Liverpool legend and former Newcastle United and England manager Kevin Keegan was widely regarded as one of the most admired and loved figures in world football.
Kevin Keegan and Sir Alex Ferguson faced off for the title in the 95/96 season
Sir Alex Ferguson has recalled a heartwarming encounter with Kevin Keegan, days after the former Newcastle United manager unleashed one of the most iconic managerial rants in Premier League history.
Mr Keegan, one of the most popular figures in English football, died on Monday at the age of 75 after a battle with cancer.
In a statement, his family said: “It is with great sadness that we announce that Kevin Keegan has passed away at the age of 75. The former England player and manager was battling cancer and was surrounded by his wife and daughters in his final moments.
“Two-time Ballon d’Or winner Kevin was a much-loved husband, father and grandfather. The family would like to thank Kevin’s amazing medical team for their support. These are very difficult times and they ask for space and privacy.”
Tributes have poured in from across the football world, with former Manchester United manager Ferguson recalling some memorable moments he shared with Keegan.
One of those encounters was in a pub, just days after Keegan famously declared he would be “happy” if his team beat United in the 1995-96 title race. It was a passionate response to Ferguson’s trademark mind games that define their rivalry.
Ferguson recalled their encounter in an interview on Track Radio, saying: “That was Kevin. He had a lot of emotion and he brought that to the team. They were playing for Kevin Keegan, there’s no doubt about that.”
“What’s interesting about Kevin’s rant is that two weeks after the season ended, I was playing golf with some friends and we went to a great bar down the road and had some great food. We went there and who came in? Kevin Keegan and he spent the rest of the night at the piano.”
Ferguson and Keegan during Newcastle United vs Manchester United
That season, Newcastle surrendered a 12-point lead to United, but by then Keegan had long forgotten the collapse.
Ferguson added: “The best thing about him was that he didn’t hold grudges. That was a great quality of his. He always said we had a great night. Whatever happened the week before was quickly forgotten.”
“I really respected him for that.”
Join us on Facebook! For the latest news, analysis and more on our Mirror Football Facebook page
Tribute to Kevin Keegan outside St James’s Park
Keegan passed away after being diagnosed with cancer, but was still active in his final months. The former England manager is survived by his wife Jean and their children Laura Jane and Sarah Murray.
‘King Kev’ remains one of the greatest players England has ever produced, and his international career as a player and then as a manager was an unforgettable one.
The two-time Ballon d’Or winner had spells for Scunthorpe United, Liverpool, Hamburg, Southampton, Newcastle and Blacktown City.
He retired in 1985 and became Newcastle manager in 1992. From there, the Liverpool icon went on to manage Fulham, England and Manchester City before returning to St James’ Park for a second spell in 2008.
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive Mirror Football content every day. Community members also receive special offers, promotions, and advertisements from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check it out whenever you like. If you are interested, please read our privacy notice.
Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+ and Ultimate TV packages
Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundles to include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, plus 135 channels and complete coverage of the Premier League and EFL from Sky.
Sky has over 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more, with at least 215 of them live from the top flight, along with F1, darts and golf.
