 January 2008.A sign of how highly regarded Keegan is on Tyneside was reflected in a statement on the Newcastle website: 'Geordie messiah to be unveiled as new United manager'.
^Burton, Chris (17 January 2008)."Keegan sees Magpies cruise".Sky Sports.BSkyB. Archived fromthe original on 29 April 2008. Retrieved25 January 2009.A fine Newcastle display saw them cruise to a 4–1 victory against Stoke. Such was the desire to share in a significant night on Tyneside, kick-off had to be delayed by 15 minutes as supporters flocked to buy tickets in the wake of the announcement that Keegan was on his way back.
^Burton, Chris (19 January 2008)."Bolton spoil Keegan's party".Sky Sports.BSkyB. Archived fromthe original on 7 May 2008. Retrieved25 January 2009.Kevin Keegan's first game back in charge at Newcastle produced an uninspiring 0–0 draw with Bolton.
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