Nicknamed "King Kev" or "Mighty Mouse",[3][4] Keegan was recognised for his dribbling ability, as well as his finishing and presence in the air, and is regarded as one of the greatest players of his era.

[13] His father moved to Armthorpe in Doncaster (then in the West Riding of Yorkshire) to work in a colliery,[14] where he married Doris[15] and they had three children: Mary, who was two years Keegan's senior,[16] Kevin, and Michael.

[40] Keegan, Nigel Jackson, Jimmy Coyne, Alan Olbison and Steve Hibbotson once borrowed Brownsword's stopwatch and had timed rallies around the Old Show Ground with the club's vintage tractor.

Keegan scored twice more on the way to the cup finals at Wembley Stadium, including a lob-volley over the head Peter Shilton in the semi-final against Leicester City at Villa Park.

Keegan claimed that with 100,000 people in attendance, the non-stop chanting of both sets of supporters, and the millions watching on television, this game was as close to a non drug-induced psychedelic experience as he could ever get.

[76] Keegan became Hamburg's best-paid player and was billed by the club's business manager, Dr. Peter Krohn, as the superstar signing from England who would transform an average German team.

[85] In the winter break of his first season, feeling isolated by the clique in the dressing room, a frustrated Keegan was sent off in a friendly against lower league club VfB Lübeck.

A rigorous training regime, Keegan's increasing grasp of the German language, and the newly imposed discipline contributed to Hamburg's first league championship in nineteen years.

[97] On 11 February 1980, Southampton boss Lawrie McMenemy called a press conference at the Potters Heron Hotel in Ampfield to announce that Keegan would join the Saints in the summer.

In 2019, McMenemy explained that prior to the start of the 1982–83 season, Keegan believed that Southampton did not match his footballing ambitions, he had made up his mind and demanded to leave, and there was nothing the club could do about it.

Keegan once stated about Beardsley, "At Scunthorpe I always thought Terry Heath had the wow factor, because of his skill on the ball, and when I moved to Liverpool I had never seen anyone with Peter Thompson's ability.

In a last desperate effort to play in a World Cup — knowing that he would not be around for the 1986 competition — he secretly hired a car and drove from Spain to a specialist he knew in Germany for intensive treatment.

[143] Further assessing his squad, Keegan noted some players could not handle the pressure and would sneak in by a turnstile rather than meet and greet the big crowds at the front entrance prior to games.

Keegan stated about Kilcline, "Even on his bad days his head never dropped, he was tough as teak, absolutely fearless", and "He was a ready-made captain, one of my more important signings as Newcastle's manager."

Keegan then strengthened his side by signing Swiss defender Marc Hottiger, Belgian defensive midfielder Philippe Albert, and Norwich City's quick winger, Ruel Fox.

Keegan made several important additions to the Newcastle side in the summer of 1995: Reading goalkeeper Shaka Hislop, Paris Saint-Germain's French winger David Ginola, Queens Park Rangers striker Les Ferdinand, and Wimbledon defender Warren Barton.

Following lengthy discussions of which the board attempted to persuade Kevin to change his mind, both parties eventually agreed that the best route forward was for the club to, reluctantly, accept his resignation with immediate effect.

I wish the club and everyone concerned with it all the best for the future.On the Newcastle United DVD Magpie Magic, it is said that chairman John Hall asked for a long-term commitment as manager from him, which Keegan was unwilling to give.

[158] Points dropped in draws against Sweden, Bulgaria, and the return fixture against Poland left England facing elimination as the end of the qualifying stages neared.

Newcastle supporters welcomed the manager back as he arrived to see the FA Cup third-round replay against Stoke City, alongside owner Mike Ashley and chairman Chris Mort.

[191] The team followed it up with wins over Tottenham Hotspur and Sunderland, maintaining his perfect record over the club's local rivals in the Tyne-Wear derby, and also putting Newcastle on top of the league's form chart.

[200] As the 2007–08 season drew to a close, rumours of tensions between the club's directors and Keegan began to surface, as he publicly criticised the board, claiming they were not providing him the financial support necessary to break into the top four of the Premier League standings.

[201] His accusations caused bad press for owner Mike Ashley, who was already battling reports that he had lost hundreds of millions of pounds in a disastrous stock market venture.

[202] Following the closure of the transfer window at midnight on 1 September 2008, various media sources reported that Keegan had either resigned from the club or had been sacked,[203] leading to fan protests around St James' Park.

[207] Richard Bevan, chief executive of the League Managers Association (LMA), stated the following month that Keegan would consider a return to the club but only if those who held the ownership were willing to develop a structure which he was happy with.

[211] In September 2009, it was reported that Keegan had met with Ashley and the Newcastle board — including former members — in a Premier League arbitration hearing for a claim of £10 million in compensation for his shock resignation.

[216] The panel declared that Keegan had been led to believe he had the final decision on player transfers, and was never explicitly told in writing, his contract, nor by word of mouth that he did not, nor that his role would see him report to others.

[218] Keegan stated after the hearing he still wanted to manage top flight football, and would consider returning to his position at the club, but felt the supporters may be exhausted from his last tenure and would prefer him not to.

Cameras documented activities at the family's Hamburg home and Keegan's personal business appearances, offering a rare glimpse into the life of a modern millionaire footballer away from the pitch.

[73] The same year, during his daughter's christening reception at a London hotel, Eamonn Andrews, the presenter of This Is Your Life, emerged from a giant cake to surprise Keegan and his guests with his famous big red book.