Kevin Keegan

[Guest Howaythetoon]

He was, even in the second tier, a bigger icon that Super Mac and Quinn, our later modern day super heroes and number 9s. Being black made him even more of an icon as he was the first and only (at the time) true black football superstar for NUFC.

[Cronky]

Kevin said he was going outside to talk to the fans. “You’ve got to be joking,” I told him. “What are you going to tell them?”

 

“The truth,” he answered back. “They’ve got a right to know. They pay good money to watch us.”

 

 

He didn't actually tell them the truth though, did he? If he had, (which would have been very silly), he'd have said that Cole had gone off the boil and been a bit of an arse in training. All he said was trust me, it's all in the best interests of the club.

 

KK was very sensitive to criticism, and wouldn't have liked the sight of the fans gathering in protest like that.

 

I think he thrived on trying to prove people wrong and so criticism was a good thing for him, he proved it throughout his careeer. He's not as soft a touch as perceived, far from it. Just speak to ex players. I love the bloke but from talk ins he could be a bit of a c*** apparently which is different to his public persona. I don't think criticism bothered him, as he had the confidence to try and beat it away. He took to the steps, a staged platform IMO, in full knowledge that he would win any battle regardless of criticism. I think he actually didn't like not being in control and being able to manage things, as he was so used to doing throughout his careeer.

 

KK had a strong determination to prove people wrong, for sure. That showed when he overcame a very modest start as a footballer, and also when he became our manager, despite being a complete rookie, and took us to the top.

 

On the flip side, that determination could be very fragile when things went wrong or he received criticism. It was most apparent when he walked out of the England job straight after being booed off at Wembley.

[Yorkie]

Yeah, fuck off KK.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Btw I know someone who knows Andy Cole well and he couldn't handle the adulation and he also struggled with living in Newcastle. He said at Man Utd he could be quiet and go unnoticed, but at NUFC he was Coley to his team-mates a name I get the impression he hated and of course a huge star off the pitch. He also reckons KK was a bit of a twat to him. Either way he was my first hero, easily one of our greatest ever players and a great player in general. Him and Lee Clark, their smiles and celebrations... that's what foodtball is about! Sorry for the numerous posts but again he was an idol of mine. KK the bigger Idol of course.

[Ronaldo]

Who do you reckon Cronky has more time for, KK or Sammy Ameobi?

[merlin]

Cole was my hero back in the day, heard a few things I'd rather not about him and why he was sold, but I have to believe KK himself who personally told me we could do better. That was KK, 41 goals in a season and he believed NUFC could do better. Sir Les was a better all-rounder like. He didn't score as many goals as Cole, but he was a better all-round centre-forward. Ironically Sir Les was less of a KK player than Cole was so I still think something personal was a major factor behind Cole's sale, again I've heard he literally told KK to go and f*** off and said the fans would back him over KK. Only ever one winner. Speak to Berseford about how ruthless KK could be and how authoritarian he was. He ruled with an iron fist make no mistake about that, which makes that era all that more special given how open the club was, how transparent our football was and just how free flowing we were. The opposite of a dictator but that is what KK was apparently, but in a good way. Love the man either way.

Also, remember the Lee Clark incident at Southampton where Clark kicked the water bucket after being subbed...KK put him on the transfer list until Clark begged him to forgive him...yes, he could be tough with the players and all credit to him.

Many of the b-----s deserve it, they are so far up themselves..

[merlin]

He was, even in the second tier, a bigger icon that Super Mac and Quinn, our later modern day super heroes and number 9s. Being black made him even more of an icon as he was the first and only (at the time) true black football superstar for NUFC.

Sorry - NO he wasn't a bigger icon than Supermac. Quinn yes, by far, but Supermac was fantastic. As good as Cole was, he was basically a two season success at SJP...Macdonald was there for 5 years and only injuries stopped him scoring 30 goals every year. As quick as Cole was, he couldn't touch Macdonald over 20-30 yards as Macdonald could do the 100 metres on 10.9 secs. He was better in the air than Cole too.

No way was Cole a bigger icon than Supermac....ask anyone who saw both of them regularly.....

