Alan Shearer
The club's all-time record goalscorer was signed by Keegan for a then-world record fee in 1996, and also captained England during Keegan's time in charge of the Three Lions
He was my hero. He was my manager. For Newcastle and England.
He was my friend. A man everyone loved. For his passion. For his energy but most of all for his friendship. He loved football and he loved Newcastle more than anything.
I’m so honoured to have known him. We will miss you Kevin.
Warren Barton
A mainstay of the Entertainers era, full back Barton was brought to St. James' Park by Keegan in 1995, and went on to play over 200 times for the club
There's great sadness, but a lot of love and a lot of good times and memories. That time - mid-20s, going to Newcastle, playing for Kevin Keegan, being part of the Entertainers with David Ginola and Alan Shearer and Les Ferdinand and Rob Lee - was the best time of my life. And Kevin made that happen. I owe him everything.
When I signed for Newcastle, he drove all the way to London with Terry McDermott. He met me at the hotel, tapped me on the shoulder and just said, 'come and join a big club'. You only had to look at him. He won the Ballon d'Or twice as an English player. You'd forget about all his accolades, because he was just so normal - he treated everybody the same. He wanted the best for everybody, and that is something I carry with me.
Him and Sir Bobby Robson were cut from the same cloth. They both loved the area, first and foremost, and the people. And they wanted to do their best for the people - not for themselves, or for the directors, but for the people. That's why people love him.
His enthusiasm, his passion for life, was infectious, and he just had a natural way of connecting with all different types of people, whether that was Sir John Hall, the fans or people who were working in the kitchen. We mirrored what he was, which was hard-working, doing our best and trying to entertain. He made you want to play for the club. KK was part of believing in something and bringing a dream into reality.
Him and Les Ferdinand had a really good connection. I shared a room with Les for two years and Les was a sharp dresser; we used to look after ourselves with clothes. Les and Kevin used to laugh about Kevin's outfits that he'd wear, and Les, with that big smile, would have fun with KK - 'you're looking good today, gaffer'. He might not have, but he loved it! They had a really special relationship. I know Les will be feeling the same as we all are. He was a great man.
I can only imagine what that first home game of the season against Liverpool at St. James' Park will be like, and the feeling of sadness - but also celebration. That's what I want. There will be 52,000 fans there. Just sing his name. Sing it as loud as you can.
Les Ferdinand
Ferdinand also joined the Magpies in 1995 and was prolific under Keegan as United finished runners up in the Premier League in both of his seasons on Tyneside
I'm quite stunned. I'd seen Kevin a few months ago at a dinner in Newcastle. Afterwards we spent a few hours together with John Beresford and some others just reminiscing, talking, having a laugh and a joke. It was probably only a few weeks later I heard about his cancer. A pal of mine saw him a few weeks ago with John Beresford again, and he was in good spirits. To hear the news today was a shock, and a sad day for football and everyone who knew him, loved him and spent time with him.
As a person, Kevin always had time for people. He made you feel like you were special. He had this knack - it didn't matter who he spoke to, he made you feel like you were the only person in the room. As a player my time with him was too short - I only spent a year and a bit with him - but he was a special person and I got on really well with him.
There was one other icon that I always felt Kevin was similar to, and that was Muhammad Ali. He had that ability to make you feel like you were the most important person in the world when you spoke to him. Not everyone has that. Kevin Keegan had that. He was a special human being. Not just a footballer, not just a manager, but a special human being.
I know how important and what a figurehead he was for Newcastle United Football Club, and the North East region in general. But he was the first real superstar footballer I saw in my life. He did things footballers weren't doing at the time and he was the first to do it all - (BBC TV show) Superstars and everything else. He was one of the first footballers I remember going abroad, winning the Ballon d'Or twice in Germany. We'd be doing him a disservice to not talk about him in wider football terms, not just in terms of this region.
