Roy Keane – Red Cards, Haaland, Saipan & More

Continued from Roy Keane’s Career Low Points

The catalogue of Roy Keane’s career difficulties continues below including six more red cards, the infamous Saipan incident and the acrimonious end to his Manchester United career.

2000 – Keane & Team Mates Berate Referee

On 20th January 2000 Manchester United played Middlesboro in the Premiership at Old Trafford. Late in the match and with the score at 0-0 referee Andy D’urso awarded a penalty against United defender Japp Stam. In Roy Keane’s autobiography he states that “…Japp got a touch on the ball…D’Urso got it wrong.” In fact television replays confirmed that D’Urso made the right decision.

The United players reacted furiously led by Roy Keane. D’Urso backed away from the players waving them away. This seemed to send the players into an even greater frenzy. D’Urso said that “If I had stood my ground I would have been pushed over”. As Keane admits in his book “The photos of this now notorious incident are shocking. The psycho in the middle with veins bulging is me”. (Sources: Autobiography Page 221; The Mirror; BBC News)

2000 – Keane Sent Off Against Newcastle

Roy Keane was sent off for two bookable offences in a Premiership match against Newcastle United on 12th February 2000. (Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk)

2000 – Roy Keane Sent Off Against Chelsea in the Charity Shield

On the 13th August 2000 in the curtain raiser for the 2000/2001 season Roy Keane was sent off after a tackle on Chelsea’s Gus Poyet. Keane had already been booked however he received a straight red card for a bad tackle from behind on the Uruguay international. (Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk)

2001 – Keane Sent Off Against Man City

In April 2001 Roy Keane was sent off by referee David Elleray for a horror tackle on Alf-Inge Haaland. As Keane admits in his autobiography he had waited for an opportunity to exact revenge on Haaland for accusing him of faking injury in a previous exchange between the two players in 1997. For a full description of the circumstances of this please see Roy Keane / Alf-Inge Haaland Tackle (Source: Autobiography Page 231)

2001 – Keane Sent Off Against Newcastle

In an incident that almost led to Roy Keane quitting football Keane earned yet another red card. On 15th September 2001 Newcastle United had taken a late lead through Alan Shearer. In injury time Shearer prevented Keane from taking a quick throw in.

In exasperation Keane threw the ball at the back of Shearer’s head. In the following exchange Keane lashed out with his hand at Shearer and what would have been a yellow card became a red card. (Source: Autobiography Page 236)

2002 – Saipan: Roy Keane Sent Home from 2002 World Cup

In an explosive incident in the Republic of Ireland soccer training camp Roy Keane was sent home from the Irish football camp on the Pacific island of Saipan by Mick McCarthy, the Irish team manager.

No other event has ever shaken Irish soccer to it’s foundations in the way that the Saipan affair did in May 2002.

2002 – Keane Sent Off Against Sunderland

On 31st August 2002 Manchester United played Sunderland at the Stadium of Light in the Premiership. During the course of a niggly match there appeared to be a running feud between Roy Keane and Jason McAteer.

Just before the final whistle Keane elbowed McAteer thus earning yet another red card. (Source:http://www.guardian.co.uk)

2002 – Five Match Ban and Large Fine

Following the publication of Roy Keane’s autobiography in which admitted that he deliberately intended to injure Alf-Inge Haaland the FA banned Keane for five matches and fined him a record £150,000. Keane had been found guilty of bringing the game of soccer into disrepute. During his defence at the hearing in September 2002 it was suggested that the ghost writer, Eamon Dunphy, of his autobiography had taken “artistic licence”. (Source: http://www.independent.co.uk)

 2004 – Keane Sent Off Against Porto

On 25th February 2004 and for the first time in his career Roy Keane was sent off in a European match. Manchester United were playing FC Porto at Estadio do Dragao in the Champions League. United were 2-1 behind and with just four minutes to go Keane raced into the Porto box and with no real chance of winning the ball he needlessly and deliberately stood on the Porto goalkeeper, Vitor Baia, while he lay helpless on the ground. German referee Fandel didn’t hesitate to brandish the red card. (Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk)

2005 – Tunnel row With Patrick Viera

In February 2005 Roy Keane was involved in a very heated pre-match row with Patrick Viera before a Premiership match against Arsenal. Viera had made comments to Gary Neville accusing him of always kicking Arsenal players in matches between the two teams. Keane took exception to, what he believed to be, Viera’s attempts to intimidate Neville. Manchester United went on to win the match 4-2. (Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk)

2005 – Thumbs Down Gesture to Southampton Fans

On 16 May 2005 Roy Keane angered Southampton fans by mocking their relegation plight by making thumbs down signals as he left the pitch after United had beaten the Saints at St Mary’s. Southampton subsequently dropped down to the Championship at the end of the season. (Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk)

2006 – Roy Keane Quits Manchester United Amid Acrimony

Increasing tensions between Roy Keane and Alex Ferguson culminated in Keane’s departure from his beloved Manchester United.

Apparently Keane and Ferguson had many disagreements down through the years but Ferguson felt compelled to speak publicly about a row in July 2006 over pre-season training arrangements in Portugal. Echoes of Saipan perhaps.

Keane did not tour with the club in the pre-season promotional trip to the Far East. In November during an interview with MUTV following a 4-1 defeat to Middlesboro Keane was severely critical of some aspects of the club including the playing staff and even went on to question Ferguson’s decision to play Alan Smith in midfield.

The club pulled the broadcast of the interview. It was rumoured that Sir Alex Ferguson had become so disenchanted with Keane’s attitude that he decided to strip Keane of the captaincy of United.

This was too much for Keane to bear and thus ended Roy Keane’s Manchester United career. (Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk)

NOTE: Unless stated otherwise all quotations are from:
Keane: The Autobiography; Roy Keane with Eamon Dunphy (2002); Michael Joseph Ltd

Roy Keane Faking Injury

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