Bad Boy Roy
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Throughout his football
career Roy Keane
lived up to his bad boy image. His aggressive playing style often
brought him into conflict with opponents and match officials. His
troubles were not confined to the playing pitch however. Keane's
autobiography catalogues a whole series of unpleasant events that
involved the footballer throughout his playing career. Some of these
events were very public and received media coverage at the time. Keane
has always been uncomfortable with the public intrusion into his private
life and frequently such intrusions led to confrontation and sometimes
violence. Instead of trying to keep a lower profile |
Keane admits that when he was younger and
out with his friends "...we weren't exactly unobtrusive"
and often attracted unwanted attention.
The following is a catalogue of just some
of altercations or difficulties that Roy Keane became embroiled in during
his soccer career. Some are outlined in his autobiography and others are
taken from other sources.
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1991 - Fighting in Cork
Following a 0-0 draw against Norwich
Brian Clough allowed the nineteen year old Keane return home to
Cork for a break. Back in Mayfield with his brothers and friends
he had a "few pints" in his local pub. They then
decided to head into Cork City to a disco called Sidetrax. As Roy
relates they had "...graduated to double Bacardi and Cokes...".
Keane explained that it was his round and as he was carrying the
drinks to the table "...a guy appeared out of nowhere and
smacked me in the face...next thing I know I'm fighting two guys."
Roy's friends got involved and the two guys got a "...right
hammering and were thrown out." How
did Roy Keane react to this? The next night he and his friends "...got
steamed up..." and went into Cork City. Keane refused to
be cowed by the events of the previous night. (Source:
Keane: The Autobiography - Pages 42 & 43)
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1992 - Arrested in Nottingham
Roy Keane was arrested after an altercation
outside a nightclub in Nottingham in 1992. While details are sketchy Keane
was not charged. (Source: http://www.independent.co.uk)
1992 - Boston Row with Jack Charlton &
Mick McCarthy
Famously the nineteen year old Keane, at
the end his first international tournament in the USA in 1992, put it
up to his manager Jack
Charlton and Mick
McCarthy. When berated by Charlton for turning up late for the team
bus in Boston he retorted that he hadn't asked anyone to wait for him.
When Mick McCarthy waded in on his managers side a drunken Roy Keane rounded
on his captain also. For a more detailed account click on Boston
Row - Roy Keane & Mick McCarthy.
1993 - Escorted From Nightclub
In January 1993 Roy Keane was removed from
a Manchester nightclub for inappropriate behaviour. Apparently Keane had
been spitting beer at other customers and using abusive language. (Source:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4161/is_20031012/ai_n12878672)
1993 - Thrown out of Nightclub
In December 1993 Roy Keane became embroiled
in fight in an East Midlands nightclub which led to him being ejected
from the club and being fined a weeks wages by Manchester United .
1994 - Bust up with Maurice Setters
During the 1994 World Cup there were reports
of of a training ground bust up between Roy Keane and Maurice Setters
(portents of a future World Cup). Famously Jack
Charlton held a press conference where he presented Keane and Setters
to assembled press to reassure the Irish football public that all was
well in the Irish Soccer camp. In his autobiography Keane claims that
the row was actually between Andy Townsend and Setters. He further claims
that "controversial Roy" was chosen as a "convenient
patsy". "Like a fool I played the role, the anger only
rising in me when I walked into the glare of the television lights...".
It is difficult to reconcile Keane playing the fool at Charlton's
request especially if he was an innocent party, with his reaction to Charlton
and McCarthy two years earlier in Boston when Keane was clearly out of
line. (Source: Keane: The Autobiography
- Pages 120 & 121)
1995 - Roy Keane's First Sending Off for Stamping on Gareth Southgate
In April 1995 in the first half of the
FA Cup semi-final replay against Crystal Palace Roy Keane had received
seven stitches following an tackle by Darren Pitcher. In the second half
Gareth Southgate caught him
on the same ankle in what Keane describes as a "fair" tackle
yet Keane continues in his autobiography "F**k you. I get up and
stamp on him." The Palace player was lying on the ground, defenceless
against Keane's studs as the Manchester United stamped on Southgate's
stomach / groin area, not once but, twice. He left referee David Elleray
with no choice but to send Keane off.
In his book, Roy Keane: Red Man Walking, Frank Worrall said that
"Keane's defence was 'He shouldn't be lying on the floor. Defenders
shouldn't be on their backsides. I felt he got in the way'" (Page
257). Roy Keane was charged with
bringing the game into disrepute.
(Source: Keane: The
Autobiography Page 142).
Continued on Roy
Keane's Career Lows & Roy Keane
Red Cards etc.
NOTE: Unless stated otherwise all
quotations are from:
Keane: The Autobiography; Roy Keane with Eamon Dunphy (2002); Michael
Joseph Ltd
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