It's a real shame that our 1995/96 team didn't win anything, because he set out to not only win, but to entertain while doing it. It was about enjoyment, going out and feeling free and expressing yourself, doing what made you happy. Sometimes you can forget that because of the trials and tribulations of life. But he tried to bring a lighter note to it, and got everyone to enjoy it. I think that showed in the brand of football we played.
Kevin used to say, 'you're one of the better dressers in the dressing room, Les'. I remember one day we were playing a game in the evening, and had been in to training in the morning at Maiden Castle. He called me in and said, 'I think I've got it sussed - you're going to be impressed with what I'm wearing tonight'. I used to joke with him, because he'd wear these Spanish-type bolero jackets and suit trousers and stuff.
We came in that night and he had a navy blue suit on, with a pale blue shirt and a tie. I looked at him and was nodding my head at him. He nodded at me, as if to say, 'see what I mean? I've got it sussed today!'
And then Lee Clark went, 'foul! Seven points away!' So everyone looked down at Kevin's shoes, and he had these patent shoes on that absolutely spoiled the whole outfit. Everyone fell about laughing! I remember the next day I went, 'mate, I thought you had it all sussed, you were looking a million dollars... and then I looked down at your shoes!' He went, 'yeah, I went home and threw them on the fire!'
I'm feeling very sad today and I'm sure anyone who was ever in his presence will feel sad today. But that's not how he'd want people to feel. He'd want people to celebrate his life rather than mourn it, because that's the type of guy he was.
Brian Kilcline
A United cult hero, Kilcline became Keegan’s first signing as Magpies boss in 1992 – and was regarded by Keegan as his “most important signing” for the club
When you think about Kevin Keegan, every memory you have is a good memory.
I’ve watched some videos of when he was a young lad at Scunthorpe being interviewed. He was saying he was a scrawny little sod and about the seventh best player in the football team at school. That was just in Scunny, so in all around Doncaster he would be goodness knows how far down the pecking order.
But Kevin Keegan was what he was, so he knew the position he was in, so he worked at it. He went on the weights, so he made himself stronger and quicker. He did that all his life - everything he came up against, he adapted to, made himself better and made himself able to deal with it. If anybody that asks, 'how do I live my life?' Well, that’s the perfect way.
I'm trying to find adjectives to describe him. I can't find any. There are none that are adequate. I just have memories of him, and I smile. I always try to look at the positive side of things. You have to celebrate his life and a lot of people are rightly celebrating Kevin Keegan. He was a very nice man, a great footballer, a great manager. Great at everything. If you sat around a table with him, you just didn't want the conversation to stop. He could tell a good tale as well - I never went to one of his after dinner talks, but apparently they were awesome as well.
My first encounter with Kevin was when I played against him. I was playing for Notts County, a young lad - raw, wanted to eat everybody up, smash them to pieces. He'd just come back to England and was playing for Southampton. I remember my manager, Howard Wilkinson, coming in and saying, 'Kevin Keegan's playing today. Go out there, sort him out - he's come back to England and thinks it's going to be a cushty job'. 'No worries, Howard - I'll go out and sort him out'.
We go out, we play, and we get beaten 3-1. Kevin Keegan scored two goals. Howard came straight to me: 'where the **** were you?' I said, 'I couldn't get near him!' You just couldn't. And he played with a smile on his face as well. As you swung your foot to kick him and he ran away, he'd just turn round and smile at you. I was about 18 or 19. I thought I knew everything until I met Kevin Keegan, played against him and couldn’t get near him.
He signed me at Newcastle, and don't get me wrong, there were a million better players that came after me. But he wanted to sign a centre half and he said, 'I want to sign that Brian Kilcline'. The football club's gone, 'who the hell is that?' He said, 'I want to sign him and he can do a job for me'. By sheer fluke, or sheer luck, or just the environment I was put in with Keegan, McDermott and Newcastle United, it was just heaven. Brilliant. We survived, got promoted and then they took off.
