Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has described Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle United side as the club’s finest ever team, as he paid an emotional tribute to his late rival following Keegan’s death at 75.
In an interview with Track Radio, Ferguson recalled the intense Premier League title battles between their teams in the 1990s, praising Keegan for transforming Newcastle into genuine contenders.
“I had the utmost respect for him,” Ferguson said. “The job he did at Newcastle was fantastic.”
Keegan managed Newcastle from 1992 to 1997, winning promotion to the Premier League in his first season and leading them to runners-up finish in 1995-96, narrowly losing to Ferguson’s United.
Ferguson singled out signings David Ginola, Faustino Asprilla and Philippe Albert for adding “class” to the side, adding: “That period at Newcastle was of emotion, it was excitement… it gave Newcastle their best ever team.”
Despite their fierce on-pitch rivalry—including Keegan’s famous “I will love it if we beat them” outburst in 1996—Ferguson stressed there was no lingering bitterness, noting they shared a cordial dinner weeks later.
“The great thing about him, he held no grudges,” Ferguson said. “I really respected him for that.”
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