[HawK]

My birthday was on January the 18th, my parents didn't know Andy Cole had signed for Man Utd when they bought me it. They found out and still gave it to me anyway.

 

Fuckers.

[cp40]

He was, even in the second tier, a bigger icon that Super Mac and Quinn, our later modern day super heroes and number 9s. Being black made him even more of an icon as he was the first and only (at the time) true black football superstar for NUFC.

Sorry - NO he wasn't a bigger icon than Supermac. Quinn yes, by far, but Supermac was fantastic. As good as Cole was, he was basically a two season success at SJP...Macdonald was there for 5 years and only injuries stopped him scoring 30 goals every year. As quick as Cole was, he couldn't touch Macdonald over 20-30 yards as Macdonald could do the 100 metres on 10.9 secs. He was better in the air than Cole too.

No way was Cole a bigger icon than Supermac....ask anyone who saw both of them regularly.....

 

 

having seen both, can only just remember supermac from the old Leazes, have to agree with this.

[Sir Toon]

Cole had something about him that you couldn't put your finger on.  It was apparent to me when I first saw him play and score. Im sure it was against someone like Notts County at home.

 

Anyway, he had the ability to shift his position in a flash to create a scoring chance in which im sure he surprised himself at times, he was a player we'd been crying out for, for years.

 

Putting all this into context though, stories of shin splint problems were non-stop not to mention the many times the whispers had him buying certain illegal substances and whether you believe it or not, something wasn't right as his attitude changed over a period of time.

 

Terry Mac referenced that he may have been tapped up in his autobiography which could explain that but people make their own mind up anyway.

 

Cutting to the chase though, Keegan showed what a bloke he was by explaining his actions and at the time I cant remember anyone that didn't believe what they were told in that it was for the best and it was. 

[NJS]

Cole epitomised the sheer exuberant joy of KK's team and what it meant to follow us then.

 

Massive hero of mine for that reason.

[Wallsendmag]

He was, even in the second tier, a bigger icon that Super Mac and Quinn, our later modern day super heroes and number 9s. Being black made him even more of an icon as he was the first and only (at the time) true black football superstar for NUFC.

 

You're clearly too young to remember Tony Cunningham then.

[captainhaircut]

He was, even in the second tier, a bigger icon that Super Mac and Quinn, our later modern day super heroes and number 9s. Being black made him even more of an icon as he was the first and only (at the time) true black football superstar for NUFC.

 

He played 12 games for us in the second tier.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

I obviously didn't have the pleasure of seeing Super Mac play for us live so comparing him and Cole in terms of their iconic/hero/legend status is probably daft of me.

 

However, people I know who idolised Super Mac growing up said when Cole joined and started scoring even in the second division, they sensed he was more than just a new player bought to bolster promotion. That he was going to be a big big terrace hero.

 

That first season in the Premier League, he was something else and only 21.

 

For a black player and for someone so young, the hero worship from the stands and in and around the City from everyone was something magical. I don't think a player has been hero worshiped as much since him, not from all quarters anyway.

 

I think going up, playing such wonderful football and KK being the manager elevated that kind of worship and everything about that era really. It was very special, especially as a young kid with pure football innocence between my ears.

 

I used to get as gutted if Cole didn't score as when we got beat because for me as a kid he was probably bigger than NUFC to me, he was my hero.

 

It showed you how much he was loved that thousands took to SJP to kick off and to question KK himself, a man who at the time, well he was God and Jesus rolled into one.

 

KK used that setting of course, but never for disingenuous reasons.

 

What a time that must have been for the then older generation fans who had seen the likes of Gazza, Beardsley and Waddle sold, SJP become a bit of a wreck and a club that had basically stood still for years. Happy days!

[Guest Howaythetoon]

By the way people say KK couldn't handle pressure. The man won everything there was to win in the game except for a World cup. He starred in many high pressure games, scoring winning goals and helping his team win major honours. He could handle pressure and at Newcastle where the pressure was probably at its most intense, I thought he handled everything brilliantly from dealing with the media to selling Cole and dealing with fans.

 

He didn't so much as not like criticism, I think he is fiercely loyal to his players (Hooper for example) and moreso his own principles and when he gets questioned he goes on the defensive and comes out fighting as he did in that famous Sky post match rant.

