What made Kevin Keegan so special was the moments he gave the country - Chris Bond
There are some sporting stars who transcend their own exploits and tap into something bigger. Kevin Keegan was one of them. You can tell by the outpouring of grief following the sad news of his death at the age of 75.
Keegan was more than just a footballing superstar – though the former England captain and manager unquestionably falls into this bracket. A two-time winner of the Ballon d’Or (back in the days when it was still called the European Footballer of the Year award), he is one of just four English players to ever win the prize, and the only British player to win it twice.
His appeal was broader than this, though. During his pomp in the 1970s and early 80s he became a household name through his Brut TV ads and appearances on the hugely popular Superstars series (including famously falling off his bike). That’s why it’s not just fans of football clubs he played for or managed – Scunthorpe, Liverpool, Hamburg, Southampton, Newcastle, Fulham and Manchester City – who have been paying tribute to him.
He was a global star, blazing a trail where others, like Sir David Beckham, have followed. The fact he started from such humble beginnings makes his success all the more remarkable.
The son of a miner, he grew up in Doncaster and began his career at Scunthorpe United, hardly one of football’s high rollers.
But talent will out, and he forged his reputation in the irrepressible Liverpool side of the 70s, first under Bill Shankly and then Bob Paisley. From there he went to Hamburg, whose fans dubbed him ‘Mighty Mouse’ after the popular cartoon superhero, and then Southampton.
England’s failure to qualify for the World Cup in 1974 and 1978, meant he never really got the opportunity to shine on the biggest stage of all. A back injury reduced his World Cup contribution in 1982 to a 26-minute cameo as England, not for the first or last time, failed to make their mark.
Among the footballing community, his loss is most keenly felt in Newcastle, a city where he is adored. As a player he was the catalyst in getting Newcastle United back to the old first division – the sight of him being whisked off the St James’ Park pitch in a helicopter after his final game is still talked about today by those who were there.
But this wasn’t the end of the story. In the early 90s, with the club floundering, ‘Special K’, as the fans called him, came to the rescue once again, this time as manager.
I never saw him play live, but as a Newcastle United fan I watched his buccaneering team of the mid-90s. Dubbed ‘the Entertainers’, with Keegan as ringmaster, their simple motto seemed to be ‘we'll score more goals than the opposition’, making them many fans' second favourite team.
As it turned out, his team didn’t win a major trophy, but in a city where football is like a religion with St James’ Park its cathedral on the hill, ‘King Kev’ is still revered.
And he wore his fame and legendary status lightly. As he said in a BBC interview: “People remember me for my hair, the perm, falling off a bike and 'I'd love it if we beat them.’”
You don’t get many footballing stories like his anymore which just goes to highlight how important he was. As Newcastle United said in their own moving tribute: "Kevin's impact will not be measured by appearances or results. It will live on in the memories he created with club and country, the dreams he inspired wherever he went, and the generations of supporters around the world who fell in love with football because of him."
So farewell Mighty Mouse, Special K, King Kev, and thank you for the memories. The pleasure was all ours.
Chris Bond is a freelance journalist and writer.