Everton and Ireland legend recalls ‘deal off’ warning ahead of move to Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle

Kevin Sheedy was on international duty with Ireland when Kevin Keegan made him his first Newcastle signing.

Kevin Sheedy has recalled how he was warned not to say a word to his Ireland teammates about his move from Everton to Newcastle in 1992.

Sheedy was in Dublin on international duty when Terry McDermott called and asked if he wanted to make the switch.

McDermott then ordered the midfielder to keep news of the proposed transfer from his Ireland teammates, including two who were at Newcastle at the time.

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Sheedy became Kevin Keegan’s first ever signing for the St James’ Park side as they were involved in a relegation battle in what is now the Championship.

“It was a funny story, really,” he told the Everton website of his move to the northeast. I was on international duty playing for Ireland against Wales and just as I'm leaving for the game – there were no mobiles in those days – I got a phone call in the hotel reception.

“It was Terry McDermott, or he said he was, I didn't know if it was the lads taking the mickey at first!

“But it was Terry and he said, 'Would you like to sign for Newcastle?' I said, 'Yeah' straight away. I'd played there a few times, the atmosphere was always great, they were brilliant supporters so it was an easy choice.

“David Kelly and Liam O'Brien, who were playing for Newcastle at the time, were in the Ireland team, too, and Terry said, 'Don't say anything to them, if you say anything to them, the deal's off’.

“So I played the game, we beat Wales and I scored, and then I had a meal at the hotel, had a few pints with Liam and David Kelly, but I couldn't say anything to them! So I went up to Newcastle the next day, spoke with Kevin Keegan and Terry Mac, and signed.

“David Kelly and Liam were at home on Tyneside having their tea when they saw me on the tea-time news, holding the Newcastle scarf outside St James' Park. You can imagine the stick I got in training the next day.”

Sheedy was a hero at Everton, where his 97 goals earned him the honour of being the only non-striker to feature in the top-10 of the club’s all-time top scorer list.

He also won two league titles and a European Cup Winners’ Cup, while at international level he scored nine goals in 46 caps for Ireland, including the country’s first ever World Cup goal, when he equalised against England at Italia ‘90.

However, finding himself in and out of the team at Goodison Park, he opted to end a near-10-year spell with the Toffees - even if it cost him a testimonial.

“I'd been at Everton for nine years and six months and I was guaranteed a testimonial if I stayed. But money is never my god. The fact is, I was in and out of the team and I just wanted to play football,” he said. “So when the opportunity came to play regularly elsewhere I took it.”

Keegan turned Newcastle’s fortunes around and they ended up winning the title and promotion to the Premier League.

“I loved it there,” he said. "Yes, it was a gamble but I'd always loved playing at Newcastle. You have lucky grounds in your career, and Villa Park was always a lucky ground for me and so was St James' Park. I knew the passion of the supporters there and it's a great part of the country.

“So I became Kevin's first signing and we stayed up. We needed a result at Leicester in the last game of the season but we got the result we needed so that was brilliant for the club.

“Then, going into the next season we were on fire. We won the first 10 games. We came out and we played some great football. Looking back, it was a great decision to move there.”

He added: “I consider myself to be very fortunate. I played for Everton at one of the best times in our history, I played for a Newcastle team considered to be one of their best teams, and played for Ireland in the Euros and the World Cup. I was so fortunate to be involved.”

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