Mike Keen
Encyclopedia
Michael Thomas "Mike" Keen (19 March 1940 – 12 April 2009) was an English
former footballer
who played during the 1960s and 1970s. He was the father of former West Ham United
and Stoke City
player Kevin Keen
.
Keen started his career at Queens Park Rangers
, making his debut in 1959 against York City
. He went on to play 393 league games and scored 39 goals for the club.
Keen was the captain of the QPR side that won the League Cup
and Third Division
Championship in 1966–67
. He captained the FA
tour of Australia
in 1971. He scored 6 goals as they won all of their 9 games, 2 against Australia and 7 against state sides. He later played for Luton Town
and Watford
.
He was appointed player-manager of Watford
in 1973. He was sacked in 1977 shortly before a home game with Huddersfield Town
, but was on the touchline during the game, which Watford
won 2–0 despite having two players sent off
.
He later moved into full-time management with Northampton Town
, between 1978 and 1979, followed by his hometown club, Wycombe Wanderers
, between January 1980 and 1984, leading them to the semi-final of the FA Trophy
in 1981–82
, then to the Isthmian League
title in 1982–83
. He went on to manage Marlow.
Keen ran 2 sports shops in High Wycombe. In the 1970s he owned "Keen and Busbys" jointly with fellow professional footballers from High Wycombe the brothers Viv and Martyn Busby. The shop was located in the Oxford Road, High Wycombe. In the 1980s his shop "Mike Keen Sports" opened.
Keen died after a short illness, aged 69, on 12 April 2009.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
former footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who played during the 1960s and 1970s. He was the father of former West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
and Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
player Kevin Keen
Kevin Keen
Kevin Keen is a football coach, manager and former professional footballer who played as a midfielder for Wycombe Wanderers, West Ham United, Wolves, Stoke City and Macclesfield Town...
.
Keen started his career at Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
, making his debut in 1959 against York City
York City F.C.
York City Football Club is an English football club based in York, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football. Founded in 1922, they joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions...
. He went on to play 393 league games and scored 39 goals for the club.
Keen was the captain of the QPR side that won the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
and Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
Championship in 1966–67
1966-67 in English football
The 1966–67 season was the 87th season of competitive football in England.-Events:Queens Park Rangers won the Football League Cup on the first occasion it was played at Wembley, coming from 2-0 down at half-time to beat West Bromwich Albion 3-2....
. He captained the FA
The Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
tour of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in 1971. He scored 6 goals as they won all of their 9 games, 2 against Australia and 7 against state sides. He later played for Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
and Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
.
He was appointed player-manager of Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
in 1973. He was sacked in 1977 shortly before a home game with Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
, but was on the touchline during the game, which Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
won 2–0 despite having two players sent off
Misconduct (football)
Misconduct in association football is any conduct by a player that is deemed by the referee to warrant a disciplinary sanction in accordance with Law 12 of the Laws of the Game. Misconduct may occur at any time, including when the ball is out of play, during half-time and before and after the...
.
He later moved into full-time management with Northampton Town
Northampton Town F.C.
Northampton Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Northampton, Northamptonshire. They currently play in Football League Two, the lowest league division, after being relegated from League One on the last day of the 2008–09 season...
, between 1978 and 1979, followed by his hometown club, Wycombe Wanderers
Wycombe Wanderers F.C.
Wycombe Wanderers Football Club is an English professional football team from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, which has been promoted to Football League One after finishing third in Football League Two in the season 2010–11. The club's nicknames are "The Chairboys" and "The Blues", and they play...
, between January 1980 and 1984, leading them to the semi-final of the FA Trophy
FA Trophy
The Football Association Challenge Trophy, commonly known as the FA Trophy, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association and competed for primarily by semi-professional teams...
in 1981–82
1981-82 in English football
The 1981–82 season was the 102nd season of competitive football in England.It was also the first season that the Three points for a win system was introduced.- First Division :Three points for a win was introduced for the first time in England...
, then to the Isthmian League
Isthmian League
The Isthmian League is a regional football league covering London and South East England featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs. It is sponsored by Ryman, and therefore officially known as the Ryman League. It was founded in 1905 by amateur clubs in the London area...
title in 1982–83
1982-83 in English football
The 1982–83 season was the 103rd season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Bob Paisley's last season as Liverpool manager ended on a high as they topped the First Division with a comfortable lead. Bob Paisley retired as Liverpool manager with a record 21 prizes in nine years. His...
. He went on to manage Marlow.
Keen ran 2 sports shops in High Wycombe. In the 1970s he owned "Keen and Busbys" jointly with fellow professional footballers from High Wycombe the brothers Viv and Martyn Busby. The shop was located in the Oxford Road, High Wycombe. In the 1980s his shop "Mike Keen Sports" opened.
Keen died after a short illness, aged 69, on 12 April 2009.