Kevin Keegan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Kevin Keegan
OBE

Keegan with England, c. 1980
Personal information
Full name	Joseph Kevin Keegan
Date of birth	(1951-02-14) 14 February 1951 (age 74)
Place of birth	Armthorpe, Doncaster, England
Height	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Position(s)	Forward
Youth career
	Enfield House YC
1967–1968	Scunthorpe United
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1968–1971	Scunthorpe United	124	(18)
1971–1977	Liverpool	230	(68)
1977–1980	Hamburger SV	90	(32)
1980–1982	Southampton	68	(37)
1982–1984	Newcastle United	78	(48)
1985	Blacktown City	2	(1)
Total		592	(204)
International career
1972	England U23	5	(1)
1972–1982	England	63	(21)
Managerial career
1992–1997	Newcastle United
1997–1999	Fulham
1999–2000	England
2001–2005	Manchester City
2008	Newcastle United
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Joseph Kevin Keegan (born 14 February 1951) is a famous English former footballer and manager. People called him "King Kev" or "Mighty Mouse". He was known for his amazing dribbling skills, scoring goals, and being good in the air. Many consider him one of the best players ever.

Keegan started his football journey at Scunthorpe United in 1968. Later, Bill Shankly brought him to Liverpool. There, he won many big titles, including three First Division championships and two UEFA Cups. He also won the FA Cup and, in his last season, the European Cup. During this time, he played regularly for the England national team and was captain 31 times.

In 1977, he moved to Hamburger SV in Germany. He was named European Footballer of the Year in both 1978 and 1979. Hamburg won the Bundesliga title in the 1978–79 season. Keegan then played for Southampton for two seasons. In 1982, he joined Newcastle United in the Second Division. He helped Newcastle get promoted in his second season and retired from playing in 1984. He scored 204 goals in 592 club games and 21 goals in 63 games for England.

Keegan became a manager at Newcastle in 1992. His team won promotion to the Premier League as champions in his first full season. Newcastle finished second in the Premier League in the 1995–96 season. After managing Fulham, he took charge of the England national team in 1999. He later managed Manchester City for four years. In 2008, he returned to Newcastle for a second time as manager. He is unique for helping three clubs get promoted as champions in his first full season with each.

Kevin Keegan's Early Life

Kevin Keegan's grandfather, Frank Keegan

Kevin Keegan's family came from Ireland. His grandfather, Frank, was a hero in 1909. He saved lives during a mining disaster. Kevin's father, Joe, and uncle Frank loved Newcastle United. They talked about their favorite players, Hughie Gallacher and Jackie Milburn.

Kevin's father moved to Armthorpe to work in a coal mine. There, he married Doris, and they had three children: Mary, Kevin, and Michael. Kevin was born in February 1951 at his aunt's house because it had electricity, making childbirth safer. He went to St. Peter's High School.

Kevin's uncle Frank gave him his first football. His father bought him his first football boots after winning a bet on horses. Kevin played football using his baby brother's pushchair as a goal. As a boy, he supported Doncaster Rovers. He admired Alick Jeffrey, a player many thought was amazing.

Kevin tried out for Coventry City but didn't get a contract. He also had a trial with Doncaster Rovers, but he missed it because of wrong information.

Sports and School Days

Keegan played many sports, including cross-country running, rugby, and football. He was also captain of his school's cricket team. He even boxed at his local club. At 15, he and two friends ran 50 miles from Nottingham to Doncaster. Keegan said this run helped him prepare for the physical demands of football. He left school with good grades in History and Art.

At 15, Keegan worked as an office clerk at Pegler Brass Works. He played football for his local youth club and a Sunday morning team. A colleague saw him play and offered him a trial at Scunthorpe United. This led to his first professional football contract.

Kevin Keegan's Club Career

Playing for Scunthorpe United (1966–1971)

Scunthorpe United was a small club. They trained on a rugby pitch and even on a concrete car park. Keegan took training very seriously. He would do tough exercises with a teammate, like carrying weights up and down stadium stands. His coach told him he was a "one-hundred percenter" and should always give his all.

