Denise Bateson 🌸 🚜💜

[Henry Winter @henrywinter]

One moment in a long, very full life summed Kevin Keegan up perfectly. Back in 1976, the then Liverpool footballer competed in the multi-sport “Superstars”, a TV special that pitted legends against each other and regularly drew 15m viewers. Sports stars duelled in a series of disciplines, including sprinting but it was in the two-man cycle race that Keegan again made headlines.

Rounding the track in Bracknell at speed, Keegan clipped the wheel of Anderlecht and Belgium defender Gilbert Van Binst, and tumbled painfully on to the cinder track. Bloodied and bruised, Keegan was patched up, entered the re-run and won. Typical. That was Kevin. A refusal to be beaten. It defined his sporting life but he also did it with grace. It’s one of the many reasons why emotional tributes flow from all over at the sad news of his passing, aged 75.

Keegan was a sporting colossus in the era of sporting giants like Seb Coe, Ian Botham, Daley Thompson, Steve Ovett, James Hunt and Barry Sheen. Keegan was such a charismatic individual that he transcended his sport, even one as immense as football.

He was a phenomenon in the 70s and 80s, plundering goals and winning trophies, becoming one of the first true commercial forces with advertising for such brands as the “great smell of Brut”. Splash it all over. I can still hear him say it. I can still almost smell it. He even taught me, and millions of other kids, how to cross the road. Keegan was even a singer.

He had aura, he had sporting success but what made Keegan even more loved was that he was a super-hero who reached for the stars, and touched them, while always keeping his feet on the ground. The world has lost a very special human being, emotional, funny and caring, as well as a sporting legend.

Keegan didn’t just live a great life. He seized it. News of his passing brings intense, widespread sorrow but also deep admiration at how much Keegan put into his 75 years and how much he got out of them. Hewn from mining stock in Yorkshire, Keegan maximised his ability through sheer graft and will to win. He had ability, of course, an eye for goal, speed and physical strength, but it was mindset that made Keegan special.

That mentality drove him to make it at Scunthorpe United (22 goals in 141 appearances), become a champion of Europe with Liverpool (100 in 323), captain of England (21 in 63) and two-time Ballon d’Or with Hamburg (40 in 113). In his 30s, he became a galvaniser, leader and prolific force at Southampton (42 in 80) and Newcastle (49 in 85). The numbers need stating to reinforce the legend. He delivered.

Keegan became a manager of real charisma, quotability and hunger to attack at Newcastle, Fulham, England and Manchester City. The Entertainers at Newcastle are fondly remembered, not least by us reporters as even a short interview produced a large box of fireworks to light up the back-pages.

Yet Keegan is often most associated at Newcastle as being crushed by a 4-3 defeat at Anfield, slumped over the advertising hoarding. Yet there was the 5-0 humiliation of Manchester United capped by Philippe Albert gliding forward, taking a pass from Rob Lee, and chipping Peter Schmeichel. St James’ Park shook with joy. To be there was to believe. Keegan really was the Messiah and they've followed a few.

Newcastle eventually faltered but Keegan’s teams were invariably well-intentioned. As was he. When he resigned as England manager in the dressing-room loos at the old Wembley after a dispiriting loss to Germany in 2000, Tony Adams and FA execs in Adam Crozier and David Davies desperately tried to dissuade him. Keegan was adamant. He just felt he couldn’t give the players the direction they needed. “I feel I fall short of what is required in this massive job,” he said honestly. Rather than sit tight and take the money, Keegan resigned. A man of principle.

It is through this prism of principles that Keegan must be viewed. Kenny Dalglish, who famously followed Keegan at Liverpool in 1977, spoke of his many football attributes as an “exceptional” player and also manager – “he brought belief, excitement and pride” back to Newcastle. Kenny added Kevin was also “a wonderful person and genuine gentleman”.

Kenny’s so right. Keegan was honest, wore his heart on his sleeve, and cared deeply about people and about the importance of doing the right thing. Those principles. It was the way he was brought up. And that meant respect for others. Respect was at the heart of Keegan’s infamous “I’d love it” rant about Alex Ferguson’s challenging comments about his Newcastle team in the race with Manchester United for the 95/96 title.

Keegan felt Ferguson’s mind-games comments were disrespectful to Howard Wilkinson and his Leeds players, to Stuart Pearce, the manager of Nottingham Forest who Newcastle were about to play, and also to his own players. So an angry Keegan took the bait and seethed on Sky Sports about respect. Ferguson knew he had him hooked. Manchester United duly won the title.

