Iron Trust populist misfire / Keegan

[Apollo11]

The Iron Trust has set up a fundraiser for a Kevin Keegan statue. My alarm bells started ringing immediately as, in the wrong hands, this could so easily be an embarrassment, if not a disaster. I worry that any proposed statue would be an unimaginative attempted likeness. They’re never ever ‘right’, ever, and in my opinion some sort of impression of the man, some ‘modern art’ would serve best. Think how beautiful and impressive the Angel Of The North is, for example.

Absolutely no reflection on the man himself or his stature within the game or his importance to our club, but is a statue a bit much anyway, a bit of a kneejerk reaction to the grief? Would something a little more tasteful than a statue be more appropriate to mark the association, and supporters’ respect? It’s understandable to want to make a tribute – KK was a real life hero – but I’d rather see something modest, tasteful and poignant, like a heritage plaque on the house on King Edward Street (“lived here”), a heritage plaque on Sainsburys (“made his professional debut”) and the full renaming of the Iron Bar as “Keegan’s”.

[ironking]

Great idea by the Trust and I will be supporting with a donation (after payday).

Surely you could have all of your suggestions as well as a statue.

[Apollo11]

ironking wrote:

Great idea by the Trust and I will be supporting with a donation (after payday).

Surely you could have all of your suggestions as well as a statue.

I’m not saying that marking respect for the man is a bad idea in itself. I completely agree that something needs to be done for KK. He was a really important figure in the club’s history, and there is so much affection for him – and that is even passed down through generations.

However, these things are very very easy to get wrong. That is my worry.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Awaywego

[cassidystash]

I share your concern Apollo. Hypothetical example using possibly unrealistic figures:- Statue cost £20k, GoFundMe raises £10k, what happens to the money?

3 users thanked author for this post.

Awaywego, Iron-awe, Apollo11

[Apollo11]

cassidystash wrote:

I share your concern Apollo. Hypothetical example using possibly unrealistic figures:- Statue cost £20k, GoFundMe raises £10k, what happens to the money?

Governance of the money itself is another issue, but yes.

[64]

I doubt £20k gets you much . I worry it will be costly and I see nobody has come up with a target

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SouthYorksIron, Apollo11

[SUFC_IRON_ART]

A statue outside the stadium would be a fitting tribute to Kevin but share concern at the cost of a good quality one and getting it right. Personally thought Jack Brownsword Way should lead to (Kevin) Keegan Park but I’m sure the club along with his family will find the right solution in time.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Apollo11

[Apollo11]

SUFC_IRON_ART wrote:

A statue outside the stadium would be a fitting tribute to Kevin but share concern at the cost of a good quality one and getting it right. Personally thought Jack Brownsword Way should lead to (Kevin) Keegan Park but I’m sure the club along with his family will find the right solution in time.

Fingers crossed. If it happens it has to be good, it has to be right.

[Awaywego]

We’ve a good tech college if approached the fabrication and welders course could easy knock one up, just the cost of the corten steel (weathers well just like the one downtown) would be needed and a good project for them.
Our department (now gone) knocked a replica torpedo up when one blew up and killed 11 men. with Apollo let’s not have it embarrassing the trust and the club club.
Further more Tony gosling the chairman has connections to get this done on the works at tech college.
If someone could forward it to him.

[SouthYorksIron]

64 wrote:

I doubt £20k gets you much . I worry it will be costly and I see nobody has come up with a target

Almost certainly correct. The statue at Peterborough for former captain, manager and chairman Chris Turner cost £80000 nearly a decade ago.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-41112607

[cassidystash]

64 wrote:

I doubt £20k gets you much . I worry it will be costly and I see nobody has come up with a target

Re-read post, example only.

[BigLeftToe]

Probably an honest mistake but found it a bit odd that the email says…”The Iron Trust invites fans of Scunthorpe United, Hamburg SV, Southampton and Newcastle, as well as football fans around the world”…and clearly misses out Liverpool.

[Northumbiron]

Yes, I try to miss out Liverpool when I’m travelling down the west side of the country.

I share the nagging doubts. We don’t want something as hideous as the Whacko Jacko one outside Fulham or the CR7 statue in Funchal. One of the best I’ve seen is the Hughie McIlmoyle one in Carlisle. But it won’t come cheap.

In the past we had stadium and stand naming, but now that everything has to have a sponsor’s name on it I can’t see that happening.

“The Kevin Keegan Stand, sponsored by Mortz” doesn’t really show the respect it should.

[Siderite]

I share concenrs about cost, but if it is done well, and funds are raised without breaking anyone’s bank, fair enough.

[64]

Just seen a £10k target.

[Apollo11]

Northumbiron wrote:

Yes, I try to miss out Liverpool when I’m travelling down the west side of the country.

