Tributes to Kevin Keegan 'will never be enough'

Fans around Newcastle have paid tribute to Kevin Keegan after news broke of the former footballer's death at age 75.

Although not from the city, Geordies claim Keegan as one of their own thanks to the influential stints he had as both player and manager.

Even Sunderland fan, Eddie, whose wife Brenda supports Newcastle, said: "He's a legend isn't he? Red and white, black and white it doesn't matter."

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe said Keegan had been an "inspiration" and "a friend whose guidance and support meant a great deal in recent years".

"He was always willing to share his wisdom, offer encouragement and provide support, and I will always be grateful for that," he said.

"Every conversation with Kevin left you feeling better. He had remarkable warmth and humour and also a love for football that touched everyone around him."

Flowers have been laid at St James' Park as supporters flock to the ground to pay their respects.

Former Newcastle player and boyhood fan Shola Ameobi was also seen paying his respects at the stadium.

Newcastle United CEO David Hopkinson said he was moved by the tributes.

"We didn't plan this,"he said.

"These people have come to gather and remember him.

"This is really touching and it's an incredible spontaneous tribute to him."

Keegan first came to Newcastle as a player at the start of the 1982-83 season and helped the club towards promotion to the First Division.

He announced his retirement at the end of the following season and famously left St James' Park in a helicopter following his testimonial match.

Originally from Yorkshire, when he first signed for the Magpies, Keegan said it "felt like coming home".

His family had deep roots in the area - his granddad, Frank was a County Durham miner and a hero of the West Stanley Pit Disaster of 1909.

Frank made it out alive after an explosion tore through the pit and he went back in to help save the lives of other miners.

Both his granddad and his dad Joe were lifelong Newcastle supporters.

Shaun Dalton was a ballboy at Keegan's debut for the Magpies in 1982 and said he jumped on his back when he scored.

He called him "an absolute legend of this city".

"Ever since that day, I've had a great affinity with Kevin," he said.

"[I'm] so grateful to Kevin, for the memories that he's given me personally."

Dalton met Keegan again years later at a sports dinner where he was giving a talk.

"He had time for everybody," he said.

"He wasn't rushing people, if you wanted autographs, if you wanted a chat.

"He was a man of the people - I know he's a Yorkshireman, but come on, he's a Geordie."

As a manager, Keegan returned to Newcastle in 1992 and solidified his position as a Tyneside legend when he led the Toon to second place in 1995-96.

He was in charge when Newcastle signed Alan Shearer for a then, world record fee of £15m in 1996.

Leading tributes on Monday, Shearer wrote on X: "My Hero. My manager. My friend.

"Sleep easy Boss."

After resigning in 1997, he then returned for an eight-month stint in 2008.

BBC Radio Newcastle co-commentator and ex-player, John Anderson, arrived at Newcastle a couple of weeks before Keegan in 1982.

"It was a culture shock for me, I have to say, somebody who had won what he'd won and achieved what he had achieved in the game," Anderson said.

"But he made everyone feel so comfortable, he was such a humble guy and it didn't matter who you were, whether you were a teammate, whether you were someone in the street, he spoke to everybody exactly the same.

"You hear the word 'legend' banded around all the time now - but Kevin Keegan's got to be put on a pedestal of legends."

Lee Clark, who played under Keegan in the 90s said he was "very heartbroken" by the news.

"He wasn't just a manager to me, he was a hero at first and then he became my manager and my boss and friend, but then he became like a father figure," Clark said.

The now-Hartlepool manager said when he first passed his driving test, Keegan saw him behind the wheel of a sports car and made him take it back to the garage because he did not like the way he was driving it.

He did the same again with Clark's next car.

"He was like the Pied Piper to the Geordie public," Clark said.

"They adore him."

Outside St James' Park, fan Brad said: "To be honest I don't think what you do for Kevin Keegan will ever be enough.

"This guy was phenomenal, as a player and as a manager.

"You know, he took our club from nowhere to the brink."

Meanwhile, Malcolm, armed with an old photo of himself and the former gaffer, said his legendary status went beyond the pitch.

"He's done a lot of talking around Newcastle at all of the social clubs," Malcolm said.

"So me and my pals seen every single one and the stature of the man is, after every single one he stayed til two or three in the morning until every single person got a photograph."

Additional reporting by Fiona Trottand Dawn Thewlis.

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