 

What I loved about KK was his positive attitude and his belief in our club, it was huge and what basically turned us from a tin pot 3rd division outfit to Champions almost. And although we didn't win the title, we f***ing played like we were the Champions and everyone feared us because we'd spank anyone, home or away.

 

After that 4-3 at Anfield, he came out beaming, full of positive reaction and although you just knew he was gutted about it and probably knew that was it for us, he didn't show it. I still believed we would win the league that night, even heading into the final game I did and that was solely because of KK more than anything else.

 

He made me believe that anything was possible for my club, anything. From signing the world's best players to winning every game and competition we entered.

[Hughesy]

Interesting tactical summary of the 4-3 match - http://www.zonalmarking.net/2017/03/28/liverpool-4-3-newcastle-1996/

 

[merlin]

I obviously didn't have the pleasure of seeing Super Mac play for us live so comparing him and Cole in terms of their iconic/hero/legend status is probably daft of me.

 

However, people I know who idolised Super Mac growing up said when Cole joined and started scoring even in the second division, they sensed he was more than just a new player bought to bolster promotion. That he was going to be a big big terrace hero.

 

That first season in the Premier League, he was something else and only 21.

 

For a black player and for someone so young, the hero worship from the stands and in and around the City from everyone was something magical. I don't think a player has been hero worshiped as much since him, not from all quarters anyway.

 

I think going up, playing such wonderful football and KK being the manager elevated that kind of worship and everything about that era really. It was very special, especially as a young kid with pure football innocence between my ears.

 

I used to get as gutted if Cole didn't score as when we got beat because for me as a kid he was probably bigger than NUFC to me, he was my hero.

 

It showed you how much he was loved that thousands took to SJP to kick off and to question KK himself, a man who at the time, well he was God and Jesus rolled into one.

 

KK used that setting of course, but never for disingenuous reasons.

 

What a time that must have been for the then older generation fans who had seen the likes of Gazza, Beardsley and Waddle sold, SJP become a bit of a wreck and a club that had basically stood still for years. Happy days!

Don't forget that Supermac was himself only 21 when he signed for us...he was so brash and full of confidence that he rolled up to sign at SJP in a white Rolls Royce..! 'I'm here to score goals' he said, '30 this season'....and he did ! Nobody who saw it will forget his home debut v Liverpool, KK and all, and his breathtaking strike for his second goal that put us in front. He put us 3-1 up in the second half after we had been a goal down and then got carried off after a sickening collision with Ray Clemence that knocked out his front teeth...he didn't even remember what happened..a simply fantastic debut and unforgettable.

When he joined us, he was basically all left foot, but he went on to become a far more complete striker and very good in the air too. If he had been a young man in KKs promotion side he would have got just as many goals as Cole, and he was a really exciting player to watch because of his pace. Alongside a player like Peter Beardsley he would have been frightening....and worth a fortune in today's market.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

I obviously didn't have the pleasure of seeing Super Mac play for us live so comparing him and Cole in terms of their iconic/hero/legend status is probably daft of me.

 

However, people I know who idolised Super Mac growing up said when Cole joined and started scoring even in the second division, they sensed he was more than just a new player bought to bolster promotion. That he was going to be a big big terrace hero.

 

That first season in the Premier League, he was something else and only 21.

 

For a black player and for someone so young, the hero worship from the stands and in and around the City from everyone was something magical. I don't think a player has been hero worshiped as much since him, not from all quarters anyway.

 

I think going up, playing such wonderful football and KK being the manager elevated that kind of worship and everything about that era really. It was very special, especially as a young kid with pure football innocence between my ears.

 

I used to get as gutted if Cole didn't score as when we got beat because for me as a kid he was probably bigger than NUFC to me, he was my hero.

 

It showed you how much he was loved that thousands took to SJP to kick off and to question KK himself, a man who at the time, well he was God and Jesus rolled into one.

 

KK used that setting of course, but never for disingenuous reasons.

 

What a time that must have been for the then older generation fans who had seen the likes of Gazza, Beardsley and Waddle sold, SJP become a bit of a wreck and a club that had basically stood still for years. Happy days!

