Although never blessed with extravagant natural talent, Keegan combined 100% application with an incredible
desire to win during a fifteen year playing career of almost total success. Nimble and quick, he first made his name with
Liverpool during the mid 1970's, and eventually built a reputation as one of the finest forwards of his generation.
After a lengthy 124-game apprenticeship at Scunthorpe United, Keegan signed for Bill Shankly's
Liverpool in 1971. He rapidly emerged as a favorite with the club's supporters, adding zest to a team that was preparing itself to take
Europe by storm. Given a free attacking role, he formed a lethal partnership with John Toshack which took Liverpool to the League championship in 1973, 1976 and 1977, the
FA Cup in 1974 and the UEFA Cup in 1973 and 1976. He bid a glorious farewell to the Anfield club by helping them to their first
European Cup triumph in 1977 - an emotional 3-1 victory over Borussia Monchengladbach in Rome's Olympic stadium.
He then took his skills to
Germany, tasting success in the League championship with SV Hamburg, and becoming the first British player to win the European Footballer of the Year Award twice (1978 and 1979). He returned to
England with Southampton, finishing the 1981-82 season as the First Division's top goalscorer, before transferring north to
Newcastle United in August 1982 - a move which began a long and famous association with the club.
In a ten-year international career, Keegan scored a goal every three games for England, although he suffered the disappointment of playing only one game in the
World Cup Finals - just 27 minutes against
Spain in 1982.