Paul Gascoigne has sent a heartfelt message of love and support to his former Newcastle United teammate Kevin Keegan, who is battling stage four cancer. The 59-year-old football legend recalled his time as an apprentice at the club, when he was tasked with cleaning Keegan's boots. One day, he took a pair home to show his father but lost one of them on the way.
Gascoigne's fond memories
Gascoigne, speaking near his home in Dorset, said: 'I send him love and best wishes. It was back in the 80s, before I made my debut for Newcastle, so I was just a teenager. You were given jobs to do at the training ground, and I had to clean Kevin's boots. One day I took them home to show my dad because I was so excited, and I lost one of them along the way.'
His late father John accompanied him to St James' Park to apologise to Keegan and help search for the missing boot, but it was never found. 'Keegan was great with me, to be fair. He pretended to be angry at first for a laugh but then said, "Don't worry, I've plenty of boots." You can imagine how embarrassing it was. What a player he was, he gave everything, and what a man. Please send him my love.'
Keegan's cancer battle
Keegan, 75, revealed his stage four cancer diagnosis during an appearance at Newcastle's New Tyne Theatre and Opera House last month. He told the audience: 'They said we have a top doctor with this new way of fighting what you have got. Which is stage four cancer. He was a Liverpool supporter, so I went to meet him. I knew I wouldn't be walking alone.'
Despite his illness, Keegan has remained upbeat, joking about his fitness and expressing a desire to return to St James' Park next season for the first time since his managerial tenure ended in 2008. 'I want to say goodbye. I didn't get the chance when I left the club last time,' he said.
Support from fellow football legends
Former England captain Terry Butcher also expressed solidarity with both Keegan and Kenny Dalglish, who recently confirmed his own cancer battle. Butcher faced both men during his playing career in the 1980s and 90s.
Gascoigne, meanwhile, has urged England's young players to 'enjoy every minute' as they pursue World Cup success, reflecting on his own golden era at Italia '90. He is in talks with Tyson Fury's representatives about a potential Netflix documentary but will not travel to the US due to his fear of flying.
