Kevin Keegan (still alive)

I happened to meet him the day after my son was born.
My daughter and I were having a lunch in Frankie and Bennys in Xscape. She was only 3 at the time and was telling everyone she had aaa wee brother. As I was paying I heard an older lady say she had heard about her becoming a big sister and how nice that was. A hand was put out in front of the card machine as a voice said congratulations. As I took it I looked up and there was Kevin Keegan. I spluttered a thank you as he turned to the wee one to talk to her. Nice memory.
Also a lot shorter than I thought. Despite knowing his nickname
 
One of my nonRangers playing heroes growing up.
He openly stated he was not the greatest football player and decided he would make up for his deficiencies by having superb fitness and an incredible work rate.
 
Been watching some of these these interviews and enjoyed this one. He seemed to make the most of any talent he had and was always striving to be the best. I wish more modern players were the same
 
Remember he did an interview where he stated he could not stomach the Scottish bastards.

Never quite took to the wee arsehole after that.
 
Met KK when i worked at Centerparcs as he came into our restaurant one time when he had soccer schools there , absolute gem of a guy that had his photo taken and signed autographs with anyone that asked , was there with his wife and 2 daughters who sat waiting patiently for the best part of 20 mins , guess they were used to him having to sign autographs and get photos taken wherever he went

Remember reading years ago that when he was a schoolboy he asked one of his idols (can't remember who) for an autograph but the guy refused. Keegan was devastated and vowed that he would never refuse anybody who asked for an autograph if he ever became famous. Looks like he stuck to that.
 
My impression was always that he was a genuine, honest to goodness, type of guy.
A terrifically committed professional I thought.
 
Just watching an old documentary on him on ITV4 filmed during his time at Hamburg.

Credentials as a great and successful player are fairly clear.

What about the person? Comes across (as a younger guy) as being a bit thick, but very astute and driven in terms of career, money, ambition.

Also seemed to be a really decent guy with the fans and a genuine family guy.

Had him pigeon holed as a bit of a fanny but re-evaluating a bit now.

What say the hanging judges of FF??

(Documentary finished now, but the next one is on Niki Lauda, in case anyone’s interested)
A lot of people will remember him for getting wound up by Fergie but he was also a fantastic player and always comes across as a decent sort.
 
Just watching an old documentary on him on ITV4 filmed during his time at Hamburg.

Credentials as a great and successful player are fairly clear.

What about the person? Comes across (as a younger guy) as being a bit thick, but very astute and driven in terms of career, money, ambition.

Also seemed to be a really decent guy with the fans and a genuine family guy.

Had him pigeon holed as a bit of a fanny but re-evaluating a bit now.

What say the hanging judges of FF??

(Documentary finished now, but the next one is on Niki Lauda, in case anyone’s interested)
One of my heroes growing up, great player
 
I remember he took part in Superstars and fell off his bike. I don't think he was badly injured though.

I saw Malcolm MacDonald mentioned a couple of weeks ago and Superstars was the first thing I thought about. Then Keegan on the Bike and Brian Jacks who was a machine!
 
I saw Malcolm MacDonald mentioned a couple of weeks ago and Superstars was the first thing I thought about. Then Keegan on the Bike and Brian Jacks who was a machine!

The Keegan bike thing was shown on the BBC Archive FB page the other day - top tv! It’s actually a cracking page to follow, back in the day when the BBC was still a decent broadcaster.

Can remember Superstars from when I was a wee guy. Would be great to see something similar these days but can’t imagine it would be allowed to happen now in a million years, between astronomical appearance fees and insurance, etc.
 
The Keegan bike thing was shown on the BBC Archive FB page the other day - top tv! It’s actually a cracking page to follow, back in the day when the BBC was still a decent broadcaster.

Can remember Superstars from when I was a wee guy. Would be great to see something similar these days but can’t imagine it would be allowed to happen now in a million years, between astronomical appearance fees and insurance, etc.

No chance it would happen now, unless they do a Fortnite edition ;-) I had a look at the Wiki page and they had some big name Sportsmen. Interesting to note that a certain Sir Steve Redgrave came 3'rd in 85.
 
