Newcastle United and Liverpool will pay tribute to Kevin Keegan before their Premier League opener at St James' Park on Sunday, the first competitive match since his death. Keegan, who starred for Liverpool in the 1970s and later became a beloved figure at Newcastle as both player and manager, died on July 20 aged 75 after undergoing treatment for stage four stomach cancer.
Clubs unite to honour Keegan
Keegan's family revealed in January that he had been diagnosed with the disease. Speaking at an event in Newcastle in May, he said he would like to return to St James' Park to say goodbye: "I want to say goodbye. I didn't get the chance when I left the club last time."
A Newcastle statement said: "The opening Premier League match of 2026/27 sees Newcastle United hosting Liverpool – where Kevin made 323 appearances between 1971 and 1977. To ensure his memory is marked fittingly before the game, the club is in communication with Liverpool and will work closely with supporter groups, including its Fan Advisory Board, the Newcastle United Supporters Trust and Wor Flags, as well as the Premier League, to shape tributes."
Further tributes at Anfield
Liverpool said: "LFC is also in direct contact with Newcastle United, ahead of the Premier League opener at St. James' Park, regarding special tributes to Keegan, who represented both clubs so successfully." A further tribute will be held before the Reds' first Premier League home match of the season, on Saturday, August 29 against Nottingham Forest, with a special fan mosaic, a period of applause before kick-off, and players wearing black armbands.
Career highlights
Born in Doncaster, Keegan started his career at Scunthorpe before being signed by Liverpool for Bill Shankly in 1971. At Anfield, he won the First Division title three times, the FA Cup, the UEFA Cup twice, and the 1977 European Cup. He then joined Hamburg, where he was twice named European Footballer of the Year – the only British player to have won the award, now called the Ballon d'Or, more than once.
Keegan returned to England with Southampton in 1980 before moving to Second Division Newcastle, helping the club win promotion back to the top flight, then retiring at 33. He won 63 England caps, scoring 21 goals, playing at the 1982 World Cup and captaining the national team. In 1992, he began his management career at Newcastle, leading them into the Premier League and close to the 1995/96 title. He later managed Fulham, England and Manchester City before a short-lived return to Newcastle, where he spent eight months before resigning after a fallout with owner Mike Ashley.
