Keegan began his playing career at Scunthorpe United in 1968, before moving to Liverpool in 1971. Whilst at Liverpool, he won three First Division titles, the UEFA Cup twice, the FA Cup and the European Cup. Keegan also gained his first England cap in 1972, and moved to West German club Hamburger SV in the summer of 1977. At Hamburg, he was named European Footballer of the Year in 1978 and 1979, won the Bundesliga title in 1978–79, and reached the 1980 European Cup Final. Keegan moved to Southampton that summer, and spent two seasons at the club before a transfer to Newcastle United in the English second division in 1982. He helped Newcastle to promotion in his second season, and retired from football in 1984, having been capped 63 times for England, scoring 21 goals.