Younger players, including Keegan, took turns driving the team minibus to away games. Once, Keegan crashed the club's old tractor, which was very expensive to fix. This taught him about his responsibility as a player. In 1968, Keegan made his debut at 17. He played 29 league games in his first season. By the 1969–70 season, he played all 46 league games. That season, the team reached the fifth round of the FA Cup.

Keegan played as a creative right midfielder for Scunthorpe. He scored 18 goals in 124 games. Higher division clubs started to notice him. He once said he was happy getting first-team football at Scunthorpe. But soon, he wanted to play at a higher level.

Joining Liverpool (1971–1977)

In 1971, Liverpool's head scout, Geoff Twentyman, recommended Keegan to manager Bill Shankly. Liverpool offered £33,000 for Keegan, which Scunthorpe accepted. Keegan negotiated his contract, getting £50 a week instead of £45.

Liverpool bought Keegan as a midfielder. But Shankly decided to move him to play upfront with John Toshack. In a practice game, Keegan scored two goals, impressing Shankly. He became Toshack's new strike partner. Keegan said he and Toshack understood each other's play very well. On 14 August 1971, Keegan made his Liverpool debut against Nottingham Forest and scored after just 12 minutes.

Winning Trophies with Liverpool

In the 1972–73 season, Keegan won his first major titles. Liverpool was in a close race for the First Division title. They beat Leeds United 2–0 in a key game. Liverpool then won the title with a 0–0 draw against Leicester City. This was their first major trophy since 1966.

In the UEFA Cup, Liverpool reached the final against Borussia Mönchengladbach. The first game was stopped due to heavy rain and played the next day. Keegan scored two goals in a 3–0 win. Liverpool lost the second game 2–0, but won the title 3–2 on total score.

The next season, Keegan scored often. Liverpool won the FA Cup. Their journey started with a game against Doncaster Rovers, the club that had rejected Keegan. He scored both goals in a 2–2 draw. Liverpool won the replay and went on to the final. Keegan scored twice more on the way to the final at Wembley Stadium.

In the 1974 FA Cup final, Liverpool played Newcastle United. Keegan said Liverpool players were motivated by Newcastle players' confident talk before the game. Manager Shankly also seemed to play mind games with Newcastle's manager. In the final, Keegan scored two goals as Liverpool beat Newcastle 3–0. It was an amazing experience for him.

Three months later, Keegan played in the Charity Shield. The game was very intense. Keegan and Billy Bremner were both sent off, which was a first for the Charity Shield. They were fined and suspended, but remained friends.

The 1974–75 season was trophyless for Liverpool. But over the next two years, Liverpool won the League championship and UEFA Cup again in the 1975–76 season. Keegan scored in both games of the UEFA Cup final against FC Bruges, which Liverpool won 4–3.

In the 1976–77 season, Keegan helped Liverpool win the League championship and European Cup. He announced he would leave Liverpool that summer. He scored 20 goals in his final season. Keegan's last game for Liverpool was the European Cup final in Rome. Liverpool won 3–1 against Borussia Mönchengladbach, with Keegan helping to win a penalty that sealed the victory. His father had passed away from cancer earlier that season.

After 323 games and 100 goals, Keegan left Liverpool. He joined Hamburger SV in Germany for £500,000. Liverpool replaced him with Kenny Dalglish. Keegan later said he loved playing for Liverpool and felt emotional when fans sang "You'll Never Walk Alone".

Playing for Hamburger SV (1977–1980)

Kevin Keegan with a Hamburger SV fan in London in 1996

Keegan's move to Hamburger SV in 1977 was a British record transfer fee. He earned much more money in Germany. Keegan became a trendsetter with his new perm haircut. He was Hamburg's highest-paid player and was seen as a superstar.

