Micky Quinn has opened up about the “hurt” over leaving Newcastle United and his frosty relationship with Kevin Keegan. In the late 80s and early 90s, the former Magpies striker relished the opportunity to wear the iconic number nine shirt.
A ruthless 34 league goals in 1989-90 made Quinn the top scorer in English football as Newcastle struggled in the old Second Division. If it were not for the 60-year-old’s exploits, United may have struggled to stay afloat.
Tyneside was hit by a wave of euphoria in February 1992 when Kevin Keegan ended an eight-year hiatus from football to become Newcastle manager. While the rest of the city was bouncing, Quinn’s Toon career took a swift U-turn after a turbulent fallout.
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Despite being the main man at St James’ Park the previous season - bagging another 20 goals - the former striker was never fancied by Keegan, acting as a bit-part player as the club achieved survival at Filbert Street on the final day.
Thirty years on, Quinn has blasted Keegan’s man-management skills, insisting the Newcastle struggled when it came to receiving criticism. “I just feel Kevin wasn’t a confrontational person,” he told Undr The Cosh podcast. “You’ve seen when he’s been manager of England and got a bit of stick - he doesn’t like it.
“We’d all love to live in a perfect world where no one would argue with you or every decision you make is right. I’d say he made mistakes but didn’t like to admit it and I just went to have a quiet word about a couple of things, being captain, he just took it personally.
“He came with Terry McDermott, came in with ideas, this, that and the other and it was great for a few weeks but he started rushing me to get back fit because we were struggling. I think he rushed me back too quickly and I was a shadow of myself. I had a word with him and did not fall out, but Kevin used to take everything personally.
“The thing is, he rightly dropped me because I wasn’t fit but then when I was fit and banging in goals he wouldn’t play me. I’d come on as a sub, score two, dropped the next game. On three different occasions, I broke into the team. He dropped me on each occasion and I thought ‘I don’t think he fancies me, whatever I’m going to do.’
Quinn also shared his pain at never receiving a worthy farewell from the Toon Army. Shortly after his bust-up with Keegan, he was moved on to Coventry City.
He added: “Big time (it hurt) because the third time I went to see him I nearly took the door off its hinges and said ‘Kevin, I don’t know whether I’m coming or going’ he said ‘you’re going’ and within in an hour I was down the M1, literally sent me on loan to Coventry.
“I didn’t get to say goodbye to the fans, the players or anything. Three-and-a-quarter years up there, being idolised by Newcastle fans, not just to say a proper goodbye, to thank them… I was gone. That hurt pride-wise.”
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