Kevin Keegan is and will always be a legend at Newcastle United.
The former Newcastle United player and manager will go down as one of the most influential people in the club’s history.
His influence on the club is even felt to this day – Eddie Howe called Kevin Keegan before becoming Newcastle manager to ask for advice. He told Howe to be honest with the supporters.
Keegan joined Newcastle in 1982, scoring 48 goals in his two years at the club before announcing his retirement. He made a triumphant return to the Magpies in 1992, taking over from Ossie Ardiles as manager when the club were rock bottom of the Second Division.
Keegan miraculously saved them from relegation to the third tier for the first time in the club’s history and won promotion the season after.
Many fans will remember the 1995/96 season when Newcastle narrowly missed out on winning the Premier League to Manchester United. During that season Keegan’s Newcastle thrashed Man United in what has gone down as one of the club’s best-ever wins but it was not enough to take the title from their clutches at the end of the season.
Things started to go pearshaped towards the end of the season and the title slipped away from Newcastle’s hands. That was when Keegan’s now infamous ‘I would love it’ rant was born.
On Keegan’s 74th birthday, we look back at what Newcastle legend David Ginola said about that interview back in 2018.
David Ginola on Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle United rant
Ginola was part of the side that came agonisingly close to winning the league title in 1996. In the end, it came down to Newcastle’s 4-3 defeat to Liverpool which was dubbed the Premier League’s greatest ever match in 2018.
Since Newcastle’s takeover in 2021, Ginola has revisited St James’ Park on occasion. Ginola took pictures with Merhdad Ghodoussi and Amanda Staveley in 2022.
In an interview with Sky Sports in 2018, Ginola and Jamie Carragher looked back at Keegan’s rant. Ginola was asked how the players reacted after it finished.
“We heard him. We were in the dressing room. When actually went out because we thought there was trouble in the dugout. All the players went out to help him because he was shouting.
“He was really annoyed because he realised that things were slipping off his hands. That’s a shame.
“(Keegan’s emotion was a strength and a weakness) because when you see someone as nervous as he was that night.
“You see he’s losing the self-confidence he had in previous weeks. He was so confident before, but everything was slipping away from him.
“It was a shame because he was a great man. I admire him as a player and a manager. He was not saying anything in the dressing room. Everything was very simple. That was probably the main shame of it.”
Kevin Keegan could return to Newcastle
It has been a long time since Newcastle fans have seen Keegan at St James’ Park. In truth, Keegan did not want to return to the club while Mike Ashley was at the helm.
Keegan revealed in his autobiography that he made one trip back to the ground in disguise so he could attend a leaving do for a lifelong Newcastle fan.
However, reports earlier this season suggested that Keegan could return to St James’ Park for Newcastle’s game against Liverpool in December. Unfortunately, he was not able to attend but could still make an appearance before the end of the season.
It has been claimed that Keegan will return to Newcastle after they win a trophy. The Magpies are playing in the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool in March – fans could see Keegan make an emotional return to his former stomping ground if they bring the cup home.
The PIF has always been keen to have Keegan back at the club. After the takeover, reports stated that Keegan would be offered an ambassadorial position alongside Alan Shearer who was brought to the club by Keegan in 1996.
Newcastle fans remain eager to see one of the club’s most important figures return to the ground he once ruled.
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