He was like a human miner's helmet light. I don't know how else you describe him. When he walked into a room or onto the football field, he just lit it up. He showed the way. He just made everything fun. You couldn't get in to training quick enough because you wanted to be involved in everything that was going on, because it was all fun. When it was finished, you'd think, 'oh, no, we have to go home now'.
He had a gift and Newcastle were lucky enough to benefit from it. He was a man that loved life, loved football and loved Newcastle.
We talk about role models. Who is going to take his place? I can't think of anybody. Nobody that I have met is in the same realm as Kevin Keegan was.
Shay Given
Given chalked up almost 500 appearances during his 12 years of stellar service at St. James' Park, and played under Keegan during his second spell in charge of the club in 2008
It's difficult to put into words. I live not a million miles from Kevin so I would be in touch with him, and we went out for dinner in recent months. I was very close with him away from football, as much as anything. I'm just shocked it's now come to this. We all know that in Kevin's career he was a huge fighter, a battler, and he gave it his all against this terrible disease as well. I'm heartbroken.
It's an incredibly sad day for football and for anybody who knew him, but also anybody who didn't know him - Newcastle was his spiritual home, it felt like, with the connection he had with the fans and the city. It's a tough day for anyone connected to the club. You see the love for him from all around the world too. He was a Ballon d'Or winner, twice. He did everything at the very top of the game. What can you say? He was an amazing player, an amazing manager and an amazing human being.
When the news broke that he was coming back (in 2008), there was huge excitement in the dressing room and with the fans as well. Seeing him turn up, the whole city was alive again. I remember our first meetings with him and Terry McDermott and he just lit up the room as soon as he walked into it. He was so enthusiastic, energetic. He was so bubbly, a phenomenal character. His zest for life was like no other. When he walked into a room, he filled it with energy and laughter. For me, it was the perfect fit for Newcastle. It was just a shame (his second spell as manager) was so short.
I've told this story a couple of times, but I remember one time he spoke to me about my jersey. There was this one goalkeeper jersey, going back years now - it was horrendous, to be honest. I pulled it on before we went out for kick-off.
He walks up to me and goes, 'I'm not sure about that top Shay, to be honest'. I say, 'I know, I don't pick it, I just have to wear it' - just trying to break the ice before a big game.
And then he says, 'but I'm sure about the person wearing it'. I just thought, 'woah'. That was special. He made you feel ten feet tall and want to take on the world.
Philippe Albert
Belgian centre half Albert was brought to Tyneside by Keegan in 1994, and later played under the former England boss during a loan spell at Fulham
What can we say about Kevin that has already been said? Legend as a player, by far the best manager I played under at Newcastle and Fulham and a wonderful human being.
Thanks for everything boss. Rest in peace.
Rob Lee
Lee joined the Magpies from Charlton Athletic in 1992, a move heavily influenced by his childhood footballing hero
Kevin was my hero and the reason why I joined Newcastle United all those years ago. I wanted to play for him and although they say 'never meet your heroes', I'm so glad I did because he was everything I thought he'd be when I was a kid. I was in awe of him when I first met him and that was the same when I met him just before Christmas. I can't believe that he wasn't knighted. He was the first superstar footballer that I ever remember. I was a West Ham fan as a kid but I supported Liverpool because Kevin played for them. Newcastle is a different club now but, back in the day, it was on its knees before he became manager. Everyone, bar none, signed because of him and how much of a hero he was to so many players. My first ever phone call with him was when I turned down Middlesbrough. I didn't really want to go north but after a five minute phone call with Kevin, he persuaded me to come to Newcastle and speak to him. He told me the line that Newcastle was closer to London than Middlesbrough but joining Newcastle was the best decision I ever made. The way he wanted to play football is the way it should be played. He wanted us to excite fans, not running the ball into the corner and win by big scorelines and that's what we did. After a couple of training sessions, he came up to me and said I'd play for England. When somebody you regard so highly says that, it only motivates you to try and do that. When I first came up to Newcastle with my wife and Olly, my firstborn, Kevin and his wife Jean picked us up in his car and they took us around Newcastle looking for houses whilst eating his packet of Midget Gems. I also remember when I was away on holiday with Alan Shearer and our families. We met him in Barbados with his family and he wanted us to play a game of golf even though I wasn't great at it. He chucked me in a golf buggy and gave me a 45 minute lesson on the driving range. I'm still rubbish at golf but it was moments like that where you appreciate the time he would take for everybody.
