Former England, Liverpool and Newcastle United manager Kevin Keegan has revealed that he is battling stage four cancer but says he is responding well to treatment.
Keegan’s family announced in January that the 75-year-old had been diagnosed with cancer. He provided an update on his condition during an appearance at the Tyne Theatre and Opera House in Newcastle on Sunday.
Speaking to the audience, Keegan joked that he was “still alive”, referring to a false report published after his diagnosis that claimed he had only days to live.
The former striker said he was encouraged after meeting a specialist who assured him there was a new approach to treating his illness.
“He said, ‘We have a top doctor with this new way of fighting what you have got’,” Keegan recalled.
Keegan added that the doctor happened to be a Liverpool supporter. “He was a Liverpool supporter, so I went to meet him. I knew I wouldn’t be walking alone, if you know what I mean,” he said, drawing laughs from the audience.
Widely known as “King Kev”, Keegan is one of English football’s most celebrated figures. He enjoyed a glittering playing career with Liverpool, winning three First Division titles, an FA Cup, two Charity Shields, two UEFA Cups and the European Cup.
He also played for Hamburg in Germany, as well as Southampton and Scunthorpe United, before moving into management. At international level, Keegan earned 63 caps for England, scored 21 goals, captained the national team and represented his country at the 1982 FIFA World Cup.
Keegan remains closely associated with Newcastle United, where he became a fan favourite as both a player and a manager, cementing his status as one of the club’s most iconic figures.
