Oh, it's brilliant. I can't remember whether it was a story told days after the KK signing or years after. Anyway, it went that Lawrie had been on at Keegan to bring him an exterior porch lamp out of a catalogue [Keegan himself tells that one], from a company in Germany, when he next came over to England. So KK got this for Lawrie and that's when he cornered KK good and proper and basically wouldn't let him go until he promised to sign for Saints. It didn't take much persuading as Lawrie was a brilliant PR/salesman.
A week went by and Lawrie was absolutely bursting to tell someone, but realised he couldn't, otherwise the impact would be lessened, and the media were getting the odd clue here and there, but they had no idea of who the footballer was. On the night before the announcement, Lawrie was in Beaulieu, out having dinner with a few friends, etc.., including Virgin Soldiers author Leslie Thomas. There was also a journalist who kept badgering Lawrie whenever he could, as to who was going to be announced the next day. Finally, as they were all getting into their cars to go home, the journalist called out to Lawrie for a tiny clue. And remember, Lawrie was having kittens trying not to spill the beans, so he just said,
KK, and then got into his car. The journalist went home perplexed, but in the middle of the night, he sat up bolt upright and shouted, I KNOW IT..! IT'S KEVIN KEELAN..! Was he in for a shock.
