Chris Oldnall has been following his home-town football club Kidderminster Harriers since the early 1960s and he has also been chronicling their fluctuating fortunes for around 60 years.
Here, in our monthly feature ‘Harriers Heritage’- with the help of Frank Watson – he looks at renowned goalkeeper Kevin Keelan.
FRANK Watson knows a top class goalkeeper when he sees one.
He watches them regularly in his role as a radio football reporter.
So, it was worth taking notice when he told me that one of his all-time favourite shot-stoppers was a former Kidderminster Harriers ’keeper – Kevin Keelan.
Frank, a regular visitor to Molineux to report on Wolves’ matches, has been an avid Norwich City fan since watching them for the first time in a home floodlit game against Birmingham City in April 1970.
They comfortably won the Football League Division Two clash 6-0 and The Canaries’ ‘keeper Keelan had little to do, but still made a big impression on the young starry-eyed Watson.
“Norwich were in their yellow and green and Birmingham in their traditional blue, but Kevin wore red from head to toe. And with his swarthy skin as well he just looked very glamorous as I remember.
“He was a handsome young man and very athletic. He did not have a lot to do that night with it being 6-0, but it made a lasting impression on me and that’s probably why, after that, I became an avid Norwich supporter. So, yes, some quite exciting memories.”
Keelan’s route to Norwich started off at Aggborough where he played for Harriers’ youth team – as a winger.
But he soon switched to performing between the posts – and the rest as they say is history.
Keelan, now in his mid-80s, quickly grabbed the attention of Aston Villa who let him move to Stockport County before he returned to Aggborough in August 1961.
A £1,000 transfer to Wrexham followed and after 18 months he began his long and illustrious career with The Canaries where he made a record-breaking 673 appearances.
Frank, however, di do’t realise that Keelan’s rise to stardom had started at Aggborough.
He told me: “I grew up in Solihull and I knew he’d signed for Norwich. I also knew he’d played for Villa and Wrexham, but I had no idea about his Kidderminster background.
“I had nothing at all to do with the town until I went to play cricket for Kidderminster in the 1982 season. I think that was probably the first time I’d been to Kidderminster.”
Frank tells me he regularly keeps tabs on former Norwich players – including his schoolboy hero Keelan.
“I think Kevin has been back to Norwich from time to time. I say this as a fan who has observed things on the internet and so on. I think he’s been back for a few reunions in recent years, but as far as I’m aware he lives in America.”
Frank’s collection of football memorabilia includes several newspaper cuttings about Keelan’s long and distinguished career at Norwich which began when they coughed up a bargain £6,500 to sign him from Wrexham in July 1963.
“Norwich have had some good goalkeepers over the years. Maybe there’s a little bit of rose tinted spectacles and childhood memories, but Kevin was just remarkable. He was extremely athletic and had a great penalty saving record.”
Turning back the clock has certainly provided some happy childhood memories for Frank who’s now looking forward to celebrating his 68th birthday next week.
