Latest news with #KevinKeegan
BBC News
5 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
How football saved the lives of dozens of Banbury factory workers
Football saves lives, according to many lovers of the beautiful game. At no time has that been more accurate than on a chilly winter night 44 years 18 November 1981, disaster struck at the then General Foods (GF) factory in Banbury, Oxfordshire, when corn starch used in the production of its renowned custard powder the site, which is due to close after more than 60 years, was far quieter than normal that night after some employees left early to follow England's make or break World Cup qualifier against incident left nine employees seriously injured, with many believing it could have been more had it not been for the crucial tie taking place at Wembley. On that cold November evening, England needed a draw or better to qualify for the 1982 World Cup in Spain, which would be their first for 12 the end of their shifts, some of those at the factory diverted their gaze away from the plant's tall chimneys and towards the national stadium's iconic twin towers. Rosemary Barratt was on shift that Wednesday evening and told the BBC: "There was a big football match on on the radio, so we let all the lads go up and listen to it in the changing room."The match began well, with Ipswich Town centre forward Paul Mariner diverting a Trevor Brooking shot into the back of the Hungarian net after 16 minutes to give Kevin Keegan's England a 1-0 an hour and a half later, as the crowd of 92,000 fans at Wembley was preparing to celebrate an important England win, a queue had formed at GF's clock-in machines as people prepared to finish their was just before 22:00 GMT "when all of a sudden it started, the booming and banging", said Mrs Barratt."We just stood there looking, waiting to clock off, and all of a sudden one of the governors came around," she continued."Swearing was forbidden up there but he looked in our cabin where we all were and said 'get the F out of here now'. We didn't know which way to run." A government report from the time said corn powder had escaped from a large silo and created a "dense fog of suspended powder in the vicinity".Moments after being spotted by an employee "several witnesses saw a flash near the top of the bin and a wall of flame spreading outwards and downwards from the bin top", the report said."Descriptions were of a gale force wind with a flame front behind, which flashed through the area," it Barratt's husband Brian, who also worked at the site but had been off shift at the time of the explosion, said those near the explosion described it as a "fireball" that "went off like dynamite".The eruption left nine workers with serious burns and caused "substantial damage to the fabric of the building", according to the government's report. Mrs Barratt said: "There should have been a lot more casualties than there was, thankfully."If the football hadn't been on and they hadn't all pushed into the charging rooms [to listen to it] then who knows what could've happened."England's win that night "wasn't a vintage performance", according to the Guardian but it certainly achieved more than 90 minutes of football, the team, managed by Sir Bobby Robson, managed to qualify for the next year's World Cup while also inadvertently saving the lives of a group of factory a bad night at the office. You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
11-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Robson is a must for the top five' - fan views on great Newcastle managers
We asked for your views on Lee Clark's list of the top five greatest Newcastle United managers of all time. You can see his selections a little further down this are some of your comments:Darren: Eddie Howe is the best manager. The Newcastle team under Harvey was not all that special. Howe is a much better Arthur Cox was a good manager, gave us Kevin Keegan, Peter Beardsley and Chris Waddle. He won us promotion to the old First Division when we were in the doldrums. While Howe is highly regarded amongst the fans who wrote in, the overwhelming feeling was the disappointment of not having Sir Bobby Robson on this list. Neil: Bobby Robson is a must for the top five. Sacked far too early. I would go for Eddie Howe, Kevin Keegan, Bobby Robson, Joe Harvey and Arthur Cox in that By any measure, Bobby Robson inherited a club still recovering from the shipwreck of the Keegan years and gave us back our pride and respect as a top-ranked club. Saw my first match in 1953, and I've seen them How on earth is Bobby Robson not included? He dragged a team that was bottom of the Premier League to qualifying for the Champions League two seasons on the trot!Richard: What about Sir Bobby Robson? Surely he should be in there, many would say, at the top.
