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Sir Alex Ferguson has shared a touching memory of Kevin Keegan, occurring just days after the former Newcastle United manager delivered one of the Premier League's most memorable managerial outbursts.
Keegan, among English soccer's most beloved personalities, passed away at 75 following a cancer battle on Monday.
His family released a statement saying: "It is with immense sadness that we announce that Kevin Keegan has passed away at the age of 75. The former England player and manager had been battling cancer and was surrounded by his wife and daughters in his final moments.
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"Kevin, a double Ballon D'or winner, was a much loved husband, father and grandfather. The family would like to thank Kevin's incredible medical team for all their support. This is a hugely difficult time and they are requesting space and privacy."
The football community has responded with an outpouring of tributes, with former Manchester United boss Ferguson reminiscing about several notable interactions he had with Keegan, as per The Mirror.
One such meeting took place in a pub, mere days after Keegan's legendary declaration that he would 'love it' if his team defeated United in the 1995/96 championship race - an emotional reaction to Ferguson's signature psychological tactics that came to epitomize their competitive relationship.
Reflecting on their meeting, Ferguson remarked: "That was Kevin, he was all emotion and he brought that to the team as well. They played for Kevin Keegan, there's no question about that.
"The interesting thing about the outburst from Kevin, two weeks after the season had finished, I was playing golf with some friends and went to a great bar up the road, nice food. We went up there, and who walks in? Kevin Keegan and he spent the rest of the night on the piano."
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During that campaign, Newcastle relinquished a 12-point advantage to United, but by that point, Keegan had already moved past the setback. Ferguson continued: "The best thing about him is he held no grudges, that was a fantastic quality he had. We had a great night, he would always say - whatever happened in previous weeks, that was soon forgotten. I really respected him for that."
Keegan passed away following a cancer diagnosis, though he remained engaged during his final months. The former England manager is survived by his wife, Jean, and their children, Laura Jane and Sarah Marie.
'King Kev' stands as one of England's greatest ever players, with both his playing days and subsequent managerial tenure for the national team proving memorable.
A dual Ballon d'Or recipient, he represented Scunthorpe United, Liverpool, Hamburg, Southampton, Newcastle, and Blacktown City during his playing career.
He retired from playing in 1985 and assumed control of Newcastle in 1992. The Liverpool legend subsequently managed Fulham, England and Manchester City before returning to St James' Park for another stint in 2008.
