Martin keown biography

An Arsenal hero, invincible defender and now distinguished pundit, he is an icon of British football.

His story. His words. The inspiring official and first memoir from the football legend and his parting reflections on life, leadership and love.

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'As hard-hitting as his tackles' Daily Mail
'Explosive' Mail on Sunday


'[Full of] brilliant stories' Gary Lineker

Over three revolutionary decades, Martin Keown played football at the highest level. He witnessed the birth of the Premier League, the arrival of the millionaire player and was a key player in one of the best sides of all time – Wenger’s Arsenal. So why has he always felt like a man battling on the edge?

In this autobiography, Keown recounts how a son of working-class Irish parents, raised in a hostile England during the unrest of the 1970s, rose to be an automatic and enduring pick for club and country; the outsider who stayed the distance while so many insiders fell away.

Over his career, Keown played alongside some of the world’s finest footballers – including Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Tony Adams, David Beckham – and under inspirational managers – Arsène Wenger, Kevin Keegan, Sven-Göran Eriksson, Howard Kendall. He was the backbone for many years of the invincible Arsenal team that went on to win the 2003/4 Premier League title without losing a match.

Known as “The Rash” by friend and foe alike for the intensity of his man-marking, Keown always played as if he had more to prove. But his teammates knew he was fast, skilful, tough and loyal, a leader on and off the pitch. Fearless too, as you’ll discover – he doesn’t pull any punches here.

On The Edge is the story of one of Arsenal’s all-time greats – a man whose commitment put him at the centre of the pitch, a place he dominated like almost no other footballer of his generation.

Former English footballer, coach, and scout

Martin Raymond Keown (Kyohn; born 24 July 1966) is an English football pundit and former professional footballer who played as a defender from 1984 to 2005, notably in the Premier League for Arsenal, where he made over 400 appearances for the club and won ten honours.

He also played for Brighton & Hove Albion, Aston Villa, Everton, Leicester City and Reading. Keown made his England debut in 1992 against France and went on to win 43 caps for the national side over the next ten years, gradually forming a respected defensive partnership with Arsenal teammate Tony Adams at both club and international level. Keown represented England at four major international football finals including the 1998 and 2002 World Cups, as well as Euro 1992 and Euro 2000.

He is now a part-time scout and coach for Arsenal, as well as a pundit for the BBC and BT Sport. He came out of retirement in 2012 and briefly played for Combined Counties League Premier Division side Wembley in their FA Cup fixtures.

Club career

Arsenal

A centre back from Oxford, Keown played for local sides and his local Gaelic football team as a boy, before joining Arsenal on a schoolboy contract in 1980, though he made his professional debut on loan at Brighton & Hove Albion in 1984. His debut for Arsenal came on 23 November 1985, when Don Howe was still their manager, and they drew 0–0 with West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns. He played 22 league games that season, mostly alongside Tommy Caton or David O'Leary, but when George Graham was appointed manager on 14 May 1986, he decided that Keown was not part of his plans to try to turn Arsenal into league title contenders and on 9 June 1986 he joined Aston Villa for £125,000. Graham offered him £50 a week less than Keown wanted and stated in 1993: 'It seemed crazy that they wouldn't agree and although I didn't want to leave and they didn't want me to go, it