Alex Niven offers his thoughts on how and why Kevin Keegan had such an impact - beyond just football - on the people, culture and identity of the North East of England.
Lovely piece, Alex. Thanks so much for writing it for us. That wider sociological perspective is definitely a vital part of the story.
You hit upon something at the end. I'm essentially a miserable pessimist. But football also sometimes makes me a hopeless dreamer and romantic. Both are embedded in us.
I guess Dan Jackson would have something interesting to say about that and the Northumbrian mentality.
Brilliant writing, my thoughts exactly, I’ve been trying to tie how he lifted the region outside of football and relating that to politics without it going off track.. you did it perfectly..
Summed up by our first Premier League Monday night football appearance Sept 1993... 4.2 win v Sheff Wed, every player playing out of their skin and giving everything they've got... listen to the noise and excitement... https://youtu.be/7dv3e6xiD10?is=9uvU5cOyNXBPYr0C
Absolutely! I remember that night vividly. Alex Mathie scoring that goal did feel like some kind of miracle. Like there was nothing that we couldn't do. I remember being at Oldham too on a Sky Monday Night and it felt the same. That outrageous chipped lob from Cole that he actually hit into his standing foot. Normal reality didn't seem to apply to us!
Talk about JFK moment - I remember it well. I was particularly down in the dumps after losing at Oxford, and was basically resigned to going down. Then my wife rang me.
"Have you heard?"
"No, what?"
"Kevin Keegan is the new manager".
For me, the world stood still.
That KK managed to save that team who were so awful before he arrived, was a minor miracle. And after that, the region seemed to go from strength to strength. Maybe it was the coincidental arrival of new business like Siemens, Nissan, Northern Rock and the expansion of Newcastle University, or even Tony Blair being a local MP, but KK's belief seemed to spread throughout the North East.
There should be a statue of him next to the Angel of the North.
Dan Jackson writes an interesting book on the mentality of the 'Northumbrian', this article highlights it. The NE unemployment rate in 1992 was 9.9% the national, average was 9.8%, so we were only slightly above national figures, which is surprising considering heavy industry was in it final throes competing against cheaper labour abroad. Now NE unemployment is significantly higher than national figures 0.7% higher and rising every week. With our football club stifled by the cartel 6, a corrupt EPL and a useless Govt loathe to step in for the Saudis who invest 78bn into the UK every year, if we ever needed a character like Keegan again it is now. The club is drifting, having to sell its best players and no movement on a new long overdue stadium. Keegan was unique. He made everyone feel better. I have only met a handful of people who have that gift.
Lovely piece, Alex. Thanks so much for writing it for us. That wider sociological perspective is definitely a vital part of the story.
You hit upon something at the end. I'm essentially a miserable pessimist. But football also sometimes makes me a hopeless dreamer and romantic. Both are embedded in us.
I guess Dan Jackson would have something interesting to say about that and the Northumbrian mentality.
Brilliant writing, my thoughts exactly, I’ve been trying to tie how he lifted the region outside of football and relating that to politics without it going off track.. you did it perfectly..
Excellent. Can we turn the clock back?
Summed up by our first Premier League Monday night football appearance Sept 1993... 4.2 win v Sheff Wed, every player playing out of their skin and giving everything they've got... listen to the noise and excitement... https://youtu.be/7dv3e6xiD10?is=9uvU5cOyNXBPYr0C
Absolutely! I remember that night vividly. Alex Mathie scoring that goal did feel like some kind of miracle. Like there was nothing that we couldn't do. I remember being at Oldham too on a Sky Monday Night and it felt the same. That outrageous chipped lob from Cole that he actually hit into his standing foot. Normal reality didn't seem to apply to us!
That is a magnificent piece of writing we’re honoured to have on these pages. Thanks Alex.
Talk about JFK moment - I remember it well. I was particularly down in the dumps after losing at Oxford, and was basically resigned to going down. Then my wife rang me.
"Have you heard?"
"No, what?"
"Kevin Keegan is the new manager".
For me, the world stood still.
That KK managed to save that team who were so awful before he arrived, was a minor miracle. And after that, the region seemed to go from strength to strength. Maybe it was the coincidental arrival of new business like Siemens, Nissan, Northern Rock and the expansion of Newcastle University, or even Tony Blair being a local MP, but KK's belief seemed to spread throughout the North East.
There should be a statue of him next to the Angel of the North.
God bless King Kev.
Dan Jackson writes an interesting book on the mentality of the 'Northumbrian', this article highlights it. The NE unemployment rate in 1992 was 9.9% the national, average was 9.8%, so we were only slightly above national figures, which is surprising considering heavy industry was in it final throes competing against cheaper labour abroad. Now NE unemployment is significantly higher than national figures 0.7% higher and rising every week. With our football club stifled by the cartel 6, a corrupt EPL and a useless Govt loathe to step in for the Saudis who invest 78bn into the UK every year, if we ever needed a character like Keegan again it is now. The club is drifting, having to sell its best players and no movement on a new long overdue stadium. Keegan was unique. He made everyone feel better. I have only met a handful of people who have that gift.
A smart insight - thank you!