 Keane playing forLuton Town in 2011 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Keith Francis Keane[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1986-11-20)20 November 1986 (age 38)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Luton, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Defender /Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | The 61 FC (Luton) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1995–2003 | Luton Town | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2003–2012 | Luton Town | 234 | (7) |
| 2012–2015 | Preston North End | 64 | (2) |
| 2014 | →Crawley Town (loan) | 12 | (0) |
| 2015 | →Stevenage (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| 2015–2017 | Cambridge United | 5 | (0) |
| 2016 | →Stevenage (loan) | 5 | (1) |
| 2016 | →Stevenage (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| 2016–2017 | →Rochdale (loan) | 16 | (0) |
| 2017–2018 | Rochdale | 16 | (0) |
| 2021– | The 61 FC (Luton) | 0 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2004 | Republic of Ireland U19 | 2 | (0) |
| 2005–2007 | Republic of Ireland U21 | 4 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:08, 30 June 2018 (UTC) | |||
Keith Francis Keane (born 20 November 1986) is a professionalfootballer who plays as amidfielder forThe 61 FC (Luton). He is a former academy player who graduated from the youth ranks atLuton Town. A versatile footballer, Keane played in every position for Luton other thanin goal or as astriker, and played for the club across four different divisions.
Born inLuton, Bedfordshire,[1] Keane made hisfirst-team debut forLuton Town under managerMike Newell at the age of 16, in aFootball League Trophy victory againstRushden & Diamonds early in the2003–04 season.[2] Keane played well and stayed in the side for a further 16 games that season,[3] his league debut coming in a 0–0 draw atWycombe Wanderers in February 2004.[4] Newell predominantly played Keane at right-back as cover forKevin Foley, but he also featured in midfield. Keane scored his first goal for Luton on 17 April as a last minute winner in a 3–2 victory overBristol City.[5]
During the2004–05 season, Keane became a regular squad member. Appearing at centre-back, full-back and in midfield, he made 19 appearances in all competitions.[6] Luton went on to win theLeague One title that season with 98 points,[7] rewarding Keane with a winner's medal.[1]
With Keane now aChampionship player, he was utilised at right-back, left-back, in central defence and in right midfield during the course of the2005–06 season, which saw him make 12 appearances, scoring once.[8] He was awarded theYoung Player of the Season award that season for his performances,[9] and was rewarded with a new two-year contract.[10] In2006–07, Keane made 19 league appearances, scoring one goal,[11] as Luton were relegated to League One.[12]
Thenext season, after Newell's departure, Keane was frozen out of the first-team by new managerKevin Blackwell, who preferred to play his own new signingRichard Jackson. However, Keane was eventually brought back into the team to replace Jackson, and later made the position his own when Luton Town fan favouriteMick Harford replaced Blackwell as manager in January 2008. Harford made Keaneclub captain, but the price ofadministration condemned Luton to another relegation, this time toLeague Two. Keane won thePlayer of the Season award at the end of the season, as well as the Players' Player of the Year and Internet Player of the Season award.[13][14]
Luton were docked 30 points for financial irregularities at the beginning of the2008–09 season, and although Keane made 40 league appearances,[15] primarily in midfield, he could not prevent the inevitable as Luton were relegated from theFootball League for the first time in 89 years.[16] Some solace could be found as Luton beatScunthorpe United 3–2 in the2009 Football League Trophy final atWembley Stadium, with Keane producing a superb performance in midfield.[17] His displays earned Keane the Player of the Season and Internet Player of the Season awards for the second year in a row.[18]
On 15 January 2010, Keane was placed on the transfer list at Luton. His refusal to sign a new contract, which would expire in June 2010 and effectively mean he would leave the club on afree transfer, was cited as the reason.[19] However, the Januarytransfer window closed with no bids for the player received. Then-Luton managerRichard Money stated the club was in negotiations with Keane over a new contract regardless of his transfer status, calling him a "talisman" to Luton.[20] On 9 February 2010, Keane scored direct from acorner kick in the last minute of the game, his first goal in over two years, to earn Luton a dramatic 2–1 win against then-league leadersOxford United. He was subsequently shown ared card for a second bookable offence after celebrating the goal with the Luton fans.[21] This goal later won Luton Town's Goal of the Season award as voted for by fans.[22]
Keane dismissed any speculation as to his Luton future by signing a new two-year contract with the club on 9 June 2010.[23] Keane played the full 120 minutes of the2011 Conference Premier play-off final againstAFC Wimbledon in May 2011; a game that saw Luton miss out on a return to the Football League by losing thepenalty shoot-out.[24]
League One clubStevenage, then managed byGraham Westley, made two bids for Keane in August 2011, though both were rejected.[25] Defensive injuries meant Keane was moved back into defence at the beginning of the2011–12 season, with two performances described by managerGary Brabin as "outstanding".[26] Keane went on to make 42 appearances on what turned out to be his final season atKenilworth Road.