That was classic Keegan. Standing up for others. The stories are legion of how Keegan impacted countless lives with his humility and humanity. Since news of his passing, online filled with fans recalling his generosity with his time as he signed autographs, asking them questions, making them feel special.

Even us England reporters who occasionally robustly critiqued the team’s performances and results, especially at a disastrous Euro 2000, Keegan was invariably polite. He was uplifting company. He once took the press team for a training session at Melwood, his old training field of dreams, and was endlessly encouraging even with some of us clearly hopeless causes. As a press pack, we fell out with Kevin and swiftly fell back in. Impossible not to. Plus there was always that underlying respect for what Keegan achieved as a player.

So news of his passing hits hard, and thoughts and prayers are immediately with Jean, Laura and Sarah, all of his family, all of his many friends, and his former team-mates and clubs. Liverpool, with typical class, produced a moving video elegy. Beautiful tributes came from all his clubs. He touched so many lives, so many careers. He shaped so many dreams.

Love also came from Germany where he was revered for his commitment and match-winning contributions at Hamburg. Keegan’s locker sits proudly in the wonderful German Football Museum opposite Dortmund station. The sad news brought heartfelt tributes from Bayer Leverkusen - “Rest in Peace, legend” - from FC Union Berlin - “a true friend of German football”, amongst others, as well as from a “devastated” Hamburg who added. “Rest in peace, Mighty Mouse”.

Rest In Peace, King Kev. Your legacy remains in countless memories and trophy cabinets. Your legacy remains in how your inspiring example encouraged people not only how to play the game well but also to live their life to the full.

[DiaperDiplomacy @DiaperDiplomacy]

“Soccer or Football, Whatever You Want to Call It” — Trump Talks FIFA World Cup After the Final

[Chris Cork @chriscork89]

The BBC are getting very desperate and last night during the final… it shows!

#BBC #Desperation #TvLicence

[Sharron Davies HoL MBE @sharrond62]

Anyone else feel this way? I especially worry about older people who’s lives get smaller if they don’t want or can’t use a smart phone

[Jamie Jenkins @statsjamie]

Andy Burnham is right to axe Starmer’s £1.8 billion digital ID plans.

But taxpayers deserve to know how much money and Civil Service time Starmer wasted pushing a policy the public never voted for.

Now scrap the attack on jury trials too.
Britain has another prime minister the public did not choose.

So what comes next: government by consent — or more policies imposed without a mandate?

[Bev Turner @beverleyturner]

Dear American friends...

This is our Prime Minister @Keir_Starmer who has been forced to stand down as he lost the faith of his own party and the public after 2 years.

He moves out this weekend and a new guy moves in ( 24, 900 people voted for him in a small town called Makerfield. We have 70m people in the uk).

All these people applauding Starmer wanted him out.

This shower of sh*te prefer performative theatre over honesty and authenticity.

Please send help!
We are scr*wed.
🇬🇧

[Sedd @SeddSezz]

We wasted £10billion on PPE during Covid.

Faulty PPE, no less.

We spent another £20billion on the NHS app which people used for a week at the most.

This level of waste is heinous and obscene.

Everyone responsible for handing out these contracts and making these decisions should be in prison.

[Sharron Davies HoL MBE @sharrond62]

Loving this… onwards.

[Dr Jennine Morgan @jemmm85517813]

The country is already in a very bad place. Burnham will completely kill all growth, employment & investment.

[Sharron Davies HoL MBE @sharrond62]

Give your hard earned cash to local charities run by locals, for locals, on a shoestring, that puts the end project at the centre of its messaging, not big commercial charities, many now captured by activists, funded by certain individuals with agendas.. who spend fortunes on ad campaigns, ceo salaries, PR companies & huge running costs, where only a fraction of your pound ever makes it way to the end goal.

[Miss Jo @therealmissjo]

It was the middle of the night, at about 1.30am, when Norway lost to England.

Yet thousands of Norwegians went to the Palace in Oslo and celebrated with one final Viking row.

They did not riot. They did not burn cars. They did not smash bus stops or glass windows of shops.

They smiled. The laughed. They saw the positive in their performance. They celebrated their heritage. They were proud of who they have been in the past and who they are today.

Norway might be out of the World Cup 2026 but they are in our hearts.

In the last three weeks, I think we have all fallen a little bit in love with Norwegians.

