Kevin Keegan made me a Liverpool fan

My parents and I went to England in the summer of 1972, by which time my Dad had ensured that I was already cricket mad, like any good Indian boy should be. India had just won Test series in both the West Indies and in England for the first time and Sunil Gavaskar had entered my personal pantheon of Hindu gods.

Dad was no mean footballer in his time, a winger and in my head a skinnier and less talented Bombay version of Steve MacManaman. He decided that one way for us to absorb local popular culture was by watching football. We had a poorly functioning black and white television, so it was a treat when the landlords downstairs invited the little Indian boy upstairs to watch Match of the Day (and Black Beauty) on the colour TV at their place.  I have a memory of walking past some scary stuffed birds to get to their flat.

And so began my personal support of Liverpool, partly because Dad decided that they would be our team. But also because they played in red and were the most successful team in the land. Little Jimmy Osmond's hit Long Haired Lover from Liverpool contributed as well.  They won the title that year, for the first time in 7 years*. Longer title droughts were to come in the future.

Star players included Stevie Heighway, Emlyn Hughes and John Toshack. But more than anything else, Kevin Keegan was my hero and he's the reason I became a Liverpool fan. I loved him because he was the best player in the best team.  He scored goals every week, smiled broadly when he did and made me happy. 

He joined my divine pantheon and remains my favourite Liverpool player.

*Manchester United came 18th (out of 22).