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Kevin Keegan

In the early 1980, Newcastle United were in decline and languishing in the second division. It was manager Athur Cox who stirred the club back to the first division with the help of a new signing, a sensational transfer that checked the football world as Cox manage to gain the, signature of Kevin Keegan. With crowds well below 10,000 Keegan captivated everyone on Tyneside and the club stromed into the top division with style. Keegan alongside the likes of Beardsley and Waddle and Terry McDermott managed to consolidate a place in Division One before a period of selling set in which rocked the club.

When Keegan made his Newcastle debut in 1982, he was watched from the terraces of the Gallowgate by a young lad named Alan Shearer who Keegan would pay a world record transfer fee for in 1996 as club manager. Keegan scored on his debut in front of the Gallowgate crowd. Keegan spent two years at Newcastle before announcing his returement, he left St.James' Park in a helicopter after a goalscoring farewell, and still dressed in his full Newcastle United kit. He moved to Spain with his family where he would remain until one day in 1992 he received a phone call from Newcastle United chairman Sir John Hall.

Newcastle United, under the management of Ossie Ardiles, were struggling at the bottom of the second division and attendances had plumitted to well below 15,000. Sir John Hall had only just taken control of the club and needed a minor miracle to stop Newcastle tumbling into the third division. With the club facing near bankrupcy Hall also knew that relegation could spell the end of Newcastle United.

After eight years of retirement, sun and golf in Spain. Keegan returned to football and joined Newcastle United as manager on a short term contract, he was given a small wage. However, the club could not afford to pay for an assistant for Keegan so he hired his close friend Terry McDermott and paid him out of his own pocket. Keegan was only just able to prevent Newcastle from slipping into the third division, Newcastle stayed up. Keegan stayed, and the very next season Newcastle were crowned won the league and promotion to the newly formed Premier League. The clubs finances were magically transformed and in 1994 Keegan signed a new contract that would see him manage the club for the next ten years.

However, Keegan did not fulfil his contract and in January 1997, just days after a thrilling 7-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur, Kevin Keegan stunned the world by resigning as Newcastle United manager.

During Keegans reign he finished 2nd in the Premier League, signed Alan Shearer for a world record £15,000,000 and had transformed Newcastle from a club facing relegation to the third tier of the football league and bankrupcy, to one of the most feared teams in the country. Keegans Newcastle were given the tag of 'The Entertainers' for their fluent attacking and stylish brand of football.

In 1995-1996 Kevin Keegan delivered his famous outburst on live television. Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson (famed for his mind games with rival managers) claimed that teams try harder aganst Manchester United than they do against Newcastle. After a hard fought win over Leeds United, Keegan almost in tears broke down on live TV and told Ferguson he would love it if Newcastle beat Manchester United to the title. They did not. To this day it is considered by many to be Fergusons best personal victory over another manager.

Keegan was later seen as manager of Fulham from 1998-1999 before being offered the job as England manager following the sacking of Glenn Hoddle, although Hoddle was sacked on non-football terms. Keegan took England to Euro 2000 but they crashed out at the group stage and he resigned as manager in September 2000 after a defeat to Germany in the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Keegan took over at Manchester City and in that same season they were drawn away to Newcastle United in the FA Cup. St.James' Park was sold out as thousands of fans tried to get inside the stadium to see the return of the man they called 'The Messiah'. Newcastle won 1-0 with a Nolberto Solano goal.

City were promoted to the Premier League and Keegan brought in players such as Peter Schmeichel, David Seaman and Michael Tarnat. On 10th March 2005 Keegan quit as manager city manager claiming that the club had destroyed his love for the game, he retired from football promising never to return. However after three years out of the game he did return.

On 16th January 2008 Kevin Keegan was named manager of Newcastle United for a second time.

Info

Full name: Joseph Kevin Keegan
DOB: 14th February 1951
Place of Birth: Doncaster, England
Position: Striker

Facts

Following Kevins final appearances as a player for Newcastle, against Liverpool, he left St.James' Park via helicopter still in his kit.

Although he has never won any trophies with Newcastle he is regarded as one of the clubs best ever managers.

In April 1991 he was attacked while sleeping in his Range Rover, the attacker later admited to needing money for drugs and had no idea the identity of his victim.