THE announcement this week of the death of British football legend, Kevin Keegan, has come as sad news to those in the potato industry who had the honour of meeting him and celebrating potato industry achievements alongside him.
Kevin was the celebrity speaker at very first British Potato Industry awards when they were launched in 2019.
The football icon, who famously became the only British player to win the Ballon d’Or twice in a row during his time at Hamburg, took to the stage to celebrate the UK’s top potato growers and technical innovators. Having taken time to research the industry and familiarise himself with some of the entrants, he spoke about key industry achievements, including the Nematicide Stewardship Programme (NSP) gaining the environmental gong. Patrick Mitton accepted this award from Keegan himself.
Kevin endeared himself to all those present with his wit, his determination to understand how the potato industry operated and his quirky jokes.
His celebrity status didn’t stop him circulating amongst all the tables, chatting to those who’d turned out to hear the awards announcements, and even taking extra time to congratulate those who’d been shortlisted or highly commended, as well as presenting the winners with their prizes.
For Editor Stephanie Cornwall, the occasion marked her second meeting with the football legend, and is one that will remain a fond memory.
“I’d previously met him at another unrelated awards ceremony a year before and couldn’t believe he recognised me from then – it was like he was greeting an old friend,” she said. “He was such a down-to-earth, charming and funny man. He showed a general interest in my own two sons, both of whom were keen junior footballers at the time, and said ‘Be sure to tell them Kev said hello – although they’re probably too young to know who I am!’ Strangely enough, he couldn’t have been more wrong – both my sons were thoroughly in awe of my meeting him and didn’t stop questioning me about him!”
“Kevin was in his sporting heyday when I was growing up and that perm was something many of my male peers tried to emulate. He wasn’t averse to showing these photos on stage and taking the mick out of his younger self on awards night. He was such a down-to-earth guy and will be sadly missed by so many people.”
Kevin first achieved star status at Liverpool, winning three First Division titles, an FA Cup, and two UEFA Cups. He then made a high-profile move to Hamburger SV, where he secured the Bundesliga title and cemented his legacy by winning consecutive Ballon d’Or awards in 1978 and 1979. He later returned to England, playing for Southampton and Newcastle United before moving into a managerial career, most notably leading Newcastle’s famous “Entertainers” side to the brink of a Premier League title in the 1990s.