Have only heard good things about him as a person, and anyone who wins the European player of the year is a bit special on the park.
 
Quite surprised by some comments on his playing career he was world class terrific goal scorer brilliant with both feet and he was great in the air Liverpool Hamburg Southampton Newcastle and England legend he used to torture Scotland when playing for England they couldn’t get near him can remember they had a debate on who was the better player Best or Keegan it was a show on ITV for different sports People argued the cases for both players and then there was a vote at the end Keegan won it he was a great player and not too bad a manager as well
 
Done that not bad considering he was European footballer of the year
That's why he became player of the year, worked hard to improve his natural ability, unlike some lazy players we have had. If you read his book you'd be amazed the journey he had to get to the top.
 
When Keegan had his Football thing at Braehead I happened to be heading into the XScape. A couple of cars down from me, there was an elderly guy who's car tyre was punctured and clearly struggling with taking the wheel off. I started to walk over to offer help, only to be beaten to the guy's car by Kevin Keegan!

Keegan proceeded to get caked in dirt and grime and ruin his jeans and jumper changing the guys tyre. When they then discovered another problem with the car Keegan called the AA on his own policy as the old guy wasn't covered. He was told the wait would be approx 3 hours and he'd have to be there when the recovery arrived. Amazingly, Keegan agreed to this and took the old duffer for a cup of tea whilst thy waited!

I thought it was a fantastic gesture from him. Previously, my only real interest in Keegan was laughing at the 'I'll love it if we beat them' - after that? I only hope he's successful in everything he does. Top player and awesome person. The old guy had no idea who Keegan was, and again, that didn't seem to matter to him at all.
 
Stayed in Inverkip for a while. Met him a couple of times out walking. Stopped and had a chat all things football. Came across as a decent fella.
 
His 2 Balon D’ors say he was better than good.

The first of those especially was very bizarre though.

Hamburg finished mid table, did nothing in Europe and Keegan only scored a dozen goals in all competitions while with England he failed to qualify for the World Cup, yet somehow he was felt to be the best player in Europe in 1978?
 
He had a brilliant club partnership at Liverpool with John Toshack and at international level with Trevor Brooking.

A very good player who got every ounce out his career through hard work and determination to the best he could be.
Trevor Brooking ???? He was a midfielder never recall him having a partnership with Keegan ! That’s a new one on me
 
Oh, and a wee rush of (now long lost) pride for a second at the Wembley game, watching him leading England out with Dalglish leading us out and the Magnificent Bastard right behind him. Proper football.
Doesn't get much better then that
 
Never met him but I’m sure I’ve read on here that he was a more than decent man. Maybe a few guys have met him through the football thing he had at Braehead. These Brian Moore programmes are a good watch.

I met him when he had that soccer school thing in Xscape and he was brand new.
 
Trevor Brooking ???? He was a midfielder never recall him having a partnership with Keegan ! That’s a new one on me

You obviously weren’t at Wembley in 79!!! I know exactly what DH1963 meant. Too narrow minded in your head. Keegan moved and Brooking would find him over and over again.
 
Never met him but I’m sure I’ve read on here that he was a more than decent man. Maybe a few guys have met him through the football thing he had at Braehead. These Brian Moore programmes are a good watch.
Met him about 10 years ago. Decent humble guy who has had his successful and unsuccessful times both in business and football.
 
Being quite old now I can remember him coming to York with Scunthorpe United, probably 1969-1970 season so he'd still be teenager. City won 3-2 as I recall but he got both the goals for Scunny and really stood out.
I read somewhere that as a young pro he would get a Summer job in the steelworks to boost his earnings.
Rumour was that his hometown club, Doncaster Rovers had turned him down as being too small; not sure if that's true but if it is they missed a gem.
 
Being a Geordie, Newcastle were my 2nd team when I was younger and I have fond memories of Keegan's team 92 to 97. (I'm pretty bitter toward my home team now though)

People want to know what Mark Warburton could have been with money, look at Newcastle's Entertainers, goals for fun, no defense.
 
