Michael Thomas Keen

1973-1977

As a tall, stylish, all-round wing-half, he captained Queens Park Rangers to a unique double of Football League Division 3 championship and Football League Cup in 1966/67, which they followed immediately with further promotion. After a League career of 664 appearances for Queens Park Rangers, Luton Town and Watford, in which it's believed that he was never booked, Mike Keen retired as a player half-way through his incumbency as Watford manager, when the club dropped into the Fourth Division. He did introduce a pleasing football style at Vicarage Road, but without the discipline, drive and ambition which were soon to sweep the club into fantasy-land. His sacking was followed by one more crack at Football League management, which came to grief with Northampton Town languishing in the lower reaches of Division 4, but in 1982/83 he led Wycombe Wanderers to the Isthmian League championship. His son Kevin enjoyed a long Football League career which straddled the 1990s.

League Managerial Career With Watford: Overview

First competitive match at Watford

1-1 v Huddersfield Town (H)
Football League Division 3 (Tier: 3), 25 August 1973

Note: Multiple spells as manager, first games as follows:

1-1 home draw v Huddersfield Town, Football League Division 3, 25 Aug 1973

Final (or most recent) competitive match at Watford

1-1 v Darlington (H)
Football League Division 4 (Tier: 4), 14 May 1977

Note: Multiple spells as manager, final games as follows:

2-0 home win v Huddersfield Town, Football League Division 4, 16 Apr 1977

League Managerial Career With Watford: Season by Season

Season	P	W	D	L	F	A	League Status and Final Position
1973/1974	46	19	12	15	64	56	Football League Division 3 - 7th of 24
1974/1975	46	10	17	19	52	75	Football League Division 3 - 23rd of 24 (Relegated)
1975/1976	46	22	6	18	62	62	Football League Division 4 - 8th of 24
1976/1977	40	16	13	11	59	43	Football League Division 4 - 7th of 24 (Manager for first 40 matches)
Total	178	67	48	63	237	236

Date of birth

19 March 1940

Place of birth

High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England

Date of death

12 April 2009

Place of death

High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England

Career path

Queens Park Rangers (amateur May 1957, professional June 1958);
Luton Town (January 1969);
WATFORD (free June 1972, player-manager June 1973 until close season 1975, manager until April 1977);
Queens Park Rangers (coaching staff July 1977 until December 1977);
Northampton Town (manager February 1978 until March 1979);
Wycombe Wanderers (manager April 1980 until April 1984);
Mike Keen Sports (player by May 1985);
Marlow (manager close season 1985);
Hamilton Academical Over-50s (Reading, by October 1995);