'He had such a huge impact on me': Former Northern Ireland and Newcastle United star pays tribute to Kevin Keegan

Keegan, who passed away aged 75 earlier this week, signed Gillespie from Manchester United in 1995.

The winger became a key part of Keegan’s ‘Entertainers’ with Newcastle finishing second in the Premier League across consecutive seasons in 1995/96 and 1996/97.

Gillespie made 143 appearances for Newcastle – a large majority under Keegan – before leaving for Blackburn Rovers in 1998, where he won a League Cup crown.

It was announced in January that two-time Ballon d’Or winner Keegan had been diagnosed with stage four cancer, with his family revealing he was set to begin treatment.

Personalities from across the world of football have led the tributes to Keegan with David Beckham saying he was “a man that was very kind to me and my family” while Newcastle legend Alan Shearer posted: “My Hero. My manager. My friend. Sleep easy Boss.”

Gillespie, who played 86 times for Northern Ireland, has highlighted the impact Keegan had on his career – and his wish that he had a chance to play under the former England manager for longer.

"Kevin was one of those people, although he was ill, where you'd think, 'ah, it's Kevin Keegan, he'll beat this, no problem', because of the man that he was,” said Gillespie on Newcastle’s website. “I was just completely shocked when the news came through.

“There is not one person who would have anything bad to say about Kevin Keegan. He was just so good with people, a real people person.

"I saw that when I signed for the club and he told every one of us when training was finished - 'I don't want anybody leaving until every photograph is taken and everything is signed'. That's the way he was. That's why he was so loved.

“He was quoted many times at Newcastle United: 'this is the fans' club, this is their club'.

"Everything that he put in place when he took the job the first time - saving them from relegation, putting them back on the map again...it was all down to Kevin Keegan and his vision.

"When he took that job, it was a tough, tough job and what he did in that period of time was absolutely incredible. He just wanted to play football the right way, entertain people and win in a certain manner.

“He had such a huge impact on me. I probably only had 30 seconds with him before going in to negotiate the contract when I came to Newcastle.

"No word of a lie, he sold the club to me in those 30 seconds. That's what he could do.

"Coming to the club, I was still very young and I obviously had my problems there, but he was always there, always helping; helping you improve as a player and improve as a person. There aren't many people who command that aura, and he just had it. He had it from day one.

“He was very humble - he remembered his roots and where he grew up.

"He was very grateful to be a professional footballer and then a manager.

"Last November I was over in Newcastle and I met him at a meet and greet at the Gosforth Park. When Kevin Keegan did a meet and greet, the time period for it goes out the window!

"He wanted to talk to everyone, give them his time - it wasn't just an arm round the shoulder and a picture and you're away. He engaged with absolutely everybody. It was an incredible trait to have.

“Since the news broke, I've found myself on social media watching videos about him and reading what people have said about him.

"It's an honour for me that I had him as a manager and knew him as a person. When I saw him last year, we were sat up until three or four in the morning, just chatting - myself, John Beresford, Les Ferdinand, Rob Lee, Lee Clark.

"We were just chatting about the days that we'd had.

"I actually said to him that I felt a bit cheated that I only got to play under him for two years. He was the sort of manager you wanted to play under for your whole career.

“The tributes have been incredible, and rightfully so. He was so loved.”