ONE of the North-East's all time football heroes has backed an Advertiser campaign to remember those who died in the northern coalfields.

Former Newcastle manager and player Kevin Keegan has lent his name to the campaign to mark the mass burial trenches where many of the 168 men and boys who died in the Burns, or West Stanley, pit disaster.

Mr Keegan's grandfather, Frank Keegan, was a hero of the 1909 tragedy. Frank was one of a few dozen miners who escaped the massive explosion that February day and even went back underground in an attempt to save his 'marras,' or workmates.

Now his grandson, currently manager of Manchester City, has backed the campaign to mark the graves of many of the men and boys who lie at St Andrew's Church in Stanley.

Mr Keegan said: "I think that it is a wonderful idea to honour the heroes of the West Stanley Pit Disaster in this way. Sadly it is 93 years too late for the families of those who died, but I wholeheartedly support this campaign."

Mr Keegan was also heavily involved in the erection of a new memorial in the town back in 1995. He officially unveiled the monument which commemorates the miners who lost their lives.

But, like us, he also believes the final resting place of the men and boys who died should also be marked.

Dave Bainbridge, an amateur historian who is an expert on the disaster, welcomed the news that Mr Keegan had backed the campaign.

He asked that other heroes should also be remembered. Heroes like Mark Henderson who actually saved many of the men. He received a bravery award after leading to safety many who were running into poisonous gases.

Mr Bainbridge also pointed out that there was at least one other memorial, apart from the one unveiled by Kevin Keegan.

The other, built by money raised by the Working Men's Club movement in the years that followed the disaster, originally stood outside the former town hall on Front Street but was moved to Stanley Crematorium before the Second World War. The graves of the men buried at the Catholic St Joseph's are marked.

The Advertiser's campaign is simply to mark the graves of the dead miners at St Andrew's.