This is Local London
Funeral for former Wanderers boss
Monday 20th April 2009
THE funeral of former Wycombe Wanderers manager Mike Keen is being held at Amersham Crematorium today.
Keen passed away the previous weekend aged 69, following a short illness.
Keen, who was born in High Wycombe on March 19, 1940, became Blues' boss in 1980 after a distinguished playing career where he captained QPR to a League Cup win and the old third division title.
As manager of his hometown club, he guided Wanderers to the Isthmian League title as well as taking them to the semi-finals of the FA Trophy.
He also made his son Kevin the youngest ever Blues debutant - completing a hat-trick of family ties with the club with Mike’s father, Wilf, also having played for the Wanderers.
His loss will be sorely felt in Wycombe, Flackwell Heath where he lived, and also in West London, Watford, Luton and Northampton.
Midfielder Mike began his career at QPR where he came through the ranks in the 1950s. He made his debut against York City in the old Third Division in 1959. He went on to make 393 appearances for the R’s scoring 39 goals in the process.
The highlight of his career came in the 1966/67 season when he led his team to the Third Division Championship and the League Cup where QPR came from two goals down to beat West Brom 3-2 at Wembley in front of almost 100,000 people.
The picture of him holding the cup while being chaired off the Wembley pitch by his team-mates remains one of the most iconic images in the London club’s proud history.
He also helped the Loftus Road outfit to promotion to the First Division, before ending his 11-year association with them when he was sold to Luton Town where he played 144 games, scoring 11 goals in a four-year period.
He then moved to Watford and was appointed player-manager the following year.
During his time at Vicarage Road he signed Luther Blissett, who went on to become the first black player to score a hat-trick for England.
He went back to QPR for six months to manage their reserve side before becoming the manager of Northampton Town in the 1978-79 season.
The former Flackwell Heath Minors coach also ran a sport shop in High Wycombe and it was his hometown club that turned to him in 1980 when he succeeded Andy Williams, who resigned.
Upon his appointment as manager he told the Bucks Free Press: “I cannot think of a better place to come, my hometown club.”
He guided the Chairboys to the Isthmian League title in 1982/83 and they also reached the FA Trophy semi-final in 1982.
It was during that time that he handed son Kevin his debut as a 15-year-old and he wasn’t the only one to recognise his boy’s talent.
Keen Junior went on to have successful playing career with Wolves, West Ham and Stoke.
Wanderers head of media Alan Parry paid tribute to Kike Keen this week.
He said: “I had the privilege of knowing Mike Keen for over 25 years and I can honestly say he was one of the nicest guys I've ever met in football - or any other walk of life.
“Quiet, modest, courteous, always smiling and always ready to lend a helping hand, he was a gentle giant and a true gentleman. Mike will always have a special place in the history of our great club.”
www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/sport/4303135.Funeral_for_former_Wanderers_boss/
