Roy Keane has shocked football fans by declaring that he isn’t a fan of his former side Manchester United, but does have an affection for one of United’s Premier League competitors
Roy Keane may be a Manchester United legend but he has now confirmed that he doesn’t support the club.
The former Red Devils’ captain’s surprising admission is even more shocking after comments about his admiration for United’s Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur resurfaced. The former Republic of Ireland skipper won a host of trophies under Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford, yet his affinity for the club appears to be rather thin.
Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet, Keane opened up on how hew views the teams he played for during his career. “I don’t have that affinity with the clubs I’ve played for. I don’t support Manchester United. I don’t support Nottingham Forest,” he said.
Asked how he feels when he watches United these days, he added: “I have more of an insight with how it works at the club and the expectations, but I wouldn’t say that I’m a fan – their results don’t make or break my weekend. I wouldn’t go home going, ‘Get in there, that was a great win.’ I’d be looking at it in a professional way.”
While Keane’s comments may be a minor cause of contention between himself and the United faithful, his remarks on who he actually does have a soft spot for may deepen any rift. The former Sunderland manager’s affection for Spurs was brought to the fore after he sported a Tottenham branded Christmas jumper in a photo alongside darts star Luke Humphries, Jill Scott and Ian Wright on a festive themed edition of the Overlap podcast late last year.
However, Keane’s unexpected allegiance to the north London club was touched upon as far back as 2015 after he spoke at an event for a children’s cancer charity. “Just because I played for Manchester United didn’t mean I was a fan of the team,” Keane said.
“When I played for Rockmount, one of my team-mate’s fathers used to bring me to training and he supported Tottenham. That’s where it started, I liked their players, the likes of Glenn Hoddle and Clive Allen. But after I’d come back from trial at Nottingham Forest, Spurs offered me a trial.
“I turned it down because Forest had been to good me, I liked the club and felt some loyalty to them. I had a soft spot for Spurs, and still do.”
The Corkman moved to United from Forest in 1993. Keane played 480 games for the Red Devils and was captain from 1997.
He brought an end to his 13-year stint with United in December 2005 after a clash with Sir Alex, leaving to join Celtic. Despite claiming to not support United, he did admit that leaving the club was a difficult time for him, adding: “When I left United, I did cry that morning. Cried in my car.”
Keane lifted seven Premier League titles, four FA Cups and a Champions League with United. He also won several individual awards, including the FWA Footballer of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year during his time at Old Trafford.
Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Manchester United content from Mirror Football. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice
