Newcastle United ‘Entertainer’ emotional on Kevin Keegan and ‘unbelievable’ supporters
Kevin Keegan injected the "Entertainers" spirit into Ruel Fox - the ex-Newcastle United star now has an emotional message for his former mentor.
Kevin Keegan moulded Newcastle United into the club we recognise today. The city is now rallying behind an icon as he faces his toughest battle yet.
In January, the poignant news broke that the 75-year-old – revered on Tyneside as both a player and manager – had been diagnosed with cancer. Hours later, St James' Park paid a fitting tribute as the Magpies produced a Keegan-esque 4-3 thriller to put Leeds United to the sword.
Keegan revealed last month that, despite responding positively to treatment, his illness had progressed to stage four. Yet there he was, as engaging and generous as ever, forever a man of the people, swapping stories from a life spent at football's summit.
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It was Keegan's charisma, ambition and unwavering belief that lifted the club from the brink of the Third Division to Premier League dreamers. That legacy remains ever-present, with three of our writers representing a media team against an "Entertainers" side in support of Age UK.
Among them was Ruel Fox - a beneficiary of Keegan's fearless philosophy. During an 18-month spell on Tyneside, the winger produced 14 goals and 21 assists in 70 appearances - a ratio he never equalled anywhere else.
Three decades on, Fox still credits Keegan and his trusted lieutenant Terry McDermott - sadly diagnosed with dementia in 2021 - for selling him the Geordie dream. He tells The Gazette: “They’re (Keegan and McDermott) the two people prevalent in my life who helped me come here.
“I probably played my best football here. It's just sad to see that they're in ill health. We keep sending them best wishes. Hopefully, they stay strong and they can get through this but it's a difficult situation. Every time I come here, they’re the two people I think about because they were the ones who gave me the opportunity.”
If Keegan supplied the vision, Newcastle supporters provided the fuel. The world-renowned Toon Army will back anyone who sweats blood for the black-and-white cause - and they gripped Fox from day one.
“It's quite simple - it's the fans,” Fox asserts when asked what attracted him to the city. “You don’t realise, it's like a cult up here. People don't realise how big it is. I come from a small town in Suffolk. As soon as I got here, I realised the importance of what it meant to the fans. The connection between the fans and the players when I was playing was unbelievable.”
An eventful afternoon saw the “Entertainers” side showcase their class after a valiant first half from our media misfits. Charity proved the ultimate winner - with £1,000 raised - and Fox was given the chance to rekindle the bromances that Keegan helped build.
“It's for a great cause, but it also gives me the chance to catch up with some of the lads like Steve Howey, Darren Peacock, Lee Clark and Kevin Scott,” he finishes. “That team spirit is still there.
"We all keep in touch still. There is an Entertainers WhatsApp group, so there is always plenty of banter in there. Newcastle is one of the only clubs I come up and visit regularly. I love the place. Even though I was only at Newcastle for 18 months, it feels like a second home to me. Any time I get the chance to come up, I always take it."
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