Kevin Keegan cause of death as Newcastle and Liverpool pay tribute to icon
Newcastle and Liverpool supporters have come together to honour the memory of the late Kevin Keegan. Appropriately, the two English clubs where he is most cherished face one another in their Premier League season opener at St James' Park on Sunday. Keegan, a stalwart of Liverpool's 1970s squad who subsequently became a beloved figure on Tyneside as both player and manager of Newcastle, died on July 20 aged 75. He had been receiving treatment for stage four stomach cancer.
Keegan's family announced in January that he had been diagnosed with the illness. Speaking at an event in Newcastle in May, Keegan expressed his wish to return to St James' Park to bid farewell. He said: "I want to say goodbye. I didn't get the chance when I left the club last time." As tributes flooded in from across the footballing world, his passing was felt most deeply on Tyneside and Merseyside, with the Magpies and the Reds entering discussions over how best to honour an extraordinary life and career when the two sides meet.
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A Newcastle statement said: "The opening Premier League match of 2026/27 sees Newcastle United hosting Liverpool – where Kevin made 323 appearances between 1971 and 1977.
"To ensure his memory is marked fittingly before the game, the club is in communication with Liverpool and will work closely with supporter groups, including its Fan Advisory Board, the Newcastle United Supporters Trust and Wor Flags, as well as the Premier League, to shape tributes."
Liverpool said: "LFC is also in direct contact with Newcastle United, ahead of the Premier League opener at St. James' Park, regarding special tributes to Keegan, who represented both clubs so successfully.
"In addition, a further tribute will be held ahead of the Reds' first Premier League home match of the season, on Saturday, August 29 against Nottingham Forest.
"This will provide another opportunity for supporters to pay their respects with a special fan mosaic and a period of applause observed before kick-off, with players also wearing black armbands."
Born in Doncaster, Keegan began his career at Scunthorpe before Bill Shankly brought him to Liverpool in 1971. During his time at Anfield, Keegan secured the First Division title three times alongside the FA Cup, the UEFA Cup twice and the 1977 European Cup.
After that triumph, Keegan moved to German outfit Hamburg and was twice crowned European Footballer of the Year. He remains the only British player to have claimed the award, now known as the Ballon d'Or, on multiple occasions.
Keegan returned to England with Southampton in the summer of 1980 before transferring to Second Division Newcastle, guiding the club to promotion back to the top flight, before retiring aged 33.
He earned 63 England caps, netting 21 goals, featuring at the 1982 World Cup and skippering the national side. In 1992, Keegan took his first managerial role at Newcastle, steering them into the Premier League and agonisingly close to the 1995/96 title.
He subsequently took charge of Fulham, England and Manchester City before a brief return to Newcastle, where he lasted just eight months before stepping down following a dispute with owner Mike Ashley.