How Kevin Keegan became Liverpool's first modern superstar and the ultimate self-made great

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The afternoon that encapsulated Kevin Keegan's Liverpool career and, although nobody knew at the time, the occasion when his thrilling present and emotional future would collide.As the standout of Bill Shankly's second great Reds team, the weight of expectation was on Keegan during what was dubbed a shoot-out with Newcastle United's master marksman Malcolm Macdonald.But the contest, similar to the game, was emphatically one-sided as Keegan, who has died aged 75, netted an opening goal that prompted one of celebrated commentator David Coleman's most famous quips: "Goals pay the rent, and Keegan does his share."By the time Keegan added his second late on, Newcastle were undressed and Liverpool had won 3-0 to claim only their second-ever FA Cup triumph.Just three years earlier, Keegan, on the recommendation of Liverpool head scout Geoff Twentyman, had been plucked from fourth division Scunthorpe United as a 20-year-old. Keegan and Bremner both removed their shirts in disgust with the Liverpool man eventually given a 11-game suspension.Now with Bob Paisley in charge at Anfield, more silverware was to come in 1976 with another league championship and UEFA Cup along with being named Footballer of the Year, but Keegan then stunned his adoring Liverpool supporters by announcing midway through the next season his intention to leave in the summer with German side Hamburg the next destination in a British record deal.There could be no doubting his commitment, however, with Liverpool winning another title and beaten by Manchester United in the FA Cup final before claiming the European Cup for the first time by beating Borussia Moenchengladbach in Rome, Keegan running World Cup winner Berti Vogts ragged and winning the penalty that allowed Phil Neal to seal a 3-1 success.It was a fitting farewell for a player who scored 100 goals and provided 73 assists in 323 appearances for the Reds."Bill Shankly had gone and I just felt there was another mountain for me to climb somewhere," said Keegan.

For many fans of a certain vintage, he was their first Reds hero, and ranked 14th in the recent Liverpool's Greatest poll run by the club website.After a difficult start in Germany - Hamburg's players didn't warm to him initially and he was suspended for eight weeks after being sent off in a mid-season friendly for punching an opposing player who had targeted him all game - Keegan slowly won his new team-mates round and went on to win the Bundesliga title in 1979 and be a European Cup runner-up the following year and twice claimed the Ballon d'Or, still the only British player to achieve such a feat. He returned to Anfield in opposition, only to lose 6-0 in the European Super Cup.Keegan chose to leave Hamburg in 1980 and, after Liverpool opted not to take up their clause to re-sign him, spent two years at Southampton before making the unusual decision to drop down a division to join Newcastle United.He helped them to promotion in 1984 but had already decided to quit playing having been outsprinted by Mark Lawrenson in an FA Cup defeat at Anfield earlier in the year.Keegan was revered beyond his club sides, though.

After a 1-0 World Cup qualifying loss to Germany in the last ever England game at the old Wembley a few months later, Keegan resigned.He then had four years in charge at Manchester City - earning them promotion to the Premier League - before a brief and unhappy second stint at Newcastle, after which he moved into punditry for several years.Keegan was the first to admit he wasn't the most naturally gifted player - "I was the mongrel who made it to Crufts, and that was fine by me," he once memorably stated - but had instead acquired his gifts through hard graft, commitment, belief and sheer bloody-mindedness.That attitude was needed when it was announced earlier this year he had been diagnosed with cancer, with it confirmed in June it was at stage four, the most advanced stage of the disease. He died on Monday surrounded by his wife and daughters.Newcastle became his heart, but he was always grateful for where he was forged.