At first, Keegan didn't feel fully accepted by his new teammates. His transfer had caused a popular player to leave, which upset some. He also had trouble with the language. Once, he tried to buy a fuse but ended up buying Christmas lights!

In his first season, Keegan was sent off in a friendly game. This was a low point for him. After this, he decided to learn German to connect better with his team. He started to feel more like part of the team.

In the 1977–78 season, Hamburg finished tenth, but Keegan won the France Football European Footballer of the Year award. This was a great personal achievement.

The 1978–79 season was much better. A new coach, Branko Zebec, made the team train very hard. Keegan learned German, and the team became more disciplined. Hamburg won their first league championship in 19 years. Keegan won the European Footballer of the Year award for the second year in a row. Before him, only a few legends had won it multiple times.

In 1979, Hamburg fans nicknamed Keegan "Mighty Mouse" after the cartoon superhero. In February 1980, Keegan announced he would leave Hamburg. He felt the coach's extreme training was too much and would burn him out. He believed players had different roles and ran different distances in games.

In the 1979–80 European Cup, Hamburg reached the final. They beat Real Madrid 5–1 in one amazing game, which Keegan called one of his best team experiences. But they lost the final 1–0 to Nottingham Forest. Keegan left Hamburg for Southampton in the summer of 1980.

Playing for Southampton (1980–1982)

On 11 February 1980, Southampton announced Keegan would join them. This surprised many, as Southampton was a smaller club. Fans were very excited, especially when Keegan captained England at UEFA Euro 1980.

Liverpool had the option to buy Keegan back, but they chose not to. Southampton signed him for £420,000. Keegan made his debut for Southampton in July 1980.

In the 1980–81 season, Southampton scored 76 goals and finished sixth, their highest league finish at that time. In the next season, Keegan played some of his best football. In April 1982, Southampton was at the top of the league. They finished seventh, but Keegan was voted the PFA Player of the Year. He also received an OBE for his services to football. He scored 26 league goals and 30 goals in all competitions, winning the golden boot.

Keegan had disagreements with manager Lawrie McMenemy. He felt the team's defense wasn't strong enough. Keegan decided to leave. In 2019, McMenemy said Keegan felt Southampton didn't match his football ambitions. Keegan signed for Newcastle United for £100,000.

Playing for Newcastle United (1982–1984)

Keegan joined Newcastle United and became incredibly popular with the fans. He had always felt he would play for Newcastle one day. His father used to tell him stories about Newcastle legends. For Keegan, playing for Newcastle felt like coming home.

The fans' welcome was amazing. Keegan said the noise on his debut was unique. He scored his first goal against Queens Park Rangers. After scoring, he famously jumped into the crowd to celebrate with the fans. He feared letting the supporters down.

Keegan, along with other experienced players, became a leader at the club. Manager Arthur Cox often asked Keegan for his opinion on players. Cox was a tough coach, making players run up hills to get fit. In his first season, Newcastle finished fifth. Keegan scored 21 goals in 37 games and won North East Player of the Year.

In September 1983, Cox signed Peter Beardsley. Keegan and his teammates were amazed by Beardsley's skill in training. Keegan said he had played against legends like Cruyff, Maradona, and Pelé, but Beardsley's talent blew his mind.

Keegan announced his retirement on 14 February 1984, his 33rd birthday. He felt he had lost his pace after a game against Liverpool. A defender caught up to him and took the ball, making Keegan realize he wasn't as fast as he used to be. He wanted to retire while still playing well.

Keegan's last league game was against Brighton & Hove Albion, where he scored in a 3–1 win. He played 78 times for Newcastle, scoring 48 goals and helping them get promoted from the Second Division. His final appearance was in a friendly against Liverpool. He left the pitch in a helicopter, still in his kit, a memorable moment for fans. A young Alan Shearer, who Keegan would later sign as manager, was a ball boy at this game.

Keegan then moved to Spain with his family. He said he would never become a football manager, but he did some work as a TV football expert.

