Anfield legend Kevin Keegan has died at the age of 75. Our Chief Liverpool FC Correspondent Ian Doyle looks back on a life and career of a Reds great
Liverpool's Kevin Keegan and Ray Clemence celebrate winning the European Cup after victory over Borussia Moenchengladbach in Rome on May 25 1977
Liverpool's Kevin Keegan and Ray Clemence celebrate winning the European Cup after victory over Borussia Moenchengladbach in Rome on May 25 1977
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Wembley, FA Cup final, May 4 1974. The afternoon that encapsulated Kevin Keegan's Liverpool career and, although nobody knew at the time, the occasion when his thrilling present and emotional future would collide.
As the standout of Bill Shankly's second great Reds team, the weight of expectation was on Keegan during what was dubbed a shoot-out with Newcastle United's master marksman Malcolm Macdonald.
But the contest, similar to the game, was emphatically one-sided as Keegan, who has died aged 75, netted an opening goal that prompted one of celebrated commentator David Coleman's most famous quips: "Goals pay the rent, and Keegan does his share."
By the time Keegan added his second late on, Newcastle were undressed and Liverpool had won 3-0 to claim only their second-ever FA Cup triumph.
Just three years earlier, Keegan, on the recommendation of Liverpool head scout Geoff Twentyman, had been plucked from fourth division Scunthorpe United as a 20-year-old. Originally signed as a right winger, Keegan was tried out up front alongside John Toshack during pre-season and impressed sufficiently to start the new campaign in tandem with the Welshman.
He scored within 12 minutes of his debut when assisted by Toshack and never looked back, going on to become arguably Liverpool's first-ever superstar in an era when players were becoming known to the wider public for more than just their efforts on the field.
Certainly, modern managers would wince at the sight of Keegan competing against other sportspeople on the television show Superstars as he did in 1976, infamously suffering severe cuts when crashing his bicycle. His celebrity was such that he released several pop singles - one cracked the top 40 - and became renowned for advertising aftershave. Even his permed haircut became famous.
As a footballer, though, is where Keegan truly shone. He was a regular as Liverpool narrowly missed out on the league title in his debut season, and was integral as the Reds went one better the following year, scoring 22 goals in all competitions as the the club's first European trophy, the UEFA Cup, was also claimed.
But mere weeks after the high of the FA Cup triumph came the low of the Charity Shield at Wembley against Leeds United when he was sent off along with Billy Bremner after a flare-up initiated by the unpunished Johnny Giles. Keegan and Bremner both removed their shirts in disgust with the Liverpool man eventually given a 11-game suspension.
Liverpool's Kevin Keegan celebrates with the FA Cup in 1974
Liverpool's Kevin Keegan celebrates with the FA Cup in 1974
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Now with Bob Paisley in charge at Anfield, more silverware was to come in 1976 with another league championship and UEFA Cup along with being named Footballer of the Year, but Keegan then stunned his adoring Liverpool supporters by announcing midway through the next season his intention to leave in the summer with German side Hamburg the next destination in a British record deal.
There could be no doubting his commitment, however, with Liverpool winning another title and beaten by Manchester United in the FA Cup final before claiming the European Cup for the first time by beating Borussia Moenchengladbach in Rome, Keegan running World Cup winner Berti Vogts ragged and winning the penalty that allowed Phil Neal to seal a 3-1 success.
It was a fitting farewell for a player who scored 100 goals and provided 73 assists in 323 appearances for the Reds.
"Bill Shankly had gone and I just felt there was another mountain for me to climb somewhere," said Keegan. "As it happens they didn't do too badly out of it because they went out and bought Kenny Dalglish. Having sold me for £500,000 and then paying £440,000 for Kenny, they banked £60,000 which was a great piece of business."
Nevertheless, many supporters couldn't grasp Liverpool's best player wanting to try his luck elsewhere, and Keegan's relationship with the fanbase was often uneasy for a long spell until any animosity was thawed by the passage of time. For many fans of a certain vintage, he was their first Reds hero, and ranked 14th in the recent Liverpool's Greatest poll run by the club website.
