Kean, Steve – The Celtic Wiki

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Personal

Fullname: Stephen Kean
aka: Steve Kean
Born: 30 September 1967
Birthplace: Glasgow
Signed: 1985
Height: 5' 9'' (175cm)
Position: Defender/Midfielder
Internationals: Scotland U15 Schoolboy
International Caps: 0
International Goals: 0

Player Biog

Kean, Steve - The Celtic Wiki A versatile boy's club product who stepped up in 1985 only to spend the next couple of years on the fringes of the first team. Sent out on loan to Welsh cracks Swansea in February 1987 where he performed on the right wing but did not snaffle a contract extension either with Celtic or the Swans.

An 'S Kean' made a single appearance for Alloa Athletic the following season.

The next 1988/89 season Steve materialised in Portugal with Académica de Coimbra but made only 12 appearances with one goal. Many sources report six seasons in Portugal but this does not seem to have been the case. It is possible Kean was hit by injury and/or moved on to Naval, but he was back on these shores by 1991/92 with Bath City.

After tiring of playing for expenses only at Bath, Kean linked up with ex-Celt Mark McGhee at Reading and is reported to have received a career-ending broken leg shortly afterward. Although a 'Steve Kean' helped nearby Newbury Town to Isthmian League 2nd Division glory in 1993/94.

Coaching Biog

It is believed that Steve then stayed on at Reading in some capacity. When legendary Bulgarian custodian Bobby Mihailov pitched up in 1995, the [allegedly 6 year?] spell in Portugal allowed him to act as translator – since Mihailov had played for Belenenses.

With McGhee gone, joint managers Mick Gooding and Jimmy Quinn installed Kean as Youth Team coach in summer 1996. From there he progressed to Head of the Academy under another ex-Celtic pal Tommy Burns and earned rave reviews implementing Tommy's ideas before departing to a similar role at Fulham in 2000.

Here he linked up with former Swansea team mate Chris Coleman and got the nod as Assistant when Coleman became manager in April 2003.

Followed Coleman to Real Sociedad after he got the boot from Fulham in April 2007 – and again to Coventry six months later, after guiding the Basque outfit to a middling fifth in the Spanish Second Division.

Resisted a highly publicised move to be Phil Scolari's [Portuguese-speaking?] eyes and ears on the Chelsea training ground but swapped Coleman's Coventry for Blackburn Rovers in summer 2009. He was appointed the Ewood Park manager in January 2010 following the sacking of Sam Allardyce.

As Blackburn stuggled for form Kean was subject to fierce criticism from a section of the Ewood Park support who were becoming increasingly disillusioned with their club's owners and performances of the pitch. Kean however gained significant support from the colleagues and the media for the way he handled the situation, and although results improved only slightly he remained in charge of Rovers for the run in of the 2011/12 season as they battled relegation.

Playing Career

		League Appearances	League Goals
1985/86	Celtic	0	0
1986/87	Celtic	0	0
	Swansea City loan	4	0
1987/88	Alloa?	1	0
1988/89	Académica de Coimbra	9	1
	Naval?
1991/92	Bath City	10	1
	Reading?
1993/94	Newbury Town?	?	?

Honours

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Pictures

Zurich Blue Stars Youth Tournament May 1986

Media