Brief Return to Playing: Blacktown City (1985)

In April 1985, Keegan briefly came out of retirement. He played two games as a guest player for Blacktown City in Australia. He scored one goal in his first game.

Kevin Keegan's International Career

Keegan played five games for the England under-23 team in 1972, scoring one goal. He also received his only red card at international level in one of these games.

He made his England debut on 15 November 1972. It was a 1–0 win against Wales in a World Cup qualifier. He scored his first international goal in his third game, also against Wales. He became England captain in 1976 and led the team 31 times until he retired from international football after the 1982 World Cup.

Keegan captained England at Euro 1980. England didn't get past the group stage. He only played in one World Cup, in 1982 in Spain. He had a back injury and couldn't play in the group games. He even secretly drove to Germany for treatment to try and play. He came on as a substitute for the last 26 minutes against Spain. He missed a close-range header that could have put England ahead. England drew 0–0 and was eliminated.

After a good start to the 1982–83 season with Newcastle United, the new England manager, Bobby Robson, didn't pick Keegan for his squad. Keegan was upset because he heard about it from the media, not from Robson directly. He never played for England again. He finished his international career with 63 games and 21 goals.

Kevin Keegan's Managerial Career

Managing Newcastle United (1992–1997)

Keegan managing Newcastle United in 2008

On 5 February 1992, almost eight years after retiring as a player, Keegan returned to Newcastle United as manager. The club was struggling and close to being relegated to the third tier. Keegan was hired to save them. He hadn't watched much live football in seven years, so some thought he was unprepared.

When Keegan arrived, the training ground was a mess. He paid for it to be cleaned up himself. He wanted to show the players that professionalism was important. He felt the team wasn't good enough but saw potential in young players like Lee Clark and Steve Watson. He wanted Newcastle to be known for exciting, goal-scoring football.

Keegan briefly left the team in March 1992 because he wasn't given the transfer money he was promised. He and chairman John Hall sorted things out, and Hall promised millions for new players. Keegan signed experienced defender Brian Kilcline to be a leader. Keegan's guidance helped Newcastle avoid relegation in the 1991–92 season.

Promotions and Title Challenges

Before the 1992–93 season, Keegan strengthened the defense. Newcastle started the season with 11 wins in a row and led the league almost all season. They signed striker Andy Cole in February, who scored 12 goals in his first 12 games. Newcastle finished first in the First Division, winning promotion to the Premier League as champions.

The 1993–94 season was a huge success. Newcastle finished third in the Premier League and qualified for the UEFA Cup, bringing European football back to the club. Cole was the Premier League's top scorer with 34 goals. Keegan then signed more good players, including Philippe Albert and Ruel Fox.

Newcastle started the 1994–95 season by winning their first six games. They looked like they could win the league. But the surprising sale of Cole to Manchester United in January weakened their attack. They finished sixth. Keegan made more important signings in 1995, including David Ginola and Les Ferdinand. Ferdinand was Newcastle's biggest signing at £6 million.

Newcastle played brilliantly in the first half of the 1995–96 season. They led the league by ten points in December. But their lead slowly disappeared. A 4–3 defeat to Liverpool in April is considered a classic Premier League match. Manchester United won the title on the final day. Keegan later said that if Newcastle had won that title, the team would have stayed together and won more trophies.

During the title race, Keegan famously made comments about Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson in a live TV interview. He said, "I would love it if we beat them! Love it!" This quote is still remembered today.

Keegan then broke the world transfer fee record by signing striker Alan Shearer from Blackburn in July 1996. Shearer was born in Newcastle and was a fan of the club. He scored many goals. Newcastle briefly led the league that season.

Leaving Newcastle

On 8 January 1997, Keegan announced he was resigning as manager. He said he felt he had taken the club as far as he could. The pressure and criticism of selling Cole and losing the title race had taken a toll on him.

Kenny Dalglish, the same person who replaced Keegan as a player at Liverpool, became the new manager. Newcastle finished second that season. Keegan earned the nickname "King Kev" from Newcastle supporters during his time as manager.

