Kevin Keegan sent Newcastle hero on secret Andy Cole scouting mission before £1.7m transfer

Former Newcastle United midfielder Bjorn Kristensen has revealed how Kevin Keegan secretly tasked him with scouting Andy Cole before the striker’s club-record move to St James’ Park.

Speaking to Chronicle Live⁠, the Dane recalled how Keegan asked him to assess Cole while he was on loan at Bristol City, despite knowing his own Newcastle career was approaching its end.

“Kevin being Kevin, though, had a plan up his sleeve and he told me to look at a young striker called Andy Cole. He said ‘Benny have a look at him for us and let me know what he’s like’.

“I watched on Coley and reported back to tell Kevin to buy him. That was a secret scouting mission for Kevin and Terry McDermott.”

Newcastle subsequently signed Cole for a club-record £1.7million in 1993, and he made an immediate impact, scoring 42 goals in his first full season. Kristensen made 90 appearances for Newcastle after joining from Denmark in 1989, later leaving for Portsmouth in 1993.