April 27 - KK Goes Bonkers
Manchester United, Newcastle United April 27th, 2008He would have loved it if they’d beaten them, loved it. Yes it was on this day in 1996 that surely the best moment on Sky Sports television occurred when Kevin Keegan went bonkers live on TV after his Newcastle team had just beaten Leeds.
In what has since become footballing legend, KK lost it in response to comments made by Manchester United manager Sir Alex ‘mind game’ Ferguson, who had suggested that other teams might not try as hard when playing Newcastle as they did against United.
Keegan’s outburst came in the context of a close battle for the Premiership title between his Newcastle side, and Ferguson’s United team.
Seemingly holding back the tears, Kevin ‘wears his heart on his sleeve’ Keegan responded to Ferguson’s comments:
“When you do that with footballers like he said about Leeds… I’ve kept really quiet, but I’ll tell you something: he went down in my estimation when he said that - we have not resorted to that. But I’ll tell ya - you can tell him now if you’re watching it - we’re still fighting for this title, and he’s got to go to Middlesbrough and get something, and… and I tell you honestly, I will love it if we beat them - love it.”
Unfortunately for KK, Newcastle, and probably most neutrals, they couldn’t do it, and despite holding a 12 point lead over United at one point, they couldn’t hold on and Man United clinched the title.
We would’ve loved it too Kev.
(3 votes, average: 4.67 out of 5)
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January 16th, 2008 at 7:13 pm
That was probably my favourite ever football moment..
January 16th, 2008 at 8:21 pm
Can’t believe he’s back. Brilliant
January 16th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
Well funny, you just know he’ll bottle it and be gone by 2009. Then the whole circus will start up again. Good old Newcastle.
February 3rd, 2008 at 1:13 am
[...] His charges proved just as effective in the top tier and the Newcastle team were dubbed The Entertainers for their exciting attacking style that so nearly won them the championship in 1996, which was also when KK had his legendary rant (see it here). [...]
August 11th, 2008 at 12:04 am
[...] United had secured their second double after Fergie had out-mind-gamed Keegan to the title and Eric Cantona’s strike in the FA Cup Final put paid to Liverpool’s cup [...]
October 20th, 2008 at 12:07 am
[...] Division slump and had turned them into genuine title contenders. The season before Newcastle had bottled a 12-point lead to finish second in the Premiership, but the summer signing of Alan Shearer surely meant the [...]
December 28th, 2008 at 12:03 am
[...] the massive disappointment of losing out on the most famous title battle in years in 1996, Keegan decided to cheer himself and the Geordie nation up by buying their most famous son: [...]