Played 5 a side against him in Dubai in late 80s. He'd been retired a few years and hadn't yet got into management. Chance of a 50/50 came up and I reckoned I'd do him ended up on my arse after flying through the air backwards for about 10 yards. A big lesson
Nice guy, had a beer and a chat with everyone afterwards but disappeared with a couple of ladies while we all stayed and got smashed. George Best and Pat Jennings were part of the same event. Best just sat in a corner getting pissed talking to no one (had to get him out the bar for the start of the games). Jennings tried to mix but was very quiet.
 
My old man met him few times when he stayed in Inverkip, used to give him lifts to work on occasion when he was going to his place in Braehead (old man worked in IBM on same route).

Said he was genuine decent guy who would happily talk about football. Very generous as well.
 
This must be a first in FF history, 89 posts in and everyone seems unanimous that KK is a good guy.

I’d like to concur. KK was doing a signing thing in London during the summer of 1981. Place was suitably mobbed and after a while the organiser came out to say time was up
and no more autographs would be given.

I gave the organiser some verbal along the lines of “I bet you and your chums all got autographs.” Anyways, few minutes later Keegan comes out, signs for everyone still there (including my copy of Shankly’s autobiography) and assures me that England would be crazy to blow qualification for next summer’s World Cup (although they tried their best by losing 2-1 to Norway).

That’s 39 years ago now and the fact I remember it like it was yesterday speaks volumes for the impression he made on a 15 year old me.
 
Just watching an old documentary on him on ITV4 filmed during his time at Hamburg.

Credentials as a great and successful player are fairly clear.

What about the person? Comes across (as a younger guy) as being a bit thick, but very astute and driven in terms of career, money, ambition.

Also seemed to be a really decent guy with the fans and a genuine family guy.

Had him pigeon holed as a bit of a fanny but re-evaluating a bit now.

What say the hanging judges of FF??

(Documentary finished now, but the next one is on Niki Lauda, in case anyone’s interested)

What was the name of this please mate? Think it must be the one where various players were featured like Ardiles, Villa, Muhren that I watched last week myself on ITV 4 and has been on a few times but just checking. Cheers.
 
What was the name of this please mate? Think it must be the one where various players were featured like Ardiles, Villa, Muhren that I watched last week myself on ITV 4 and has been on a few times but just checking. Cheers.

Hi - no, was only Keegan, although I there are other episodes focusing on different sports people.

It was from a series (in the late 70s / early 80s I think) called "Brian Moore meets...." It was on ITV4.
 
Ah great, found it for anyone else after it. Cheers.


I watched this last night and thought it was really entertaining. You can't help but like Keegan.

Incredible to think he went from £22,000 a year at Liverpool to £122,000 basic a year at Hamburg and then £400,000 a year when you factor in his sponsorships.
 
A mate chased him around the car park at the Dell when we played them in a friendly with a roll of Southampton wall paper, I'm sure he sees the funny side now (Keegan that is).
 
His front wheel is clearly gubbed from the get go but that video shows how down to earth he is.

Many a prima dona sportsman would have milked that and been stretchered off or moaned about the bike.

But he just gets up, plays it down and says he’s fine despite what can only be described as a bastard of a scrape on his shoulder
 
Should listen to top flight time machine podcast doing a deep dive into Kevin Keegan's autobiography.

Hamburg he was introduced to 'kuntenpowder'

Was just coming on to post the same thing. I haven't read the book, just listened to their 44 episode breakdown/loving piss take of it, but the impression from that was that was that Keegan came across as a decent, and genuine (but slightly eccentric) bloke, maybe a bit too honest for his own good.

People will either love this or be on here posting how the podcasters are completely unfunny twats and they switched it off after 10 minutes.

If anyone does like it, go back and listen to their World Cup reviews and initial breakdowns of 90s premier league seasons. The opening 5 mins of the South Africa one featuring Colonel Gaddafi, Zacumi the World Cup mascot and a scaffolding poll is my personal favourite.

 
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