Pavel Srnicek has recalled the day football legend Kevin Keegan was told his playing days were officially over – by his OWN captain.
In a fascinating extract from Srnicek’s new book ‘Pavel is a Geordie’, the Czech keeper reflected on a typical training session during the Entertainers era.
Back then, Keegan and Terry McDermott would join in training sessions at a time when the former Liverpool and Newcastle duo guided the Magpies to the dizzy heights of the Premier League’s top three.
Srnicek says that tackles used to fly in “fast and furious” and that such a competitive edge was normal during sessions.
The former United keeper looked back on a moment in which ex-captain Barry Venison told Keegan, in no uncertain terms, he was no longer up to the task.
Srnicek said: “They were always competitive, high tempo and there was always a bit of an edge to them.
“A fired-up Lee Clark had just put Keegan on his backside only a few moments earlier and Venners gave it to the gaffer with two barrels: ‘You shouldn’t be playing with us anymore! You’re not good enough!’
“You could see the boss was visibly shaken by the comment.
“The incident was arguably of Keegan’s making.
“Clarky was upset with Kevin about team matters and decided to extract revenge on the boss.
“A few home truths were spoken around this time.
“In essence, Venners told Keegan he shouldn’t be involved anymore. Instead, he should be watching from the sidelines.
“Keegan loved to play in the training games, but his side rarely won.”
And some players feared that Venison’s outburst would cost him his Newcastle future.
Srnicek said: “Barry was annoyed because his side, with Keegan in it, were defeated again. Venners hated losing.
“He was a winner, even in training. But what the former Liverpool defender said upset Keegan.
“I remember the lads taking the p*** out of Venners when we got back into the changing room.
“They were saying ‘******* hell, Venners, are you mad?’ or ‘that’s the last game you’re going to play for Newcastle’.
“But Venners was serious.
“He meant every word of it and he was right; Keegan wasn’t good enough to play at our level anymore. The gaffer, to his credit, never played another game after that.”
Venison was sold a couple of years later to Galatasaray and Srnicek said that there was always plenty of respect between Keegan and his skipper.
He went on: “I’m not sure if that was the beginning of the end for Venners, mind, because I know he had a few problems off the pitch. But despite that, Keegan still had a lot of respect for him.”
During Keegan’s spell in charge, he also abolished the club’s reserve team and withdrew them from the old Central League.
However, Srnicek said: “I always find it amusing when people criticised Keegan for scrapping the reserves.
“The critics said there was a lack of a competitive edge for the guys not involved with the first team.
“They should’ve come down and witnessed our training games and then asked themselves the same question. There was no quarter drawn.
“They were all full-blooded affairs with several players looking to make a point to the gaffer if they weren’t in the team.”