Former Newcastle United winger Ruel Fox has claimed playing under Kevin Keegan was so enjoyable due to both his style and how he was off the pitch. Fox made 70 appearances during his spell at St. James’ Park during the 1990s, all of which came under the management of Keegan.
His best campaign came in the 1994/95 season, when he netted 10 goals and provided 11 assists as Newcastle finished sixth in the Premier League. Around that time of the decade Newcastle were one of the league’s entertainers due to their quality in attack, but also their fragility in defence.
Speaking in an interview with FourFourTwo, Fox believes Keegan was able to get the best out of him not just because of his style of play, but also due to a number of gestures off the pitch that helped him feel at home in the Northeast.
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“Kev liked to set us up to hurt the opposition, and he encouraged me to do exactly what I did at Norwich – get at players and cause chaos around the box. He was an attacking player himself so he understood how to get the best out of me and the other forwards.
“What was funny about Keegan was that he was involved in a lot of the pranks that went on in the changing room… hiding your kit, that sort of thing. And he loved head tennis.
“We’d all have games with him, for money as well. He’d surprise me sometimes by doing things like inviting all my mates up to stay in a hotel and watch our matches.”
“He’d let me take my friends and family out for meals and then pick up the tab after. When you’ve got someone taking care of that kind of thing off the pitch, you’ve got no worries as a player.”
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