Don't forget that Supermac was himself only 21 when he signed for us...he was so brash and full of confidence that he rolled up to sign at SJP in a white Rolls Royce..! 'I'm here to score goals' he said, '30 this season'....and he did ! Nobody who saw it will forget his home debut v Liverpool, KK and all, and his breathtaking strike for his second goal that put us in front. He put us 3-1 up in the second half after we had been a goal down and then got carried off after a sickening collision with Ray Clemence that knocked out his front teeth...he didn't even remember what happened..a simply fantastic debut and unforgettable.

When he joined us, he was basically all left foot, but he went on to become a far more complete striker and very good in the air too. If he had been a young man in KKs promotion side he would have got just as many goals as Cole, and he was a really exciting player to watch because of his pace. Alongside a player like Peter Beardsley he would have been frightening....and worth a fortune in today's market.

 

Thanks for sharing that, bloody hell I didn't know he was only 21 when he signed for us. Watching clips of him he was obviously a great striker and a few of the older lads I know said he was electric and exciting to watch. We've always had good strikers, but never quite a good side. Not for any long period anyway.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Interesting tactical summary of the 4-3 match - http://www.zonalmarking.net/2017/03/28/liverpool-4-3-newcastle-1996/

 

 

Bloody hell, how attacking was our lineup....

 

Found this interesting, especially the defensive stats compared to offensive stats:

 

“We’ll still go and play the way we play, despite what people think,” Keegan defiantly said afterwards. “And if we don’t win anything, so be it.” He later admitted that he’d told assistant Terry McDermott, “I know I should be disappointed, but I’m elated,” such was his delight at contributing to an entertaining, attack-minded spectacle.

 

Evans was more pragmatic. “No team can win the title playing like that,” he said. That, of course, is the feeling that sticks in the mind when considering Keegan’s Newcastle, ‘The Entertainers’ – thrilling going forward but woeful defensively, and the latter meant they could never win the title. But that’s not entirely true. Newcastle’s goals-against record in 1995/96 was 37 from 38 matches, a perfectly respectable tally – only two more than eventual title winners Manchester United. The next four title winners conceded 44, 33, 37 and 45 goals, so there’s little to suggest Newcastle’s leaky defence cost them the title.

 

In fact, Newcastle’s real crime was scoring only 66 goals – less than every title winner in Premier League history. Their goal statistics disprove the consensus about Keegan’s Newcastle – a consensus that has developed, more than anything else, because of this legendary game.

[Cronky]

 

 

“We’ll still go and play the way we play, despite what people think,” Keegan defiantly said afterwards. “And if we don’t win anything, so be it.” He later admitted that he’d told assistant Terry McDermott, “I know I should be disappointed, but I’m elated,” such was his delight at contributing to an entertaining, attack-minded spectacle.

 

Evans was more pragmatic. “No team can win the title playing like that,” he said. That, of course, is the feeling that sticks in the mind when considering Keegan’s Newcastle, ‘The Entertainers’ – thrilling going forward but woeful defensively, and the latter meant they could never win the title. But that’s not entirely true. Newcastle’s goals-against record in 1995/96 was 37 from 38 matches, a perfectly respectable tally – only two more than eventual title winners Manchester United. The next four title winners conceded 44, 33, 37 and 45 goals, so there’s little to suggest Newcastle’s leaky defence cost them the title.

 

In fact, Newcastle’s real crime was scoring only 66 goals – less than every title winner in Premier League history. Their goal statistics disprove the consensus about Keegan’s Newcastle – a consensus that has developed, more than anything else, because of this legendary game.

 

The reality is that winning the title would have meant a lot to Keegan, as of course it would have done for all of us. The 'Love it if we beat them' rant shows that side of his motivation.

 

Losing to Liverpool at Anfield is not a calamity, but there were certain pressure games towards the end of the season, against other clubs, where our lack of a defensive Plan B showed. The nightmare game for me was Blackburn away. 1-0 up with 12 minutes to go and the team had a collective nervous breakdown, losing 2-1. That was the point when we needed to be a bit more canny.

