Vic Keeble

Colchester United

Keeble was signed as an amateur for hometown club Colchester United by future West Ham United manager Ted Fenton in May 1947, a few weeks short of his 17th birthday. The club paid a £10 signing-on fee for his services. He had an instant impact, scoring hat-tricks on his debuts in the Eastern Counties League, against Norwich City A, and in the Southern League against Bedford Town in the first game of the 1947–48 season. His goals at Colchester earned him a place in the Southern League representative side. He scored 59 goals in 69 Southern League appearances for Colchester United, and went on to score a further 23 goals in 46 Football League appearances after the club were elected to the Third Division South for the first time.

Newcastle United

He was signed by Newcastle United for £15,000 in January 1952 after being spotted by Magpies scout and former captain Bill McCracken. He continued to score goals, with three in his five appearances in 1951–52. However, Keeble's move to Newcastle coincided with his National Service with the Army, and long periods away impeded his progress. Keeble's first full season at Newcastle began with a 4–2 loss in the Charity Shield against Manchester United. He scored both goals for the Magpies. The 1952–53 season continued with 6 goals in 17 First Division appearances, and he managed 6 in 11 the following season. By 1955, with Army duties completed, Keeble was back to his best, scoring 29 goals in 36…

Keeble was renowned for his ability to score goals from the air. His headed goals prompted Jackie Milburn to once comment: "Vic scored so many goals with his nut that I swear he had studs in his forehead". His tendency to score goals with his head, rather than his feet, also earned him the moniker 'Feeble Keeble' while at Newcastle. West Ham teammate Malcolm Pyke, discussing Keeble in later life, pointed to some of his other attributes: "Ted Fenton bought Vic Keeble from Newcastle because he thought he could be good in the air, which he was. But what he didn't recognise was what a good target man Vic was. We could play balls from defence into Vic Keeble and he would hold them in to himself or knock them off. He brought Jackie Dick into the play a lot more, got more out of Jackie Dick, and made more use of the wingers in terms of crosses".

Victor Albert Williams Keeble was born 25 June 1930 to Victor Keeble (1907-1977) and Minnie Rose Warner. Keeble attended Colchester Royal Grammar School, where his preferred sport was rugby, playing as a stand-off half. He played football with Arsenal as a schoolboy and locally for King George V Boys Club and Colchester Casuals.

Colchester United

Southern Football League Cup: 1949–50; runner-up: 1947–48, 1948–49 Southern Football League runner-up: 1949–50 Newcastle United

FA Cup: 1954–55 West Ham United

Football League Second Division: 1957–58 Individual

Colchester United Hall of Fame inductee: 2007–08