Kevin Keegan quit Newcastle 20 years ago after five-year spell which included rant, world transfer record, 5-0 Manchester United win and spectacular title fail
KEVIN KEEGAN made the first and most significant of his exits as Newcastle manager 20 years ago today.
And with it, brought the curtain down on an era where the Toon earned the nickname ‘The Great Entertainers’.
Just like in his playing days almost 20 years earlier with Liverpool, he was succeeded by Kenny Dalglish.
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Keegan famously failed to win a major trophy during his five-year spell in charge of his beloved Newcastle.
He took them to the top-flight, on the brink of title glory, provided one of the great T.V. moments in Premier League history as the Magpies fell away in spectacular fashion and broke the world transfer record.
It was non-stop entertainment every step of the way.
KK replaced Osvaldo Ardiles as boss on February 5 1992 with Newcaslte in the relegation zone of England’s second tier.
He kept Newcastle afloat and the two-time Ballon d’Or-winner started his following campaign with 11 straight wins.
The signings of Andy Cole and Rob Lee proved inspiring as the Toon won Division One.
Peter Beardsley was brought back from Everton and the Magpies thrived in the Premier League.
They finished the 1993-94 season in third place behind Manchester United and Blackburn to bring European football to St James’ Park for the first time in 20 years — with Cole topping the scoring charts on 34 goals.
He actually netted a staggering 41 in all competitions.
Again, they started the following season well, but were rocked by the sale of Cole to Man United for a British record £7.5million and missed out on Uefa Cup qualification.
But it’s the 1995-96 season which lives long in the memory.
In came QPR frontman, Les Ferdinand and Paris Saint-Germain’s mercurial winger, David Ginola.
The Toon were ready for a genuine title charge.
The enjoyed a sensational end to 1995.
Ferdinand’s goals saw them ten points clear of Man United on December 23 — and by January 4, 1996, that lead was extended to 12 points.
Newcastle led for the majority of the season, but come February — when they perhaps unnecessarily added the eccentric Faustino Asprilla to their ranks — they collapsed in spectacular fashion.
A 2-0 defeat at West Ham was followed 3-3 draw at relegation candidates, Manchester City — and then a damaging first home of the season.
Eric Cantona’s scored a crucial winner for Man United at St James’ Park, which saw the lead cut to just a single point.
They would lose two of their next three games before travelling to Anfield for a must-win clash.
What followed was one of the greatest spectacles in English football history.
Liverpool led after two minutes, but Newcastle came back to lead 2-1.
It was soon 2-2, before Asprilla, put the visitors back ahead.
Stan Collymore equalised, before netting a dramatic winner in stoppage time to all but end Newcastle’s title hopes.
If the dagger wasn’t fully in yet, it would be two weeks later when, following a hard-fought victory over Leeds, the mind games started Sir Alex Ferguson questioned whether the Yorkshiremen would show as much desire when they faced the Toon.
They did, and Newcastle produced a spirited display to leave Elland Road with all three points.
But, with the pressure intensifying, but KK took Fergie’s bait — and poured out his heart and soul in what became known as Keegan’s rant.
He went on: “I think you’re supposed to send Alex Ferguson a tape of this match, aren’t you? Isn’t that what he asked for?
“When you do that with footballers like he said about Leeds…
“I’ve kept really quiet but I’ll tell you something, he went down in my estimations when he said that. We have not resorted to that.
“You can tell him now, we’re still fighting for this title and he’s got to go to Middlesbrough (for the last game of the season) and get something.
“And I’ll tell you, honestly, I will love it if we beat them. Love it.
“It really has got to me. I’ve voiced it live, not in front of the press or anywhere.
“I’m not even going to the press conference but the battle is still on and Man United have not won this yet.”
But they did.
Newcastle drew both of their last two games to miss out on the title by four points.
Keegan responded that summer by persuading the board to part with a world-record £15m for Man United target, Alan Shearer.
There was still for one last high as they got a modicum of revenge over the Red Devils by producing arguably the greatest display in the club’s history with a 5-0 at St James’ Park.
Darren Peacock, Ginola, Ferdinand, Shearer and Philippe Albert scored the goals in the famous rout.
But this was more a flash in the pan than the norm for that season’s Newcastle.
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On January 8, 1997 Keegan quit the club insisted he had taken them as far as he could.
He would briefly make a return 11 years on, but it’s this spell that lives long in the memory.
It is said you only get what you deserve in this game but, perhaps a little like Holland in 1974, we remember so fondly because they didn’t win anything despite how much they entertained us.