 

[Tisd09]

 

 

“We’ll still go and play the way we play, despite what people think,” Keegan defiantly said afterwards. “And if we don’t win anything, so be it.” He later admitted that he’d told assistant Terry McDermott, “I know I should be disappointed, but I’m elated,” such was his delight at contributing to an entertaining, attack-minded spectacle.

 

Evans was more pragmatic. “No team can win the title playing like that,” he said. That, of course, is the feeling that sticks in the mind when considering Keegan’s Newcastle, ‘The Entertainers’ – thrilling going forward but woeful defensively, and the latter meant they could never win the title. But that’s not entirely true. Newcastle’s goals-against record in 1995/96 was 37 from 38 matches, a perfectly respectable tally – only two more than eventual title winners Manchester United. The next four title winners conceded 44, 33, 37 and 45 goals, so there’s little to suggest Newcastle’s leaky defence cost them the title.

 

In fact, Newcastle’s real crime was scoring only 66 goals – less than every title winner in Premier League history. Their goal statistics disprove the consensus about Keegan’s Newcastle – a consensus that has developed, more than anything else, because of this legendary game.

 

The reality is that winning the title would have meant a lot to Keegan, as of course it would have done for all of us. The 'Love it if we beat them' rant shows that side of his motivation.

 

Losing to Liverpool at Anfield is not a calamity, but there were certain pressure games towards the end of the season, against other clubs, where our lack of a defensive Plan B showed. The nightmare game for me was Blackburn away. 1-0 up with 12 minutes to go and the team had a collective nervous breakdown, losing 2-1. That was the point when we needed to be a bit more canny.

 

 

Very surprised at those stats.

 

Yeah I think the Blackburn loss made a bigger dent to be honest. Commentators gleefully reminding us on numerous occasions that he is a North East lad

 

 

[TRon]

Kevin said he was going outside to talk to the fans. “You’ve got to be joking,” I told him. “What are you going to tell them?”

 

“The truth,” he answered back. “They’ve got a right to know. They pay good money to watch us.”

 

 

He didn't actually tell them the truth though, did he? If he had, (which would have been very silly), he'd have said that Cole had gone off the boil and been a bit of an arse in training. All he said was trust me, it's all in the best interests of the club.

 

KK was very sensitive to criticism, and wouldn't have liked the sight of the fans gathering in protest like that.

 

I think he thrived on trying to prove people wrong and so criticism was a good thing for him, he proved it throughout his careeer. He's not as soft a touch as perceived, far from it. Just speak to ex players. I love the bloke but from talk ins he could be a bit of a c*** apparently which is different to his public persona. I don't think criticism bothered him, as he had the confidence to try and beat it away. He took to the steps, a staged platform IMO, in full knowledge that he would win any battle regardless of criticism. I think he actually didn't like not being in control and being able to manage things, as he was so used to doing throughout his careeer.

 

KK had a strong determination to prove people wrong, for sure. That showed when he overcame a very modest start as a footballer, and also when he became our manager, despite being a complete rookie, and took us to the top.

 

On the flip side, that determination could be very fragile when things went wrong or he received criticism. It was most apparent when he walked out of the England job straight after being booed off at Wembley.

 

Why would I give a toss about that? I was in Manchester a lot during our title charge and wherever I went the football team was brought up as we were Man U's biggest rivals back then. There was no feeling like it. I was there when I heard Keegan had resigned after having a difficult few months (where we were still 6th and in the title race!) and it was like someone had died. I remember turning to my mate and saying, for all the criticism he's been getting lately, we are probably never going to have a time like this again. Well that turned out to be prophetic in spades.

[merlin]

Interesting tactical summary of the 4-3 match - http://www.zonalmarking.net/2017/03/28/liverpool-4-3-newcastle-1996/

 

 

Bloody hell, how attacking was our lineup....

 

Found this interesting, especially the defensive stats compared to offensive stats:

 

“We’ll still go and play the way we play, despite what people think,” Keegan defiantly said afterwards. “And if we don’t win anything, so be it.” He later admitted that he’d told assistant Terry McDermott, “I know I should be disappointed, but I’m elated,” such was his delight at contributing to an entertaining, attack-minded spectacle.

