The XI – Kevin Keegan’s worst signings

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17th, January 2008

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The rumours have already started about which players Kevin Keegan will splash Mike Ashley’s millions on. Here are 11 reminders of why Mr Ashley might like to keep an eye on the purse strings.
Mike Hooper (Newcastle)
Bruce Grobbelaar’s Liverpool understudy was signed by Keegan for £550,000 in 1993. Hooper seemingly suffered the goalkeeping version of the golfer’s yips and suddenly forgot how to make saves. Keegan threatened to quit Newcastle over abusive mail aimed at Hooper.


Warren Barton (Newcastle)
Allowing ex-Wimbledon right-back Warren Barton to become the most expensive British defender of all time was one of Keegan’s most heinous crimes. The £4 million man’s tagline was particularly ironic given that he didn’t actually know how to defend.
Mikkel Bischoff (Manchester City)
If you think Mikkel was worth £700,000 then you can Bischoff (ho, ho, ho). The Danish defender made just one appearance in four years at City.
David Sommeil (Manchester City)
Joined Manchester City for £3.5 million in 2003 and left on a free transfer in 2006 having spent time on loan at Marseille during his spell at the Blues.
Lucien Mettomo (Manchester City)
Cost City £1.5 million and left on a free transfer. The Cameroonian defender played a part in the promotion from the First Division in the 2001-2 season, but disappeared off the radar after falling down the pecking order after promotion.
Steve McManaman (Manchester City)
Drafted in by Keegan from Real Madrid despite being well past his best. He spent two seasons with City but rarely showed the form of his Liverpool and Real Madrid days.
Christian Negouai (Manchester City)
Heralded by KK as the most exciting player he had ever signed when he joined from Charleroi for £1.5 million, Negouai didn’t live up to his billing. Click here for a hilarious analysis of Negouai’s City career.
Dirk Lehmann (Fulham)
Renowned among Fulham fans for his similarity in appearance to a porn star rather than his ability to score on the pitch. The German striker’s success is probably expressed best by saying that he struggled to displace Geoff Horsfield and Barry Hayles from the Cottagers’ team.
Jon Macken (Manchester City)
Signed by Keegan in 2002 for a fee a £5 million, Macken never lived up to that price-tag. The former Man Utd trainee scored on seven times in 57 appearances for the club. He left in 2005 to join Crystal Palace for just over £1 million.
Darren Huckerby (Newcastle)
Despite proving himself elsewhere, Keegan was a waste of Newcastle’s money. He cost £500,000 and, although he was sold to Coventry at a profit, played only once for the Magpies before KK scrapped the reserve team.
Vicente Matias Vuoso (Manchester City)
‘Who?’ you may well ask. The Argentinian striker was signed by King Kev for £3.5 million and left without ever having made an appearance for the club. Currently plying his trade in Mexico.