After a difficult start in Germany - Hamburg's players didn't warm to him initially and he was suspended for eight weeks after being sent off in a mid-season friendly for punching an opposing player who had targeted him all game - Keegan slowly won his new team-mates round and went on to win the Bundesliga title in 1979 and be a European Cup runner-up the following year and twice claimed the Ballon d'Or, still the only British player to achieve such a feat. He returned to Anfield in opposition, only to lose 6-0 in the European Super Cup.
Keegan chose to leave Hamburg in 1980 and, after Liverpool opted not to take up their clause to re-sign him, spent two years at Southampton before making the unusual decision to drop down a division to join Newcastle United.
Liverpool forwards Kevin Keegan and John Toshack dressed as Robin and Batman. The pair had an almost telepathic understanding of each other's game
Liverpool forwards Kevin Keegan and John Toshack dressed as Robin and Batman. The pair had an almost telepathic understanding of each other's game
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He helped them to promotion in 1984 but had already decided to quit playing having been outsprinted by Mark Lawrenson in an FA Cup defeat at Anfield earlier in the year.
Keegan was revered beyond his club sides, though. He was also a force on the international stage, scoring 21 goals in 63 games for England - 31 as captain - having made his debut in 1972. A shining light during a dark period for the Three Lions, his first international tournament wasn't until the 1980 European Championships and injury limited him to just one 26-minute World Cup appearance from the bench against hosts Spain two years later, missing a great chance as England were held to a goalless draw and slumped out unbeaten.
With his boots hung up, Keegan dropped out of the game to such an extent he had watched just two matches live in seven years when he surprisingly returned to second-tier Newcastle as manager in February 1992. Within 18 months they were promoted to the Premier League and became title challengers playing a brand of attacking football that made the Magpies the second team of many supporters, Keegan gaining a reputation as a motivator par excellence.
Anfield would provide one of his most indelible images as Newcastle boss as he was pictured slumped behind the dugout after his team were beaten 4-3 by Stan Collymore's last-gasp winner in what 30 years on remains the Premier League's greatest match.
It came as the Magpies tussled with Manchester United for the title, with Keegan later declaring "I would love it if we beat them - love it" after becoming embroiled in the infamous mind games of United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.
Newcastle finished second, and within seven months Keegan resigned, popping up at Fulham later in 1997 and taking them out of the third tier before being named England boss in February 1999. His team followed the same attack-minded pattern as Newcastle, reaching the Euros in 2000 and, while beating Germany 1-0, losing 3-2 to both Portugal and Romania to be eliminated at the group stage. After a 1-0 World Cup qualifying loss to Germany in the last ever England game at the old Wembley a few months later, Keegan resigned.
Borussia Monchengladbach's Berti Vogts brings down Liverpool's Kevin Keegan to give away a penalty in the 1977 European Cup final
Borussia Monchengladbach's Berti Vogts brings down Liverpool's Kevin Keegan to give away a penalty in the 1977 European Cup final
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He then had four years in charge at Manchester City - earning them promotion to the Premier League - before a brief and unhappy second stint at Newcastle, after which he moved into punditry for several years.
Keegan was the first to admit he wasn't the most naturally gifted player - "I was the mongrel who made it to Crufts, and that was fine by me," he once memorably stated - but had instead acquired his gifts through hard graft, commitment, belief and sheer bloody-mindedness.
That attitude was needed when it was announced earlier this year he had been diagnosed with cancer, with it confirmed in June it was at stage four, the most advanced stage of the disease. He died on Monday surrounded by his wife and daughters.
Newcastle became his heart, but he was always grateful for where he was forged. “Liverpool made me, not just as a footballer but as a person,” said Keegan. “The fans made me."
Keegan, however, remains perhaps the greatest example of the self-made footballer. And no matter what the sphere, he did it his way.