Managing Fulham (1997–1999)

Keegan returned to football on 25 September 1997 as chief operating officer at Fulham. The club's owner, Mohamed Al-Fayed, gave Keegan a lot of money to spend on players. Fulham wanted to reach the Premier League.

Keegan became manager in May 1998. He couldn't lead Fulham to promotion that season. But in the 1998–99 season, Fulham won the Second Division title and were promoted to the First Division. Keegan left at the end of the season to focus on being the England manager.

Managing England (1999–2000)

Keegan was named the new England manager on 18 February 1999. He led the team to a winning start. England qualified for Euro 2000 after beating Scotland in a playoff.

However, Keegan started to face criticism for his tactics. In Euro 2000, England lost 3–2 to Portugal despite being 2–0 up. They beat Germany 1–0, but then lost 3–2 to Romania and were out of the tournament.

Keegan resigned as England manager on 7 October 2000. This was after England lost to Germany in a World Cup qualifier. He won 38.9% of his games, the lowest for a permanent England manager.

Managing Manchester City (2001–2005)

On 24 May 2001, Keegan became manager of Manchester City. The club had just been relegated from the Premier League. Keegan signed experienced players. That season, City were promoted as First Division champions, scoring 108 league goals. Keegan was the first manager in the Premier League era to win the First Division title with two different clubs.

In his second season (2002–03), City finished ninth in the Premier League. They beat Liverpool and got four points from Manchester United. They also qualified for the UEFA Cup.

The 2003–04 season was City's first at their new stadium. They started well but then had a slump in form. A famous match that season was an FA Cup game against Tottenham Hotspur. City were losing 3–0 at halftime with ten men, but came back to win 4–3!

Keegan left Manchester City on 10 March 2005, saying he wanted to retire from football. City finished eighth that season. After retiring, Keegan worked at a football school.

Second Time at Newcastle United (2008)

Keegan made a surprising return to Newcastle United on 16 January 2008. Fans were very happy to see him back. He awarded the captaincy to Michael Owen. Keegan also talked with Alan Shearer about him becoming his assistant, but it didn't happen.

Keegan didn't win any of his first eight games back. But on 22 March, Newcastle got their first win under him, a 2–0 victory against Fulham. They then beat Tottenham Hotspur and Sunderland. This good run of form, helped by a new 4–3–3 formation, saved the club from relegation. Newcastle finished 12th.

Resignation from Newcastle (Second Time)

In the summer of 2008, rumors started about problems between Keegan and the club's directors. He publicly said the board wasn't giving him enough money to buy players. On 4 September, Keegan announced he had resigned. He said a manager must have the right to choose players and that clubs shouldn't force players on them.

A legal dispute followed. In October 2009, a tribunal ruled in Keegan's favor. They agreed that Newcastle had unfairly dismissed him by insisting on signing a player he didn't want. Keegan was awarded £2 million. The club admitted they had misled the media and fans about Keegan's power over transfers. It was even revealed that a director had asked Keegan to sign a player after watching him "on YouTube".

Keegan said he wanted to restore his reputation and was happy with the outcome. He still wanted to manage top-flight football. He has continued to criticize the club's former owner, Mike Ashley. When Newcastle United was sold in 2021, Keegan was delighted.

Media Appearances and Music

In 1976, Keegan won the TV show Superstars. He also appeared in advertisements for Brut aftershave. In 1979, a documentary called Brian Moore meets Kevin Keegan showed his life off the pitch. That same year, he was surprised on the TV show This Is Your Life.

Keegan also released a few songs. His song "Head Over Heels in Love" reached number 31 in the UK charts and number 10 in Germany in 1979.

In August 2009, Keegan became a lead football expert for ESPN UK. He also worked as an expert for ITV during the 2010 World Cup.

Personal Life

Kevin Keegan met his wife, Jean Woodhouse, in September 1970. They married in 1974 and have two daughters. Early in his career, he started using his middle name, Kevin, instead of Joseph.