 

Evans was more pragmatic. “No team can win the title playing like that,” he said. That, of course, is the feeling that sticks in the mind when considering Keegan’s Newcastle, ‘The Entertainers’ – thrilling going forward but woeful defensively, and the latter meant they could never win the title. But that’s not entirely true. Newcastle’s goals-against record in 1995/96 was 37 from 38 matches, a perfectly respectable tally – only two more than eventual title winners Manchester United. The next four title winners conceded 44, 33, 37 and 45 goals, so there’s little to suggest Newcastle’s leaky defence cost them the title.

 

In fact, Newcastle’s real crime was scoring only 66 goals – less than every title winner in Premier League history. Their goal statistics disprove the consensus about Keegan’s Newcastle – a consensus that has developed, more than anything else, because of this legendary game.

I obviously didn't have the pleasure of seeing Super Mac play for us live so comparing him and Cole in terms of their iconic/hero/legend status is probably daft of me.

 

However, people I know who idolised Super Mac growing up said when Cole joined and started scoring even in the second division, they sensed he was more than just a new player bought to bolster promotion. That he was going to be a big big terrace hero.

 

That first season in the Premier League, he was something else and only 21.

 

For a black player and for someone so young, the hero worship from the stands and in and around the City from everyone was something magical. I don't think a player has been hero worshiped as much since him, not from all quarters anyway.

 

I think going up, playing such wonderful football and KK being the manager elevated that kind of worship and everything about that era really. It was very special, especially as a young kid with pure football innocence between my ears.

 

I used to get as gutted if Cole didn't score as when we got beat because for me as a kid he was probably bigger than NUFC to me, he was my hero.

 

It showed you how much he was loved that thousands took to SJP to kick off and to question KK himself, a man who at the time, well he was God and Jesus rolled into one.

 

KK used that setting of course, but never for disingenuous reasons.

 

What a time that must have been for the then older generation fans who had seen the likes of Gazza, Beardsley and Waddle sold, SJP become a bit of a wreck and a club that had basically stood still for years. Happy days!

Don't forget that Supermac was himself only 21 when he signed for us...he was so brash and full of confidence that he rolled up to sign at SJP in a white Rolls Royce..! 'I'm here to score goals' he said, '30 this season'....and he did ! Nobody who saw it will forget his home debut v Liverpool, KK and all, and his breathtaking strike for his second goal that put us in front. He put us 3-1 up in the second half after we had been a goal down and then got carried off after a sickening collision with Ray Clemence that knocked out his front teeth...he didn't even remember what happened..a simply fantastic debut and unforgettable.

When he joined us, he was basically all left foot, but he went on to become a far more complete striker and very good in the air too. If he had been a young man in KKs promotion side he would have got just as many goals as Cole, and he was a really exciting player to watch because of his pace. Alongside a player like Peter Beardsley he would have been frightening....and worth a fortune in today's market.

 

Thanks for sharing that, bloody hell I didn't know he was only 21 when he signed for us. Watching clips of him he was obviously a great striker and a few of the older lads I know said he was electric and exciting to watch. We've always had good strikers, but never quite a good side. Not for any long period anyway.

Yes, we did have some good strikers...Supermac with John Tudor(not a great player but a real grafter), Mickey Burns(played behind the front two) ; before that, Bryan Pop Robson & Wyn Davies. During Macdonald's time we had decent forwards and m/f but a poor central defence. The FBs were  very good, Nattrass and Kennedy both class players but the centre of the defence was poor. During Robson/Davies time(Fairs Cup), we had a good defence and two great strikers with different strengths but a m/f which was not very creative....always fell short in crucial areas. If Joe Harvey or Gordon Lee had signed Alan Hansen from Partick it might have been different..

[Minhosa]

Regarding Andy Cole. Talk about right player, right club and right time. When all of those things come together it's absolutely splendid.

 

What a player he was for us.

 

I had season tickets in the milburn paddock during his heydey and it was a privilege to see him play. Explosive just doesn't cut it. He must have given so many defenders nightmares back then.

[Disco]

Never knew he got the most assists in the league that season. Would've assumed it'd have been Beardsley. Electrifying partnership, great times.