Happy Birthday...

[Robster]

Happy Birthday Kevin Keegan

[EthiGeordie]

From .com

 

Probably Peglers Brass Works' most famous player, Newcastle had been alerted to a promising youngster on Scunthorpe's books, but failed to act before Liverpool paid £35K for his services in 1971.

 

Punishing us on numerous occasions whilst clad in a red shirt (most notably the 1974 FA Cup Final), Kevin Keegan moved on to SV Hamburg in 1977, returning to England in 1980 with Southampton.

 

Arrived at SJP in August 1982 thanks in part to a deal brokered between United and S&N Breweries, his effect was immeasurable in revitalising the club.

 

England manager Bobby Robson attended his debut, sold-out crowd (officially 36,000) seeing QPR beaten 1-0 thanks a Keegan goal. Three months earlier less than 11,000 fans saw Rangers win 4-0 at Gallowgate.

 

However that season wasn’t all plain sailing, KK forced to publicly back under-fire boss Arthur Cox after a mid-season dip in form.

 

Two defeats in the last ten games put us on the fringe of the promotion race, but in pre- playoff days that wasn’t quite enough.

 

The eve-of-season departure of Imre Varadi was quickly forgotten as Peter Beardsley arrived, and along with Keegan and Waddle went on to score a combined total of sixty five league goals in 1983/84.

 

A memorable farewell at home to Brighton when the trio all netted was followed by a home friendly with Liverpool, after which a chopper landed on the centre circle, to spirit KK away into retirement.

 

Just less than eight years later he returned though, to rescue a club who had lost the impetus provided by promotion and were again languishing in Division Two.

 

Again the uplifting effect was instant, with a doubling of the previous home attendance to 30,000 for his first game in charge – a 3-1 win over Bristol City.

 

However it’s often forgotten that the rest of that season was a struggle, with the threat of relegation very real until the final week.

 

Off-field tensions also saw further intrigue – most notably a walkout as his team were playing Swindon Town amid accusations of broken promises by Newcastle’s new owners, the Hall family.

 

That was all forgotten the following season though as United began at a cracking pace - winning their first eleven league games before succumbing at home to Grimsby.

 

Having secured promotion and taking the title, KK's side then gave notice of their intention to gatecrash the Premier League with a 7-1 dismantling of Leicester City.

 

KK dispensed with David Kelly, re-signing Peter Beardsley to spur Andy Cole on to a record- breaking seasonal tally of 41 goals. That secured a third-place finish, to be followed by sixth and second place finishes.

 

However a visibly-aged Keegan resigned in January 1997 following an FA Cup tie at Charlton, having failed to deliver the title to Tyneside and six months after persuading the club to squeeze their finances in order to sign star striker Alan Shearer.

 

Various reasons were given, but the demands and restrictions of working for a PLC remain the most plausible.

 

Despite a line about no longer wishing to be involved in football management, KK returned within nine months, at Fulham.

 

Subsequent spells in charge of the England national side and Manchester City came to an end in 2005, after which Keegan developed the “Soccer Circus” project at Glasgow’s Braehead retail park.

 

All that though changed in January 2008, when manager Sam Allardyce was relieved of his duties, with the club sitting 11th in the table but without a win in five games.

 

News of Keegan's return to United came in the hours leading up to a home replay in the FA Cup against Stoke City. And although his arrival in the Directors Box inspired United into a 4-1 victory, he'd have to wait until his tenth game back in charge before seeing the team win again.

 

A run of four wins and two draws from six games steadied the ship and the manner of United's performances led to renewed optimism among fans, that two late season defeats only partially diminished.

 

Behind the scenes though, things were less than perfect, with the arrival of Dennis Wise as Executive Director (football)

 

KK's comments after the final day loss at Everton about the team being a million miles away from competing at the right end of the table would also prove to be significant.

 

Just four games into the following season and he'd gone - after a tumultuous few weeks in which transfer dealings had been conducted by the club against his wishes.

 

These included the sale of James Milner, the purchase of Xisco, the loan of Nacho Gonzalez and attempts to sell other first team players as the transfer deadline loomed. The wish list of players KK had prepared also looked to have been used as toilet paper in the executive washroom.

 

With Tyneside in uproar and coach Chris Hughton pressed into service as interim manager, while attempts at brokering a peace deal between United and KK failed.

 

The whole matter of his departure would be settled by a Premier League Manager's Tribunal in October 2009, which ruled that KK had been constructively dismissed and was therefore entitled to a £2m payout.

 

By that point, the club were engaged in a promotion challenge following relegation and also attempting to find a new owner. They would achieve the former but not the latter.

 

Since then Keegan has appeared as a pundit on ESPN and was applauded by Newcastle fans in January 2011 as he walked round the pitch in the FA Cup tie at Stevenage.

[Guest Antec]

KK 

 

I feel genuinely sorry for those who missed his playing days with us and his first spell as manager. Both times he dragged the club off its arse and gave the fans something to believe in. I doubt we'll see those days again in my lifetime

[Kaizero]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-JtHe3hGUs

 

[JH]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GComvtenvvk

 

 

[Thespence]

Love the Youtube video Kevin Keegan 1984 (Newcastle United)

And what he says from 2:30 onwards

Always has a place in the hearts of the majority of NUFC fans.

 

 

[Superior Acuña]

I love Keegan so much. Hate the way some fans reacted to his second resignation. However I blame him for giving me distorted expectations. I was born in 89 and the first seasons I rember were KK's first spell. The first season I really remember and regularly attended was the 'so close' one. It could only go downhill! Having said that, I wasn't at all gutted to have not won it, I was just happy we were so good.

 

Lovely when I met him too. The only player/manager apart from Beardsley who really seemed interested when I was little. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v476/grantJUK/Photo30.jpg

(he left a month after this photo )

[Magpie]

Happy birthday Sir Bobby, gone but not forgotten!

[catmag]

Happy Birthday Bobby. Loved the bit on the Just Call Me Bobby documentary where he was celebrating his 70th birthday.

[Guest Roger Kint]

Happy Birthday Bobby. Loved the bit on the Just Call Me Bobby documentary where he was celebrating his 70th birthday.

 

Going to watch that tonight, the pride he has when showing Lineker round SJP and our squad around Barcelona is amazing. telling OB 'you dont get those in Harrogate' was class.