Keegan was known for his "poodle perm" hairstyle in the 1970s. It often appears on lists of "worst hairstyles." In 2008, an airline named one of their planes after Keegan to honor his service to Newcastle United. He also helps many charities.

Career Statistics

Club

International

Scores and results list England's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Keegan goal.

List of international goals scored by Kevin Keegan

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	11 May 1974	Ninian Park, Cardiff	Wales	2–0	2–0	1974 British Home Championship
2	5 June 1974	Stadion Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade	Yugoslavia	2–2	2–2	Friendly
3	11 May 1975	Tsirion Stadium, Cyprus	Cyprus	1–0	1–0	Euro 1976 qualifier
4	3 September 1975	St. Jakob-Park, Basel	Switzerland	1–0	2–1	Friendly
5	13 June 1976	Helsinki Olympic Stadium, Helsinki	Finland	2–1	4–1	1978 World Cup qualifier
6				4–1
7	30 March 1977	Wembley Stadium, London	Luxembourg	1–0	5–0
8	16 November 1977		Italy	1–0	2–0
9	19 April 1978		Brazil	1–1	1–1	Friendly
10	20 September 1978	Parken Stadium, Copenhagen	Denmark	1–0	4–3	Euro 1980 qualifier
11				2–0
12	7 February 1979	Wembley Stadium, London	Northern Ireland	1–0	4–0
13	26 May 1979		Scotland	3–1	3–1	1979 British Home Championship
14	6 June 1979	Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia	Bulgaria	1–0	3–0	Euro 1980 qualifier
15	13 June 1979	Praterstadion, Vienna	Austria	1–2	3–4	Friendly
16	12 September 1979	Wembley Stadium, London	Denmark	1–0	1–0	Euro 1980 qualifier
17	6 February 1980		Republic of Ireland	1–0	2–0
18				2–0
19	13 May 1980		Argentina	3–1	3–1	Friendly
20	6 June 1981	Népstadion, Budapest	Hungary	3–1	3–1	1982 World Cup qualifier
21	23 February 1982	Wembley Stadium, London	Northern Ireland	2–0	4–0	1982 British Home Championship

Managerial Statistics

Honours and Awards

As a Player

Source:

Liverpool

• Football League First Division: 1972–73, 1975–76, 1976–77
• FA Cup: 1973–74; runner-up: 1976–77
• FA Charity Shield: 1974, 1976
• European Cup: 1976–77
• UEFA Cup: 1972–73, 1975–76

Hamburg

• Bundesliga: 1978–79
• European Cup runner-up: 1979–80

England

• British Home Championship: 1973, 1975, 1979, 1982

Individual Awards

• Ballon d'Or: 1978, 1979
• kicker Bundesliga Team of the Season: 1977–78, 1978–79, 1979–80
• Inducted into the first English Football Hall of Fame in 2002.
• Named 8th on the Liverpool list of 100 Players who shook the Kop.
• PFA Team of the Year: 1975–76 First Division, 1976–77 First Division, 1981–82 First Division, 1982–83 Second Division, 1983–84 Second Division
• FWA Footballer of the Year: 1975–76
• PFA Players' Player of the Year: 1981–82
• Football League 100 Legends
• FIFA 100
• Onze Mondial: 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980
• Onze d'Argent: 1976, 1980
• Onze d'Or: 1977, 1979
• Sport Ideal European XI: 1978, 1979
• North-East FWA Player of the Year: 1983, 1984
• Southampton Player of the Season: 1981–82
• Newcastle United Player of the Year: 1982–83, 1983–84

As a Manager

Newcastle United

• Football League First Division: 1992–93

Fulham

• Football League Second Division: 1998–99

Manchester City

• Football League First Division: 2001–02

Individual Awards

• Premier League Manager of the Month: November 1993, August 1994, February 1995, August 1995, September 1995

See also

In Spanish: Kevin Keegan para niños