Liverpool Legend Kevin Keegan Dies After Short Illness | OneFootball

There aren’t many names that seem to transcend the generational barrier when it comes to football, but Kevin Keegan might well be one of them. In spite of the fact that he left Anfield before I was ever born, I know that he was a big part of Liverpool’s history. I’m also of the age whereby he was a manager when I was really starting to get into football, so I remember the excitement of watching his Newcastle United team and cheering on his England side.

The news that has broken today that he has sadly died will doubtless have an impact on Reds of virtually all ages.

An Exciting Attacker

FC Zürich against Liverpool – Kevin Keegan – ETH-Bibliothek Zürich, Bildarchiv / Fotograf: Comet Photo AG (Zürich) / Com_LC1432-000-012 / CC BY-SA 4.0, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Whilst I never watched Kevin Keegan play football for Liverpool live, I’m more than aware of what an exciting player he was considered to be by the generations above me. Arriving at Anfield from Scunthorpe United after the club’s Head Scout, Geoff Twentyman, was made aware of him, he cost the club £33,000 at the time. Although he was a midfielder when he signed, Bill Shankly played him up front alongside John Toshack and the two struck up a brilliant relationship on the pitch, even whilst they didn’t have one off it. He scored after just 12 minutes on his debut for the club.

He was part of the team that helped the club win its first piece of major silverware since 1966 when they pipped both Leeds United and Arsenal to the 1972-1973 title. A year later and he scored twice in a 3-0 win over Newcastle United in the FA Cup. By the time he left Liverpool for Hamburger SV, Keegan had won the Football League three times, the UEFA Cup twice and one apiece of both the FA Cup and the European Cup. He went on to win the Ballon d’Or for his new club, picking it up in successive years in 1978 and 1979, going on to play for Southampton, Newcastle and Blacktown City.

Keegan the Manager

scartinho, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Nearly eight years after his final game as a player for the club, Newcastle United appointed Kevin Keegan as their manager whilst they were in the Second Division. He initially ensured that the Magpies avoided relegation, but was disappointed with both the facilities in the training ground and the level of the players. Instead of the old hats that he believed that he and his assistant manager, Terry McDermott, were better than, Keegan turned to youth players. He won the First Division in the 1992-1993 season, gaining promotion into the Premier League.

In their first season in the newly formed top-flight, Keegan led Newcastle to third place, winning the first six games of the following campaign before the departure of Andrew Cole to Manchester United weakened their attack. They brought in the likes of Shaka Hislop, David Ginola and Les Ferdinand and came remarkably close to winning the Premier League title, only just missing out. He eventually resigned in the January of 1997, going on to become Fulham manager before the Three Lions came calling as a replacement for Glenn Hoddle, lasting less than two years.

‘I Would Love it if We Beat Them’

Keegan will, rightly, be remembered for his ability as a player and the excitement of the football played by the teams that he managed. He won the second tier of English football with Newcastle, Fulham and Manchester City, perhaps suggesting that that was his ideal level. Although he didn’t get to impress with England, he was a much-needed breath of fresh air after the disappointment of Glenn Hoddle’s attitude towards the disabled and others. For all of his ability both in the dugout and with a ball at his feet, though, there will be one thing above all others that he will be remembered for.

Having gotten off to a stormer in the Premier League in 1995-1996, Keegan took Newcastle 12 points clear at the top by the beginning of February. Being put under pressure by the mind games of Sir Alex Ferguson, Keegan spoke to Sky Sports in a post-match interview and uttered the famous line, “I would love it if we beat them! Love it!” That is often considered to be one of the best sporting quotes of all time, being something of a meme before memes were even a thing. It all unravelled for Keegan as he slumped over an Anfield advertising hoarding, having watched his side lose 4-3 to Liverpool in one of the division’s best ever matches.

Rest in peace, Kevin.