Martin Keown was born in Oxford, and as a promising schoolboy started his pro career at Arsenal. He struggled to break into the first team and was loaned to Reading before eventually being sold to Aston Villa for just £200,000 by George Graham. Keown matured as a player while at the struggling Villa, playing over 100 games in three years at the club.
In 1989 he made the £750,000 switch to Everton, where again he played around 100 games in a three year stint. Martin excelled at the Toffees and his performances were enough to earn him a high profile return to the Arsenal.
His Arsenal career was illustrious as he formed a formidable Defensive team with Tony Adams and was famously reliable for The Gunners. Listed below are some of his honours.
Martin Keown also represented his native England 43 times throughout his career, though he never featured in a World Cup match in spite of being in two squads (1998 and 2002). He scored two goals in an England shirt.
As his career drew to a close Keown left Arsenal and wound down his career, first at Leicester where a rumoured bust-up with then manager Micky Adams saw him leave after just 18 games, he joined Reading, where he played out the last 6 months of his career, making a cameo of just five appearances before his retirement.
Since retiring, Keown has done coaching badges back at the club he has such an affinity with, Arsenal. Notably since ending his playing career Keown has become something of a big player in the world of football punditry. He often appears on the likes of Match of the Day, and has covered the Champions League for Irish channel TV3 – he also does work at ESPN.
Martin Keown, The North Stand salutes you!
