Newcastle United
Like many football fans, I was saddened by the passing away of football legend Kevin Keegan on 20th July 2026. Almost straight away my mind went back to his first game for Newcastle in August 1982 against QPR. I was there with some of my pals and my dad in the East Stand. Within his first few touches, we knew we were watching a very special football player. Although we had seen him playing on television, we didn’t really know just how good he was until we saw him live.
My dad and I would often talk about that first match and some of the touches he made, aside from his winning goal. Later that season my dad and I got to meet Kevin at Newcastle’s training ground. My dad had painted a watercolour of the first Great North Run and he managed to get a publicity photograph of Kevin signing the painting. Somewhere I have a black and white photograph of Kevin with my dad.
At some point in 1984, the year I went self employed, I painted an acrylic action painting of Kevin Keegan wearing the Blue Star Black and white strip. It was his last season as a player. I must have been to every Newcastle home game when Kevin was a player including the last one, a friendly against Liverpool. When he returned as manager, my dad bought a season ticket, so I was able to see many more home games. It was the time when Newcastle United were the “Entertainers”.
Toon Army
It was this era when I was inspired to do my painting of the Toon Army. I used to have a gallery in Eldon Gardens and on a Saturday afternoon, about twenty minutes before kick off, I would leave the gallery to go to the match. The view looking towards the back of the Gallowgate and the Strawberry Pub with fans pouring in was what I wanted to capture. It seems to resonate with many fans. I left a copy of the print among the many tributes to Kevin Keegan outside St James Park.
Commissions
A few years ago I received a lovely commission from a Newcastle fan who asked my to re-paint the scene but with his son and grandson amongst the fans. The view has changed with many new buildings, however the mood and atmosphere is the same for the Black and White Army.
There have been lots of changes for the fans over the last few seasons however, most fans will acknowledge that it was Kevin Keegan who laid the foundation for the successes that we have been seeing over the last few seasons. Thank you Kevin, rest in peace, you were much loved.