Remembering the life and career of Kevin Keegan

Kevin Keegan chasing this one while doing so well.

He was the dexterous dribbler with the premier perm and charisma fit for the cameras.After ditching the brassworks for the football pitch, a teenage Kevin Keegan first began turning heads while playing for Scunthorpe.

Would you welcome the chance to move on to another club?

Depends what sort of club really.I'm happy here.You know, I'm getting first team football here.I should think if I went first division I'd struggle a bit.

Bill Shankly disagreed and took him to Liverpool in 1971.

I remember him coming up on the Thursday and saying, do you want to play in the first team on Saturday or the reserves?The answer just came, I don't know where it came from, because I wasn't a confident lad at this stage in my career.And I said, I haven't come here to play in your reserves.Good, good.He just walked off.

And he opened up against Nottingham Forest, he won the game, he scored a goal, made a goal.It was a bit of a fluke, the one he scored, but he scored it nevertheless.and that was something he never was out of the team.

He took just 12 minutes to score on his debut and within a couple of years had a league title and a UEFA Cup winner's medal, scoring twice in the final.He made his mark at Wembley too, again twice on the scoresheet as Liverpool beat Newcastle in the FA Cup final of 74.A lethal finisher and accomplished header for a man of his stature, spent six seasons at Anfield scoring 100 goals as part of a famous strike force with John Toshack.

I get a feeling every time he goes up for a ball, I know when he's going to win it and I also know when he's going to lose it, you know, and I'll double back the other way so I go for him to lose it.He's so good in the air, he wins more than he loses, so I spend most of my time going where I want to go towards the goals.

So strong was their connection that Granada TV put theirto the test.

Purple.Cross.It felt like moving a couple of chairs away from him when he had a run of about eight on the track, which was amazing.

In fact, it was just a show, more razzle -dazzle from this born entertainer who attracted crowds like a pop star and became a national celebrity.

Coming to the first bend and a band bench comes across, and Keegan's gone!Keegan touched the back wheel and he's gone across the track on his back.

Here, you trying to muscle in my act?Yeah, why don't you throw in a towel, Henry?Good shot.

His last match for Liverpool came in Rome in 1977, where he forced the penalty which secured the club's first European Cup.It took his tally to three championships, two UEFA Cups, one FA Cup and one European Cup.

There's got to be some more improvement in me.

And so he went to Hamburg, where he became the highest -paid player in Germany, was nicknamed Mighty Mouse and twice won European Footballer of the Year.He was a sensation at Newcastle, where he ended his playing career with a friendly against Liverpool and an airborne exit.He took that flamboyance into management.In the title race, his Newcastle team pushed Manchester United close, while he was pushed famously to his limit by Alex Ferguson's mind games.

He went down in my estimation when he said that.We have not resorted to that.But I'll tell you, you can tell him now if you're watching it, we're still fighting for this title, and he's got to go to Middlesbrough and get something.And I'll tell you, honestly, I will love it if we beat them.Love it.

For England, he won 63 caps,31 as captain, and scored 21 goals.He also had a short spell as manager, leading them to the European Championships in 2000, before joining Manchester City.Welcome to Main World.Thank you.He steered them back into the Premier League with the sweeping attacking philosophy for which he was known.

There's nothing wrong with them having their dreams and their aspirations, and there's nothing wrong with us as a group.trying to go out and give them what they want every week.So, you know, aim for the top, you know.I know it's an old saying, but shoot for the moon.If you hit the stars, is it a bad thing, you know?

They romped home, 10 points clear at the top of the championship, having scored 108 goals.Keegan steadied the club as they left main road for a new home and guided them into Europe for the first time in 24 years.After four years at City, he retired from football, only briefly returning to Newcastle three years later.He was the man you could trust to lead the attack and lead the vocals.But this son of a coal miner found the funny side of fame too.

Turned the radio up and it was, and it looks like.And he said, that's our smash of the week.And I said, oh, it's our smash of the week.And then you hear him go.And he's obviously there.I thought it was smash of the week, meaning the favorite record.

And it was the one they smashed up afterwards.

It was the voices on the Kop which moved him the most.Kevin Keegan said the sound of You'll Never Walk Alone made him so emotional that he actually cried while playing.Today, the tears are shed for him.