BBC News
10-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Just the way he turned the club around' - ranking Newcastle's best managers
Welcome to the second part of Lee Clark's top five greatest managers to have managed Newcastle United. At number three is Kevin Keegan. Under 'King Kev's' leadership between 1992 and 1997, Newcastle were promoted to the Premier League and came runners-up in 1996 and 1997."A man who had come in and changed the landscape of the club as a player. then came in and did something crazy as a manager," Clark told BBC Radio Newcastle."The reason he is not in the top two is because he couldn't find that elusive trophy. In 1995, we got close - we got ridiculously close."The brand of football, the excitement, just the way he turned the club around." Clark names current boss Eddie Howe at number two. Howe took charge of the club after takeover in late 2021 and has guided the club to two Champions League qualifications, as well as winning their first trophy in 70 years after beating Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final. "I think he is an outstanding manager," Howe said. "He is the perfect manager for us because he gets the club and the area. "His work ethic is ridiculous, and his ability to develop players is unbelievable. They play an exciting brand of football, on the front foot."He has improved us and also got us one of the best seasons ever by winning that elusive trophy and getting us into the Champions League." Listen on BBC SoundsCome back later on Thursday to see who Clark put at number one
BBC News
03-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Howey selects himself second in Newcastle centre-back list
It is time for the second part of former Newcastle defender Steve Howey's countdown of the best centre-backs to represent the Magpies over the past 50 in at three is Darren Peacock. Over four seasons, he amassed 176 appearances and helped the Magpies to consecutive runner-up finishes. "He was a defender's defender," said Howey, who played alongside Peacock. "He'd be criticised, of course, because we conceded goals, but that's just how we played. It is difficult to mark three or four players." At number two, Howey chose himself. A product of Newcastle's youth academy, he became a key figure during the club's rise under Kevin Keegan in the 1990s. Howey made nearly 240 appearances for the Magpies and was instrumental in their promotion to the Premier League in 1993."Sometimes you have to back yourself, and I am going to shove myself in there," he said. "From somebody who wasn't a defender, to become a defender, in one on ones I wasn't too bad, and I did like to bring the ball out. I could pass." Listen to Howey's selections hereOr come back later on Thursday to discover who Howey considers the best centre-back to play for Newcastle United.
Daily Mail
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
They think it's fall over... it is now! England hero Kevin Keegan and neighbours win bid to have trees cut down
England footballing hero Kevin Keegan and his neighbours have emerged victorious in their bid to have seven 'nuisance' trees outside his Cheshire mansion axed. The former Newcastle United manager, 74, as well as his next door neighbours were embroiled in a battle with fellow locals who opposed the 'wholesale' cull of the 60ft tall sycamore trees A Tree Preservation Order (TPO) was placed on the 50-year-old trees outside of the row of houses, including Keegan's before they were constructed. The Liverpool legend and his neighbours applied to their local councils for the 'decaying' trees to be axed to the ground, however concerns for magpies and other birds were raised in opposition to the plans. One opposing local had even submitted a recording of birds, including blue tits, Magpies, robins, and blackbirds to the council in a desperate attempt to save the trees, the Sun reported. Another said in a letter that the protected trees had always provided a 'welcome' and 'natural habitat' for a 'wide diversity of animals, especially birds' for several years. They also argued the trees provided privacy and shade in the summer months, and that their view would be impacted by the removal of the trees which, according to them, had 'caused no real problems at all' over the last four decades. One objector described the possible felling of the trees as a 'wanton removal', adding: 'After all the trees were there long before the houses were built.' Despite the opposition, Keegan and his neighbours won their bid to have the 'dead' trees felled to the ground. And although Trafford Council have given the green light for the trees to be axed, they have ordered for new trees to be planted in their place. 'The sycamore trees proposed for removal are all in poor condition, most have areas of dead bark on the lower stem, structural weaknesses in the crown and poor leaf budding rates,' they said. 'Decay is evident in several previous pruning points and these trees are likely to become hazardous in the near future if they remain. The former Newcastle boss, who was nicknamed the Mighty Mouse, first moved into his five-bedroom Cheshire home in 2002. He has since had two dormer windows, a rear conservatory installed as well as a loft conversion. During his glittering football career, Keegan won two UEFA Cups, three Division One Championships, as well as a European Cup while at Liverpool. The 74-year-old also won the Ballon D'Or two separate times. His latest victory comes after he exclusively revealed to MailOnline that he became a major figure in English football thanks to George Best.