John Anderson
Current BBC Radio Newcastle match summariser Anderson was a teammate of Keegan’s when he joined the Magpies in 1982
I signed for Newcastle two weeks before Kevin did, in '82, and there were a lot of young local boys in the side - Kevin Carr, Steve Carney, Chris Waddle, Kenny Wharton. And then all of a sudden this superstar, a Ballon d’Or winner - not just once, but twice - arrived on the scene. Everybody was in awe.
He was just a super fella. No airs and graces, was great with everybody. Made everybody feel ten feet tall. Made you feel better than you probably were. He treated everybody exactly the same - it didn't matter who you were, what your background was, where you came from.
In the summer holidays when the kids would come and watch us train, Kevin wouldn't leave the pitch until everybody had an autograph. That's the type of guy he was. He gave his time freely and knew what the club meant to the supporters. He always said that without the supporters, the football club was absolutely nothing.
He resurrected this football club not once, but twice. He did it in '82 when he came and got us promoted back to the old First Division - older people will remember that, and the buzz around the city. There were games when there were five or ten thousand locked outside, because St. James' was full.
To come back in '91 and do what he did… when you sit down and think about it now, if Kevin hadn't come back and we'd have been relegated to the old Third Division - which looked a huge possibility at the time - it's really hard to imagine where this football club would be now. What he did when he came back as manager was Roy of the Rovers stuff. He built that Entertainers side. Everybody loved watching Newcastle United because of the style of football they played. They took Newcastle United to their hearts and that was solely down to one man, and that man was Kevin Keegan.
You sometimes meet certain people who are on a pedestal, superstars, and you don't feel comfortable in their company. But from minute one, Kevin Keegan relaxed you. He made you feel welcome. He was open to conversation, it was never yes or no answers, he always had time, he would have conversations with you. He was never in a hurry. He was just a wonderful human being. He really was.
Towards the end of my career, I had my last operation in the RVI, and I'd come round from anaesthetic. I said to one of the nurses, 'I've had the weirdest dream'. As I was coming out, there must have been a radio on or something, I don't know. I said, 'I've had this dream that Kevin Keegan's coming back as manager'.
And they said to me, 'well, that's not a dream. That's actually happening'.
John Beresford
Full back Beresford joined Newcastle United from Portsmouth and was an influential figure in Keegan's team of the mid-1990s
I am deeply saddened to hear of Kevin Keegan's passing.
Kevin changed so many lives at Newcastle United, and I was fortunate to be one of them. He gave me the opportunity to be part of a special team and brought belief, pride and excitement back to this football club.
More than a great manager, Kevin was a fantastic person who cared deeply about his players, the supporters and Newcastle United. His passion and enthusiasm were infectious, and his legacy will live on forever.
My thoughts are with Jean, his family and everyone who knew and loved him.
Rest in peace, gaffer.
Derek Wright
Long-serving physio Wright - who retired in 2022 after 38 years at St. James' Park - worked with Keegan in both of his spells as manager
I'm devastated, to be honest. It's so sad, and very upsetting. I thought, like a lot of other people, 'I think he's going to beat this'. He would have tried his heart out, but something like that can take the best of people.
He was just a great man. He was one of the first people to ring me when I retired, and he said some lovely things. That meant a lot to me. He was just great to work for, very down to earth. He was very, very good at his job and a strong character, an unbelievable personality. He made you feel good about yourself.
