Kevin Keegan, the legendary footballer who lit up Newcastle United both as a player and manager, has died at the age of 75 after a valiant fight against stomach cancer. His death has saddened every Geordie heart, with a light gone out of their lives.
Keegan's Unique Bond with Newcastle
Keegan was instantly recognisable by his nicknames—King Kev, Special K, or simply KK. While he played for Liverpool, Hamburg, and England, winning numerous trophies, on Tyneside he remained a son of the soil. Newcastle United is the only club he both played for and managed, and he did both spectacularly.
In the summer of 1982, Newcastle were lost in the mediocrity of Division Two, with fans living on memories. Keegan, however, was a world superstar: twice European Footballer of the Year, current England captain, European Cup winner with Liverpool, and Footballer of the Year in both England and West Germany. The thought of him joining Newcastle seemed a joke—until manager Arthur Cox believed the passion of Geordies would rise again with a hero to worship.
The Daring Signing
Cox approached chairman Stan Seymour Jnr with the plan to sign the greatest player in the country. Seymour, whose father had helped create the modern Newcastle, was the perfect foil. Finances were a drawback, so the club's main sponsors, Newcastle Breweries, were brought in. On August 19, 1982, KK signed his contract to become a Magpie, and a city erupted. Queues snaked round the ground the next morning as supporters clamoured for season tickets.
Keegan was a one-man PR machine. He revealed his Geordie roots—his grandfather Frank was a hero of the West Stanley Pit disaster. On his debut against QPR, he scored the only goal. On St Valentine's Day, his 33rd birthday, he announced he would retire at the end of the season after promotion was won, and left in a helicopter from the centre of the pitch.
Return as Manager
Keegan dramatically returned as manager, despite having no previous managerial experience and having lived out of the country for eight years. The club was under new ownership with Sir John Hall, and they wanted a statement. Newcastle were on the verge of dropping into the third tier for the first time in history but ended up second in the Premier League for two successive seasons. The Entertainers became the talk of the country.
Keegan assembled a stellar squad: Sheedy, Beresford, Bracewell, Venison, Lee, Sellars, Cole, Beardsley, Fox, Peacock, Hottiger, Albert, Gillespie, Barton, Ferdinand, Ginola, Hislop, Asprilla, Batty, and Shearer. In 1992, Newcastle finished 20th in the old Second Division after he came in late and saved them on the final day at Leicester. The next season they were champions, and in their first Premier League campaign they climbed to third. They finished sixth in 94-95, then second in 95-96 and again in 96-97 before Keegan quit in January 1997.
Personal Tributes
John Gibson, who worked closely with Keegan, recalled breaking stories of his two comings. Gibson hosted Keegan's talk-ins around the North East and said the love poured towards the stage like when the Beatles changed the world. Just a couple of weeks before his death, Keegan contacted Gibson to congratulate him on the 60th anniversary of covering NUFC for the Chronicle, calling him 'a legend.' Gibson said, 'Coming from a true legend like him it meant the world. Coming from a man fighting a losing battle made it heartbreaking.'
Keegan's legacy on Tyneside is indelible. He transformed the club twice, and his passion and charisma will never be forgotten. RIP King Kev.