I share the nagging doubts. We don’t want something as hideous as the Whacko Jacko one outside Fulham or the CR7 statue in Funchal. One of the best I’ve seen is the Hughie McIlmoyle one in Carlisle. But it won’t come cheap.

In the past we had stadium and stand naming, but now that everything has to have a sponsor’s name on it I can’t see that happening.

“The Kevin Keegan Stand, sponsored by Mortz” doesn’t really show the respect it should.

Glynn needs to get in touch with Brut 33. It’s a shoe-in for some dollar, surely?

[barriethomas]

Iron Bar to be renamed ‘Keegan’s seem to me to be the best suggestion so far. Thank you Apollo11

3 users thanked author for this post.

steelworks iron, Awaywego, Apollo11

[BigLeftToe]

The John Atyeo statue at Ashton Gate cost £70k in 2016, so I do wish the Trust a lot of luck in trying to get anything tasteful for £10k.

[Apollo11]

barriethomas wrote:

Iron Bar to be renamed ‘Keegan’s seem to me to be the best suggestion so far. Thank you Apollo11

Big picture of KK behind the bar behind the bar?

[Northumbiron]

Does sound a bit like an Irish theme pub though.

[RoamingBull]

Awaywego wrote:

We’ve a good tech college if approached the fabrication and welders course could easy knock one up, just the cost of the corten steel (weathers well just like the one downtown) would be needed and a good project for them.
Our department (now gone) knocked a replica torpedo up when one blew up and killed 11 men. with Apollo let’s not have it embarrassing the trust and the club club.
Further more Tony gosling the chairman has connections to get this done on the works at tech college.
If someone could forward it to him.

Good point.

I used a company in Sheffield to laser cut a life size piece of steel of my dog that sits amongst the garden shrubs. It has gone rusty/corten as it’s aged.

I sent them 6 photos and they made it perfectly and exactly to size of my dog.
It was just shy of a £100. Tony the guy whom I dealt with presented it to us.
We were taken aback and tbh couldn’t believe how reasonable it was. He obviously got a decent tip for some beers.

A fallen soldier is just over 200 quid. Obviously I’m sure a life size version of King Kev could be made with a heavier gauge steel.

Take a look.

https://www.bespokelaserart.co.uk/

2 users thanked author for this post.

alcazar, Awaywego

[Awaywego]

You can also layer them to give a 3D effect, you can see it doesn’t have to cost the earth, but still believe the trust chairman could sort it with the works to get done at the cost of the corten to be bought in.
2-10 shift at our place was always busy making all manner of weathervanes and whatever anyone wanted, just a computer program needed.
We built Chelsea south stand out of the stuff not the best steel to weld with the high copper content in it, there a lesson for you all.

[64]

Now I see people suggesting nonsense about the 7th minute of a game and chanting a song.Why do we have to be seen to do something all the time?

1 user thanked author for this post.

Awaywego

[saleiron]

I am ambivalent about the statue. In theory, it’s a great idea. If the money can be raised to get a good job done, I’d support it. Without being churlish, I’d like to know a little more about the what and how, though. It will be interesting to see what the club says after meeting with the Trust reps.

On the chant idea for the seventh minute, I don’t want anything to do with such performative nonsense and a half arsed singing of “he’s one of our own.” (It always makes me cringe). A respectful and contemplative minute’s silence is a far better way to mourn the loss of KK.

64 wrote:

Now I see people suggesting nonsense about the 7th minute of a game and chanting a song.Why do we have to be seen to do something all the time?

[64]

saleiron wrote:

makes

I’d wager someone suggests two minutes applause or whatever else they see on TV before the season starts,retire a shirt anyone?

[Iron-awe]

I prefer a minutes applause to a minutes silence particularly for a sporting legend who listened to rapturous applause all his playing career, plus you never know when some numb nuts is gonna shout out during a minute’s silence.

[64]

Never liked the applause since it was 1st imported from Italy a decade or two ago

[Awaywego]

If any club should be putting a statue up it should be Liverpool not us.

The club could remember him in some way is but in reality its questionable whether they should do that anyway, he didn’t earn legendary status with us., I barely remember him and most don’t remember him at all.
I’m with others with a Keegan’s bar.

[Iron-awe]

I don’t believe the fact you barely remember him is the criteria being applied about remembering KK in some way around the Attis Arena Awaywego, lots of other fans do remember him including me and we are the same age you and I.

[Hayfever_Iron]

I admire the sentiment, but unfortunately don’t believe the amount raised will reach anywhere near enough for a decent statue.

Should this be the case I’m not quite sure what will happen with the monies – but the trust members will vote on this.

[Author]

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