Happy 70th birthday Kevin Keegan, OBE
FORMER England striker and manager Kevin Keegan celebrates his 70th birthday on Sunday (St Valentine’s Day).
Born in Armthorpe, Doncaster in 1951, he regularly played Sunday football and had a trial with Coventry City before signing for Scunthorpe United in December 1967, turning professional a year later. Transferred to Liverpool for £33,000 in May 1971, he moved to SV Hamburg/Germany for £500,000 in June 1977, switched to Southampton for £400,000 in July 1980 and briefly assisted Bankstown City in Australia before moving to Newcastle United for £100,000 in August 1982. Retiring in May 1984, he spent eight years out of the game before returning as Newcastle manager in February 1992, holding office for five years. Then, after working as a TV pundit, he was appointed Fulham’s Chief Operating Officer in 1997, taking over as manager in 1998. Next up he was to take charge of England’s national team - February 1999 to October 2000 – before rounding things off by bossing Manchester City: May 2001March 2005.
Playing with pace and power, improvisation and skill, ‘KK’ netted 298 goals in 838 club and international appearances, spending his best years with Liverpool for whom he scored 100 goals in 323 games. Twice voted PFA ‘Footballer of the Year’ in 1976 and 1982, he also won the ‘European Footballer’ and Germany’s ‘Player of the Year’ awards and helped Liverpool lift the European Cup, the UEFA Cup twice, the FA Cup and three League titles.
At international level, ‘KK’ scored 21 goals in 63 appearances for England (1972-82), skippering the team on 31 occasions. He also won five U23 caps but did suffer the humiliation of being sent-off with Billy Bremner of Leeds, in the 1974 FA Charity Shield game at Wembley.
As a manager he became a folk hero at St James’ Park, steering Newcastle to the First Division championship and twice to the runner’s-up spot in the Premiership. He also guided Fulham to the Second Division title and was in charge of England for 18 games, resigning after a 1-0 World Cup qualifying defeat by Germany in October 2000 - the last game played at the ‘old’ Wembley.
In April 1991, Kevin was attacked while sleeping in his Range Rover by the M25 at Reigate Hill in Surrey. His assailants later admitted in court that they needed money for a drugs debt and had no idea they were attacking ‘KK’.
In 2008, Flybe International announced the naming of their new Bombardier Q400 aircraft in honour of Kevin's service to Newcastle, both as a player and as manager. The plane is still being used on the regular service out of Newcastle airport.
In the meantime it’s a happy birthday to you Kevin – enjoy every minute.