He was obviously a great manager. You don’t realise at the time what's happening - it's not until you reflect back now on our experiences with him and you think, 'hang on a second - we were unbelievable then'. He was the leader of it all, along with Terry McDermott - they were like a double act, really.
Kevin was forever having little bets with me about me losing weight - but it was all done in a funny fashion. He used to write me letters and tell me how much I'd lost… it was just great, really. You wanted to work hard for him. He knew how people ticked, and he knew how to get the best out of them. He was a real leader of men, I think, and you could see that with the players at the time - he knew what buttons to press, how to get the best out of people. But he was a genuinely nice person. If you ever think about how you'd like to be yourself, he would be an example to use.
Kevin had a real passion and affiliation with the club and the area too. His grandad worked down the pit at the town I'm from, Stanley. He helped in the Stanley pit disasters. Kevin, years later, unveiled a memorial to that. He had a connection to the area and its people.
The last time I saw him was at an Entertainers reunion at the Gosforth Park. We were talking until the early hours with him and a few of the lads. He never changed. It was a great night, and it was great to see him on top form.
It was difficult for him coming back second time around - he would have even admitted that - and it was still good to work with him again. But that five years he was here the first time… my happiest time was when he was manager.
Andrew Cole
Keegan signed Cole from Bristol City in 1993 and his goals fired United into the Premier League, where he continued to score prolifically until his departure in 1995
I was totally shocked. I'd just come out of a meeting and quickly glanced at my phone. I was just so, so shocked.
Kevin believed in me. He gave me the opportunity to come to Newcastle. He thought I could score goals there and play in the Premier League, when at that stage not many believed I could. The belief he had in me is something I won't forget. Back then, £1.75 million was a hell of a lot of money for an unknown and for him to get Sir John Hall to stump up that much money on a kid with a handful of games was very, very special.
He'd come down to watch me at Bristol City and I was injured - my knee was strapped up. He only ended up staying half an hour and that was it. Kevin said to Terry (McDermott), 'that's it, we're going to sign him'. Terry said, 'what do you mean? It's only been half an hour'. And Kevin said, 'that's more than enough'. That's how the deal was done, basically. I think that made his mind up about my attitude and what I was about, that I was prepared to go out there and play when I was injured.
There are loads of things I've sat down and reminisced about since the news of his passing, about playing for him, about being in his company. I remember one day I went to pick my mail up from St. James' Park. He said to me, 'Coley, what are you doing?'. I said, 'I'm just coming to pick my mail up'. He said, 'have you got a coat?' 'No, I haven't got one'. He said, 'don't worry, I've got one. Get in the car - we're going to watch a game. I want you to watch this centre half with us'.
We drove down to Liverpool, who were playing QPR, and we watched Darren Peacock. He didn't tell me we were watching him at the time. He said, 'what do you think of the centre half?' I thought, 'yeah, he's good, yeah - but individually I'm not going to watch a centre half, I'm going to watch a centre forward!' Not long after, he signed Darren Peacock. There's not many people who can say the manager actually took you to watch a game and asked your opinion about a player.
I think that was Kevin in a nutshell. My time at the club, at Maiden Castle, there was never any closed training sessions. Training was always open and we'd have thousands of fans turning up for them. It was typical of Kevin - he was always thinking of other people.
Kevin, for me, was a special man. I ended up moving on from Newcastle but he always wanted the best for me. When I joined Manchester United, I remember speaking to him and I remember him turning round and saying, 'you'll win trophies there'. There aren't many managers who would wish you well and want you to go and do well. I worked with him many years later too, with beIn Sports in the UAE, so I spent a lot of time in his company. He was a special man.
David Ginola
The French winger starred under Keegan for two years after joining from Paris Saint-Germain in 1995
It is with immense sadness that I learned of the passing of Kevin Keegan.
