On behalf of Hyde United, I want to share a few memories about Kevin Keegan, a man whose achievements in football were extraordinary, yet whose humility was even more remarkable.
During the years when Kevin was the manager of Manchester City their reserves played their home fixtures at Ewen Fields and Kevin attended every match. I was the lucky so and so who had the priviledge before the game to greet him, make him a cup of tea and hand him his favourite biscuit when there was usually only myself and Kevin in the room. This was a man who won the Ballon d’Or twice, captained and managed England, lifted all the major domestic and european trophies with Liverpool, won the Bundesliga title with Hamburg and inspired a generation at Newcastle United, yet he walked into our directors’ room with no ego, no entourage, and no sense of superiority. He arrived early, chatted warmly with staff, and treated everyone with genuine respect.
As a young lad i had always admired Kevin Keegan both as a footballer and a person, I even had my hair permed just like he had, that’s how much he meant to me growing up. To go from copying his hairstyle to sharing cups of tea and biscuits with him at Hyde United felt surreal in the best possible way chatting to him as though i had known him for years. They say that you shouldn’t meet your heroes but i’m glad that i met mine.
I had some amazing conversations with him, one day he told me that his first name wasn’t Kevin at all, but Joe (Joseph) named after his father. Another time, during a chat at Ewen Fields, I said to him, “I bet when you were younger at Scunthorpe United, you practised signing your autograph.” He smiled and replied, “Yes, I really did exactly that.” Even after reaching the very pinnacle of world football, he carried the same modesty he had as a young lad dreaming big.
Kevin showed a real interest in Hyde United, our volunteers, our supporters and our challenges. When he learned the club was struggling financially, without being asked he quietly stepped in to help, no publicity, no fuss, just kindness and generosity offered privately and from the heart.
Kevin Keegan will always be remembered as a giant of the game, but at Hyde United, we will also remember the man who treated our club , and the people within it, with warmth, generosity, respect and heart.
On behalf of Hyde United Football Club, i would extend our deepest condolences to Kevin Keegan’s family, friends, and all who knew him, his legacy will forever remain in our hearts, and his memory will continue to inspire us all, he will be missed.
Martin Knowles
Former Director, Hyde United Football Club