[Luke Johnson @LukeJohnsonRCP]

Lockdowns were an economic and social catastrophe https://t.co/QFV2wNpKhe

[Together @Togetherdec]

5 REASONS - Why a national Digital ID is nothing like your passport❌

1. Passports prove who you are, a government Digital ID could create a record of where you go, what you do, and when📍📲

2. Passports are for travel, a government Digital ID could become essential for banking, healthcare, housing, work, and everyday life🛂🏦

3. Passports can’t monitor your movements, a Digital ID could make tracking people’s activities faster, easier, and more widespread 🚫📡

4. Lose a passport, replace it. A hacked Digital ID system could expose sensitive personal data that can’t simply be reissued🔐⚠️

5. Passports stay in your pocket, a Digital ID lives online, increasing opportunities for data collection, tracking, and cyberattacks🧳🌐

#ScrapDigitalID #together

[Proudofus.uk @ProudofusUK]

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇬🇧

Lancashire was starving. The cotton was an ocean away, in the hands of enslaved people.

They still said no.

The mill has gone quiet. No cotton is coming. An ocean away, it is still growing. Lancashire is starving for it. They could have ended it tomorrow. They said no.

Britain's cotton mills ran on American cotton, the great majority of it grown by enslaved hands. In 1861, America went to war with itself, and the Union navy blockaded the southern ports. The cotton stopped crossing the ocean.

⚙️ In Lancashire, the mills began to close. By November 1862, three-fifths of the workforce stood idle. Hundreds of thousands went onto relief.

The mill owners wanted the cotton flowing again. Break the blockade, they urged Westminster. Get the cotton moving. That would have meant Britain siding with the slave states. The workers were the ones being asked to pay for it.

They said no.

📜 Manchester, the final days of December 1862. Cotton workers filled the Free Trade Hall. They voted, overwhelmingly, to stand with the Union. To endure the famine rather than profit from slave-picked cotton. Then they did something else. They wrote to the President of the United States. Despite everything they were losing.

The letter went to Abraham Lincoln. It crossed the same ocean the cotton no longer could.

✍️ Washington, January 1863. Abraham Lincoln read what Lancashire had written. Hungry people, choosing his side over their own bread. He wrote back: "An instance of sublime Christian heroism, not surpassed, in any age, in any country."

His reply crossed back over the same ocean. Lancashire read it, and kept going.

The hardship lasted years. Many left Lancashire for good. But they did not break. Lincoln's words still stand in Manchester today, cut into the stone he stands on.

Ordinary people chose a stranger's freedom over their own comfort.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

They had nothing to gain, and everything to lose. They stood with strangers across an ocean, and history remembers it.

We are the home of British heroes. There is a place for you in it. 👇🙏

When we stood together, we achieved more.

👉 https://t.co/wN9S2gRmFj 👈

Be part of us. ☝️🇬🇧
Be Proud Of Us. 🙏🇬🇧

[Mrs Fox 🕊️ @CaliforniaFrizz]

Ann Widdecombe was an elderly woman living alone who has reportedly been murdered.

Whether you agreed with her views or not, this is a truly horrific tragedy.

I cannot believe some of the disgraceful comments I've seen on social media today. A woman has been violently attacked and killed, yet some people still can't show the most basic decency or humanity.

Political differences should never outweigh compassion. A violent death is not something to celebrate or mock, and the lack of empathy on display highlights the state of our society.

My heart goes out to her family & friends 💔

[Mario Nawfal @MarioNawfal]

🇧🇷🇳🇴 A Brazilian kid getting bullied at school for rocking long hair like Haaland.

Word reaches the Norwegian machine.

Haaland immediately records a personal birthday video.

Tells the boy to keep the style, ignore the haters.

Humble giant energy.

Writer: Sol

[Adam Brooks AKA EssexPR 🇬🇧 @EssexPR]

80 Labour MPs have signed a letter to Andy Burnham that demands more immigration into Britain.

These people are deranged.

[Dr Clare Craig @ClareCraigPath]

This has slowed down a lot but at a 1,000 a day we will still get there...

Please keep sharing:

[FearBuck @FearedBuck]

Jude Bellingham stopped to speak with a disabled reporter and did so in Spanish so the reporter could understand ❤️

[Lauren The Insider @insiderlauren]

‼️England 2026 where white female toddlers go through more security vetting than our invaders

You don’t frisk a toddler and reduce her to tears. Ever. We all know who the actual security risk is in the UK and it’s not her.