Keegan tribute paints lasting legacy

A North East artist is creating a personal tribute to Newcastle United legend Kevin Keegan that will raise money for a cancer charity with strong football connections.

Gateshead artist Ronnie Pattison was inspired to begin the painting after visiting St James’ Park and seeing the flowers, scarves and messages left by supporters following Keegan’s death.

Rather than painting a portrait, Ronnie is capturing the stadium at night looking towards the Gallowgate End, surrounded by the tributes left by fans.

Half of the proceeds from mounted prints of the finished work will go to the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, part of Newcastle Hospitals Charity.

Ronnie, who has spent years painting recognisable North East scenes, visited St James’ Park with his partner after initially seeing a photograph online of a single bunch of flowers.

The scale of the tributes they encountered prompted him to create the work, which he expects will take between four and six weeks to complete.

Ronnie said: “I was devastated when I heard the news of Keegan’s passing.

“He was my boyhood dream when it came to football. 

“I remember his testimonial and him being lifted out in the helicopter, which had never been done before.

“And then there was the way he managed the club and the Entertainers team. 

“It was fantastic. It really hit us hard.”

Ronnie added: “I wasn’t expecting what was actually there. 

“The experience became the inspiration for his latest work.

“I’m not actually painting Kevin Keegan.

“There are one or two tributes that show you a little bit of him. 

“For me, the biggest tribute I can do is a painting of everyone else’s tributes – the shirts, photographs, scarves, hats etc.

“If it’s on somebody’s wall, they’re going to see it every day of their life.”

Support has already begun to build, with customers contributing £700 towards the project before Ronnie had put paint to canvas.

Signed and numbered mounted prints will be produced with certificates, while canvas prints matching the 31-inch by 24-inch dimensions of the original will also be available. 

Half of the profits from the canvas editions will again support the Foundation.

Ronnie added: “It’s not something I like to cash in on.

“But customers were saying, ‘Ronnie, you need to paint something’.

“And it just felt right.”

Fans will also be able to watch the painting develop.

Ronnie has set up a temporary studio at One Strawberry Place, directly opposite St James’ Park, after the community building offered him free space to work. 

Members of the public and people working in the building will be able to see the piece taking shape.

He is creating a smaller “understudy” painting first to ensure the composition is right before progressing with the main work.

Ronnie added: “I was looking for somewhere I could actually do the painting for the length of time it’s going to take. 

“I’m very grateful to Claire Rothrie and Karen Haq from One Strawberry Place as it’s the ideal spot to paint within sight of the football ground.” 

Fans will be able to pre-order prints with a deposit, which will go directly to the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.

Money raised will support completion of the £30 million Sir Bobby Robson Institute, a cancer drug trials centre under construction at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital.

The Institute is expected to directly benefit around 3.5 million people across the North East, North Cumbria and North Yorkshire, while supporting the development of new cancer treatments.

Anisa Rahim, campaign officer at The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, added: “We’re grateful to Ronnie for his heartfelt support and we’re sure his painting will prove popular.

“The money raised will help us complete the Sir Bobby Robson Institute and allow us to expand the number of clinical trials of new cancer drugs within the North East, and further international research into cancer.”

Ronnie added: “My mother battled cancer, and if the Foundation was around when she was fighting it may have helped her and others like her. 

“Since her death 34 years ago the Foundation’s work has really touched our lives.”

Fundraising is continuing to complete and fully equip the facility by 2027. To find out more about the Sir Bobby Robson Institute, click here.

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