SCHOLES A HIT FOR KING KEV

TWENTY-THREE years ago today, England fans left a sun-drenched Wembley Stadium believing they had found their saviour.

Gone was Glenn

Hoddle after his views on reincarnation and in came Kevin Keegan as England manager.

Keegan (above) was Fulham’s chief operating officer at the time, having previously revived Newcastle with an adventurous style.

His passion and the way his team played made him a popular choice with England fans when he agreed to take charge of four matches after Howard Wilkinson’s 90 minutes as caretaker.

Keegan faced another rescue job because after three games into qualifying for Euro 2000, England had only claimed a win and a draw from their Group 5 fixtures.

Poland came to Wembley boosted by back-to-back 3-0 wins – and Keegan’s team really had to beat them.

Keegan was without Paul Ince and David

Batty, so handed Tim Sherwood, 30, his England debut alongside Paul Scholes in midfield, with Andy Cole making his first start next to Alan Shearer up front.

Bill Shankly had once told a young Keegan, “Go out and drop a few hand grenades” before a Liverpool match – and that was his advice to Scholes in the Wembley changing room.

Scholes responded with two goals in the opening 21 minutes.

The opener came in the 10th minute, Scholes getting his right toe to the ball a split second before keeper Adam Matysek reached it and lifted his shot over him and into the net.

United team-mates Cole and David Beckham combined to set up Scholes’ second.

Cole’s reverse pass sent Beckham down the right flank and he swept over a cross towards the six-yard box – and Scholes’ shoulder, rather than his head, did the rest.

Polish skipper Jerzy Brzeczek pulled one back on 28 minutes, but Scholes also powered in a 72nd-minute header.

Keegan said: “Played one, won one. I should resign now.”