Former Newcastle United boss Chris Hughton says he owes his managerial career to Kevin Keegan. Hughton was drafted in by Keegan in 2008 after he made a second coming to St James' Park and leaned on the ex-Spurs coach for his tactical input.
But when Keegan left the club after a transfer row with the powers that be, Hughton was left in caretaker charge, and then a year later, was handed the job full-time after a succession of bosses, including Joe Kinnear and Alan Shearer. Hughton would go on to guide Newcastle to the 2010 Coca-Cola Championship and become one of the club's iconic managers after saving the club following relegation.
Hughton's tribute to Keegan
In the aftermath of Keegan's death, Hughton said: "I owe all of my managerial career to Kevin." Having the faith to bring me up to Newcastle in the first place, and then the pleasure of working with him for that period of time.
"He was no different to everything I had been told about him. The players loved him; he could have a laugh and joke with them, but when it came to decision-making, it showed the quality he had. A man of the people that could get on with everybody. I always felt like if you couldn't get on with Kevin then it was your fault and not his because he gave everybody the time they deserve. An exceptional coach and an exceptional manager."
Precious shirt memory
Hughton also fought against Keegan as a player during their days on the international stage. "I played against Kevin a good few times when he was at Southampton and against him when I played for the Republic of Ireland against England," Hughton said on BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast. "Kevin got the two goals in that game and we lost 2-0.
"We chatted all the way to the changing room after the game and we exchanged shirts. I still have that shirt, and out of all my memorabilia, it is my most precious one."