On 7 June 2012, it was announced that he was to join League One clubPreston North End, then managed by Graham Westley, once his Luton contract had finished.[27] He scored his first goal for the club on 29 March 2013 in a 1–1 draw at home to Portsmouth.[28] On 17 December, Keane extended his contract with Preston for a further twelve months, thus keeping him at the club until the summer of 2015.[29]
On 9 September 2014, Keane joined League One clubCrawley Town on a three-month loan deal.[30] He made a successful debut on 13 September when Crawley earned a 1–0 win at home toFleetwood Town, in which he was named the man of the match.[31][32] He returned to Preston having made 15 appearances in all competitions for Crawley.[33]
On 5 March 2015, Keane was loaned to League Two club Stevenage on a one-month loan deal.[34] He made his debut for the club two days later as a 59th-minutesubstitute forChris Beardsley in a 2–1 win at home toNewport County.[35] Keane made seven appearances for Stevenage during his loan spell,[33] which was cut short due to a shoulder injury and returned to Preston on 26 April.[36] He was released by the club at the end of the season.[37]
On 27 May 2015, it was announced that Keane had signed a two-year contract with League Two clubCambridge United, linking up with former Luton manager Richard Money.[38] He made his Cambridge debut on the opening day of the2015–16 season in a 3–0 win at home to Newport County.[39] However, injuries restricted Keane's playing time and he rejoined Stevenage on loan on 14 January 2016 until 20 February.[40] He made five appearances, scoring one goal during his initial loan spell,[39] before returning on another one-month loan deal on 25 March.[41]
On 31 August 2016, Keane joined League One clubRochdale on loan until 2 January 2017.[42] He made his debut as a 76th-minute substitute forCallum Camps in a 2–2 draw away toBristol Rovers on 10 September.[43] Keane finished his loan spell with 17 appearances, before joining Rochdale permanently on a one-and-a-half-year contract a day later, after leaving Cambridge by mutual consent.[44] He was released by Rochdale at the end of the2017–18 season.[45]
In August 2021, after three years out from football, Keane joined tenth tierSpartan South Midlands Division Two sideThe 61 FC (Luton).[46]
Keane was called up bySean McCaffrey to play for theRepublic of Ireland under-19 team in February 2004 for two friendlies againstSlovenia.[47] In October 2005, Keane received his first call-up to theRepublic of Ireland under-21 team for a2006 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification match againstCyprus, in which he was named in thestarting lineup to make his debut.[48][49] He was also called up to the squad for a friendly againstSweden on 12 October 2007.[50][51]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Luton Town | 2003–04[3] | Second Division | 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 17 | 1 |
| 2004–05[6] | League One | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 19 | 0 | |
| 2005–06[8] | Championship | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 12 | 1 | ||
| 2006–07[11] | Championship | 19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 23 | 1 | ||
| 2007–08[52] | League One | 28 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 34 | 1 | |
| 2008–09[15] | League Two | 40 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5[a] | 0 | 49 | 0 | |
| 2009–10[53] | Conference Premier | 33 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | 3[b] | 0 | 39 | 2 | ||
| 2010–11[54] | Conference Premier | 39 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 6[c] | 0 | 50 | 0 | ||
| 2011–12[55] | Conference Premier | 33 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 7[d] | 1 | 42 | 2 | ||
| Total | 234 | 7 | 18 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 24 | 1 | 285 | 8 | ||
| Preston North End | 2012–13[56] | League One | 26 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 31 | 1 |
| 2013–14[57] | League One | 38 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1[e] | 0 | 46 | 1 | |
| 2014–15[33] | League One | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 64 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 77 | 2 | ||
| Crawley Town (loan) | 2014–15[33] | League One | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 2[a] | 0 | 15 | 0 | |
| Stevenage (loan) | 2014–15[33] | League Two | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | 7 | 0 | |||
| Cambridge United | 2015–16[39] | League Two | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 2016–17[43] | League Two | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Total | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | ||
| Stevenage (loan) | 2015–16[39] | League Two | 6 | 1 | — | — | — | 6 | 1 | |||
| Rochdale | 2016–17[43] | League One | 29 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 32 | 0 | |
| 2017–18[58] | League One | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| Total | 32 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 360 | 10 | 29 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 29 | 1 | 433 | 11 | ||
Luton Town
Individual
