December 12th 2024.
Last month, Roy Keane found himself in a heated exchange with a supporter of Ipswich Town. The incident occurred after Manchester United's 1-1 draw at Portman Road. Despite the confrontation, Keane maintains that he had no intention of fighting the abusive fan.
The altercation took place after the final whistle, as Keane stood on the sidelines with his fellow Sky Sports broadcast team. During an advertisement break, Keane left his post and approached a group of fans in the lower tier who had been shouting insults at him. In a video captured by another Ipswich supporter, Keane can be heard telling one man to meet him in the car park for a discussion.
However, before anything could escalate, a member of the security team stepped in and led Keane back to his colleagues, which included presenter Kelly Cates and former England women's international Izzy Christiansen. Keane's co-pundit Jamie Redknapp also appeared to be concerned and later spoke with the same Ipswich fan after the situation had been diffused. Another security member then instructed the fans to calm down.
On a recent episode of The Overlap, fellow footballer Ian Wright expressed his anger towards the incident, to which Keane responded by clarifying that he was not angry. He explained that after the game, they are often sent to the pitch where fans can be emotional and sometimes abusive. Keane stated that he had calmly approached the fan twice, offering to discuss the situation but reminding him that he was there to work. He also mentioned that the fan had been swearing in front of children, and he suggested meeting in the car park for a conversation.
Keane went on to explain that he was not offering to fight the fan, as some people had speculated. He pointed out that he is 53 years old with five children and two grandchildren, and that the fan was not even present when he made the suggestion. Keane also addressed the idea that he was asking for a fight, stating that it was a bizarre assumption and that he had a similar experience last year at Arsenal.
In conclusion, Keane reiterated that he was not angry during the confrontation and that he was simply trying to have a discussion with the fan. He also noted that there were other people in the car park, but he did not understand why people assumed he was looking for a fight. Keane concluded by expressing his relief that a judge had previously recognized his calm demeanor and realized that he was the victim of assault.
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