This Is Your Life: Kevin Keegan

Kevin KEEGAN (1951-)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Kevin Keegan, footballer, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews – concealed in a giant football – during his daughter's christening party in a central London hotel.

Kevin began his playing career at Scunthorpe United in 1968, before joining Liverpool FC in 1971, where he won three First Division titles, the UEFA Cup twice, the FA Cup and the European Cup. He gained his first England cap in 1972, and captained the team for the first time in 1976.

He moved to the West German club Hamburger SV in the summer of 1977, was named European Footballer of the Year in 1978 and 1979, and has been described as "arguably the first superstar English player to attract the modern media spotlight".

"I've never known anything like it in my life!"

programme details...

Edition No: 511
Subject No: 508
Broadcast date: Wed 14 Feb 1979
Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
Recorded: Sun 4 Feb 1979
Venue: New London Theatre
Series: 19
Edition: 17
Code name: Mighty

on the guest list...

Doris - mother
Mike - brother
Mary - sister
Russell - brother-in-law
Lynsey - niece
Sharon - niece
Mick Channon
Emlyn Hughes
Phil Neal
Ray Clemence
Phil Thompson
Ray Kennedy
Ian Callaghan
Jean - wife
Sister Mary Oliver
Horst Bertl
Carol Bertl
David Anderson
Morris Freedman
Willie Nimmo
Billy Wright
John Brown
Phillip Ackroyd
Harry Holland
Mick Armstrong
Len Berry
Dave Ricks
Bob Nellis
Jack Brownsword
The Fourmost
Brian O'Hara
Tom O'Connor
Bill Shankly
Molly - mother-in-law
Laura Jane - daughter

production team...

Researchers: Tony Lee, Vivien Lind
Writer: John Sandilands
Directors: Royston Mayoh, Terry Yarwood
Producer: Jack Crawshaw

names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

related pages...

Match of the Day

tackling football's top names

Screenshots of Kevin Keegan This Is Your Life

Scriptwriter Roy Bottomley recalls this edition of This Is Your Life in his book, This Is Your Life: The Story of Television's Famous Big Red Book...

England's Kevin Keegan had just been voted European Footballer of the Year when we surprised him on 4 February 1979 – at the christening party for his daughter, Laura Jane. A huge christening cake, on a trolley, was pushed into the hotel reception by Liverpool and England team mates Emlyn Hughes, Phil Neal, Mick Channon, Ray Clemence, Phil Thompson, Ray Kennedy and Ian Callaghan. From inside the cake sprang Eamonn Andrews to surprise the proud father.

Kevin was playing for Hamburg by that time, and his team mate Horst Bertl explained that the supporters had christened Kevin 'Machtig Maus' – 'Mighty Mouse'.

But who was the 'scout' who spotted him in the first place? The headmistress of his tiny primary school in Yorkshire, Sister Mary Oliver. She had written in the scrap of a lad's school report: 'Kevin's football must be encouraged.' After that, the other nuns called her 'STS' – 'Soccer Talent Spotter'.

Kevin's boyhood hero, Billy Wright – 106 caps for England and another Life subject, thanks to his wife Joy and sisters Teddy and Babs of the Beverley Sisters – was there. So was another former Life soccer subject, a legendary player and manager of Liverpool.

'Many people have helped me on my way, but only one person made me,' said Kevin. And on came Bill Shankly.

Series 19 subjects