The next season, after Newell's departure, Keane was frozen out of the first-team by new manager Kevin Blackwell, who preferred to play his own new signing Richard Jackson. However, Keane was eventually brought back into the team to replace Jackson, and later made the position his own when Luton Town fan favourite Mick Harford replaced Blackwell as manager in January 2008. Harford made Keane club captain, but the price of administration condemned Luton to another relegation, this time to League Two. Keane won the Player of the Season award at the end of the season, as well as the Players' Player of the Year and Internet Player of the Season award.