Kevin Keegan's City: Goals, thrills and flair | OneFootball

When Kevin Keegan was announced as Manchester City manager, the excitement in the blue half of Manchester was palpable.

Club News

Kevin Keegan: 1951-2026

A legendary figure in world football, Keegan brought with him that sprinkling of magic that made City fans believe anything might be possible.

There was a genuine belief that this was the man who could bring exciting football back to Maine Road and it would only take a minute or two in his company to tap into that infectious enthusiasm.

Keegan’s aura was almost tangible.

As a player, he was an exciting, diminutive forward with the heart of a lion – emotional, all-action with the ability to score fantastic goals, he made his name with Liverpool before moving to Hamburg in the Bundesliga, helping the German side win the European Cup before returning to England with Southampton.

A two-time Ballon d’Or winner, he finished his playing career with Newcastle United, taking on the player-manager role at St James’ Park and causing near hysteria in the process.

He helped the Magpies win promotion and become a top flight side again, before concentrating solely on his management career, which would be no less colourful as he contested a dramatic, though ultimately unsuccessful race for the Premier League title with Manchester United.

After five years in the north east, he took on the role of Fulham manager before England came calling in 1999 – an appointment that had felt inevitable for some time.

But things didn’t go as expected and Keegan didn’t stick around, quitting the position 18 months in after feeling he couldn’t progress the national team the way he had wanted to.

Seven months later, in May 2001, Manchester City offered Keegan the chance of resurrecting the Club’s fortunes having just been relegated from the Premier League.

He accepted the challenge and set about the task with his usual vim and vigour.

Keegan wasted no time in finding a respected leader on the pitch. The decision to bring Stuart Pearce to the club was wise and a shrewd move with the former Nottingham Forest and England skipper looking for one last challenge before hanging his boots up.

“I felt we just needed a leader, and this is something I’ve done at all my clubs,” explained Keegan.

“I’ve always tried to bring in someone who will help you manage the players, in other words, I can tell Stuart, ‘this is what we’re thinking, go and see what the lads think about it’. He’s formed a committee with Shaun Goater and Steve Howey and they’re the three that can represent the rest. If the training’s too hard or too easy or the travelling could be better, they can give me feedback.

“I’m sure all City fans would prefer us to be in the Premiership. I’d prefer to be looking at a fixture list that took us to places like Highbury and Old Trafford, but in reality it doesn’t.”

Keegan took inspiration from those around him, whether as a player or a manager and said, “I was always told ‘you’re too small’, so all the way along your life I think you have to keep finding inspiration. Bill Shankly was tremendous, though; he made you feel ten feet tall, even if you’re only five feet seven.”

His first official game in charge was at home to Watford, with an unusual Saturday evening clash with Watford at Maine Road.

The atmosphere was electric and the Blues won 3-0 playing a brand of football the supporters demanded – fast, attacking and brave and his first campaign was an unforgettable rollercoaster ride of emotion, thrills and goals.

Keegan’s City stormed the second tier playing with the sort of swagger and style not witnessed for many years, and the addition of Eyal Berkovic and Ali Benarbia proved inspired as the Championship title was secured with a 10-point advantage and 108 goals scored.In his second campaign,

City invested heavily in Nicolas Anelka, Sylvain Distin and also signed Peter Schmeichel on a free transfer and brought Marc Vivien Foe in on loan from Lyon.

It was the last season at Maine Road, and the highlight was a 3-1 win over United in the last Manchester derby in our old home as City ended a respectable ninth in the Premier League.

Keegan had also brought European football back to the Club for the first time in 24 years, with City winning a spot in the 2003/04 UEFA Cup courtesy of the Fair Play rankings. Europe, a new stadium and stellar names – we were, indeed walking in a Keegan wonderland.

The 2003/04 season was one of struggle, with City flirting with relegation for long periods, with only the occasional high here and there.

By March 2005, Keegan felt he’d done all he could at City and quit his post, but he had taken the Club back to the top flight and consolidated promotion, given fans a glimpse of European competition and brought back a belief that in the near future, City could be a force again one day.

And everyone who remembers that first 2001/02 season under his tutelage will recall the breath-taking football City played – arguably the best the second tier had ever seen.

That was the’ Keegan Factor and he played a crucial role in our journey to becoming a domestic superpower once again.