Kevin was much more than a manager to me. He was a man who believed in people, who inspired confidence, and who helped bring the very best out of those fortunate enough to play for him. When I arrived at Newcastle United, Kevin gave me the opportunity to express myself on the pitch and to play football with freedom, passion and joy. For that, I will always be grateful.
The years we shared at Newcastle were some of the most memorable of my career. Kevin built a team, but more importantly, he built a family. He brought hope, excitement and pride back to the city, and he created a connection between the players and the supporters that was truly special. St. James' Park became a place of dreams because of his vision, his courage and his love for the game.
Kevin's enthusiasm was infectious. He believed that football should entertain, and he encouraged us to play with confidence and ambition. His impact on Newcastle United, on English football and on everyone who worked alongside him will never be forgotten.
Today, my thoughts are with his family, his friends, his former teammates, and the millions of supporters whose lives he touched throughout his remarkable career.
Thank you, Kevin, for your faith, your leadership and your friendship. Your legacy will live forever in the hearts of Newcastle supporters and in the memories of those of us who were privileged to be part of your journey.
Rest in peace.
Keith Gillespie
A popular member of that mid-90s Entertainers side, winger Gillespie was another player signed by Keegan in 1995 and a key part of that memorable era in United's recent history
Kevin was one of those people, although he was ill, where you'd think, 'ah, it's Kevin Keegan, he'll beat this, no problem', because of the man that he was. I was just completely shocked when the news came through.
There is not one person who would have anything bad to say about Kevin Keegan. He was just so good with people, a real people person. I saw that when I signed for the club and he told every one of us when training was finished - 'I don't want anybody leaving until every photograph is taken and everything is signed'. That's the way he was. That's why he was so loved.
He was quoted many times at Newcastle United: 'this is the fans' club, this is their club'. Everything that he put in place when he took the job the first time - saving them from relegation, putting them back on the map again... it was all down to Kevin Keegan and his vision. When he took that job, it was a tough, tough job and what he did in that period of time was absolutely incredible. He just wanted to play football the right way, entertain people and win in a certain manner.
He had such a huge impact on me. I probably only had 30 seconds with him before going in to negotiate the contract when I came to Newcastle. No word of a lie, he sold the club to me in those 30 seconds. That's what he could do. Coming to the club, I was still very young and I obviously had my problems there, but he was always there, always helping; helping you improve as a player and improve as a person. There aren't many people who command that aura, and he just had it. He had it from day one.
He was very humble - he remembered his roots and where he grew up. He was very grateful to be a professional footballer and then a manager. Last November I was over in Newcastle and I met him at a meet and greet at the Gosforth Park. When Kevin Keegan did a meet and greet, the time period for it goes out the window! He wanted to talk to everyone, give them his time - it wasn't just an arm round the shoulder and a picture and you're away. He engaged with absolutely everybody. It was an incredible trait to have.
Since the news broke, I've found myself on social media watching videos about him and reading what people have said about him. It's an honour for me that I had him as a manager and knew him as a person. When I saw him last year, we were sat up until three or four in the morning, just chatting - myself, John Beresford, Les Ferdinand, Rob Lee, Lee Clark. We were just chatting about the days that we'd had. I actually said to him that I felt a bit cheated that I only got to play under him for two years. He was the sort of manager you wanted to play under for your whole career.
The tributes have been incredible, and rightfully so. He was so loved.
Tony Toward
Tony, Newcastle United's Team Operations Manager, is nearing 50 years of service at the club after joining in 1979, three years prior to Keegan's transfer from Southampton
When Kevin signed as a player, the then Chairman Stan Seymour announced, as Kevin came on the stage at his first press conference, “We’re in heaven, we’ve got Kevin!!”
He was very similar in all occasions both as a player, manager and person. He was a great man and a one I admired very much.
He had a great knack of doing the right things at the right time whilst retaining the strong principles he had.
As a manager, he was the most tolerant, polite and patient person. This has been said a lot but he was someone who patiently signed autograph after autograph without complaint and spent so many hours of his own time with the supporters.
When he arrived as a player, I used to sit with him and help with signing lots of photographs and all the requests that came through. Because there were so many, he had to come into the stadium before training and then come back after he'd trained to try and finish them all!
The football club wouldn't be where it is today without him.
Kevin helped the club lift off in the eyes of fans. People from everywhere would buy tickets, season tickets and fill the stadium.
Before that point, things were really flat and we were at a very low point as a club. He raised the profile of the club unbelievably well.
He was a top guy. He knew everybody's name, spoke to everybody and stayed the same all the time.
I've spoken to players both when he was a player and manager here and, on both occasions, they've said to me how he made them better when he played and when he has a manager.
He understood the players and was a manager for the players. That was one of the many things that made him so popular.
Andy Carroll
A young forward breaking through into the first team when Keegan arrived for his second spell as manager in 2008, Carroll was in the squad for his first game back in charge
A lot of people will remember Kevin Keegan as a fantastic player and manager who made people fall in love with football. I will remember him as a fantastic man and a true gentleman.
He was someone who treated people with kindness and respect, and that is a legacy every bit as special as his achievements in the game.
My deepest condolences to his family and loved ones. I hope the love, memories and pride you shared with him bring you comfort and strength in the days ahead. Rest in peace, Kevin.
Ray Thompson
'Thommo', Newcastle United's Kit Manager, joined Newcastle United in 1993 under his idol's management and was in attendance for Keegan's Magpies debut against Queens Park Rangers on his 18th birthday
What stood out with Kevin was his charisma. He was so funny. Him and Terry Mac were like Little and Large - they used to bounce off each other.
When he walked in a room, you always looked at him and listened because he just had that voice. He was a brilliant human being.
His legacy will live on for decades. Anyone over the age of 40 will never forget the times when he was here. As a fan, it must have been amazing to go to away games because, as his backroom staff, we loved it!
It wasn't a question of 'will we win today?' but 'how many are we going to win by?'
There was only seven or eight backroom staff when he was manager so we were all very close as a team. It was the most enjoyable time of my career at Newcastle.
I always remember my first away day with the team against Cambridge United. We were travelling down on Friday afternoon but Kevin told me to wear a suit and tie with smart shoes. This was on Friday morning and we're leaving at 1pm but I went just along with it as I didn't know the protocol.
I bought the suit down at Cambridge and at 7pm before dinner, Derek Wright knocked on my hotel room door because it was my first time away. I was stood in my suit and they were all in tracksuits! I had to go down to dinner with the team and the players all burst out laughing. Kevin and Terry were on the floor!
Even the next day, we travelled to the stadium and Kevin was telling me I had to stay inside and watch the kit. I was just doing what I was told because I was new to the job so I just sat there for 10 minutes before I could hear some sniggering behind the door.
He was such a lovely man who was very caring and loyal, always backing his players and staff. If any of the lads had issues, he was making sure he looked after them and put an arm around their shoulders.
I was a big supporter of the team before he joined as a player. He was my hero. I couldn't believe how the club managed to sign him. You're talking about someone who won the Ballon d'Or a couple of years beforehand and I was wondering how it happened.
I remember watching his first game when he scored the winner against QPR - it was one of the best days of my life.
Faith Roeder
Faith Roeder married former Magpies captain Glenn Roeder, who sadly passed away in 2021, and her husband and Keegan became close friends during their time playing together at St. James' Park
My family and I were just so sad to hear of Kevin’s death, as I know Glenn would have been. Glenn and Kevin got on so well, living together at Gosforth Park hotel for four months, enjoying a great and exciting season and spending afternoons racing at local tracks with Terry Mac too.
Kevin was so special and everyone in the North East loved him - he it so easy for us to settle in Newcastle, introducing Glenn to so many lovely people. I can remember Kevin, Glenn and Terry Mac coming into the old players family lounge in their kit and socked feet to catch the 2.30 race somewhere before kick-off, then going out to play such exciting football!
Such a happy and special time. Sending Jean and family our love and heartfelt condolences.
Mark Hannen
A press officer at United since January 2001, Hannen is a lifelong fan of the club and penned this tribute
Kevin Keegan, King Kev, Special K, The Messiah, call him what you wish but there has certainly never been a more loved member of the Newcastle United family. But not just love, admiration, respect, gratitude, all in bucket loads, I could go on and on.
As a youngster I watched on as he broke our hearts in May 1974, taking us apart in the FA Cup final. The classic line from commentator David Coleman of "goals pay the rent" as KK hit home the opener remains a lasting memory. Keegan, Toshack and Heighway - what a front three that was.
He had a stellar England career, including the captaincy, and we thought nothing of it when he signed for Southampton in 1980. Fast forward two years and after making his only World Cup appearance, we found out KK was going to sign for Second Division Newcastle United! You couldn't make it up. The Evening Chronicle ran the headline 'Keegan Signs Tonight'. It was unbelievable.
Of course he scored the winner on his debut against QPR at a euphoric St. James' and although the 1982/83 season didn't turn out as hoped, there were great moments, like the four he scored in a televised fixture at Rotherham.
The promotion side he captained in 1983/84, including Peter Beardsley, Chris Waddle and Terry McDermott, his old mate from Liverpool, had a 'wow' factor about them that left every United follower proudly shouting from the rooftops. 'We're in Heaven, we've got Kevin' - never a truer word was spoken as he galvanised the club, the region and much more besides. The celebrations that followed the final game will be remembered by every fan present.
Fast forward into the early 1990s and United were struggling badly and in grave danger of relegation to the third tier. A miracle was needed to keep the Magpies up but for the second time United shook the foundations of the football world when Kevin was enticed back to Tyneside in February 1992 by chairman Sir John Hall. The fan base was immediately revitalised and there wasn't a man, woman or child out there who didn't think everything would be okay. We'd gone from the depths of despair to sheer ecstasy in a passing moment but although it went down to the wire at Leicester, United survived, just, and it was all down to one man.
The supporters were ecstatic, filled by hope once more and the Championship was won in style the following season. "Walking in a Keegan Wonderland" the fans bellowed out. We certainly were.
Only a man of his stature could have enticed the likes of Les Ferdinand and David Ginola to Tyneside, and Alan Shearer a year later. His side, dubbed the Entertainers, played flowing and flamboyant attacking football. It didn't bring any trophies but, wow, we enjoyed the journey.
The season United lost that 12-point lead was hard to take, and included the 4-3 defeat at Anfield when he was pictured slumped over the advertising hoardings in disbelief at the result with the infamous Fergie rant soon following after the draw at Forest.
The 5-0 Manchester United result in October 1996 was perhaps his finest hour, it was certainly ours, but even then the cracks were beginning to appear and his resignation in January 1997 was perhaps inevitable.
For yours truly, in my role at Newcastle United since 2001, when Kevin returned in 2008 it was the first time I'd had the absolute pleasure of meeting and working with Kevin in person. What's that they say about your heroes - never meet them as it often leads to disappointment, or something like that? Never mind that, for me he was an icon above all others, kind, embracing and everything you thought he would be and more. He signed a copy of my book, then asked if he could take it away to read. After all, his picture adorned the front cover and the title was all about him in any case.
Kevin would pose for every fan's photograph, sign countless autographs without a moment's hesitation, be your granny’s favourite and do all sorts of things behind the scenes to help others. He was just that sort of bloke. He took a group of young fans to Lapland before Christmas in 1996 and what a thrill that was for them. I once asked him, a few years after he had left, to record a message of support for a young couple and later that same day, an amazing heartfelt video dedicated to them arrived on my phone.
Thank you Kevin. You brought unbridled joy to us all, embodied all that is good in life, and for that we will never be able to thank you enough.
