Manchester United icon Roy Keane once shocked his team-mates by striking a young player in training.
The no-nonsense midfielder was known for his temper and ruthlessness in the game. Although it did cross the line sometimes, his merciless playing style won him seven Premier League titles along with a Treble under Sir Alex Ferguson.
His most famous bust-up was with Patrick Vieira in the tunnel before a title-clash between United and Arsenal. A close second was his controversial tackle against Manchester City star Alfe-Inge Haaland, the dad of the Citizens’ current goal machine Erling Haaland.
But it was his punch to a young Chris Eagles, who turns 39 today, November 19, that stunned the rest of the Red Devils squad, including Rio Ferdinand, who spent four years with Keane at United.
He witnessed the fallout between the Irishman and Eagles that led to the punch, later recalling on his YouTube channel Rio Ferdinand Presents FIVE, how it unfolded. He said: “I remember when Roy Keane punched up Chris Eagles one time. He was only [a] young kid, [taking] liberties. It was good for him, Eagles.”
(Image: 2008 Manchester United)
The Englishman, who graduated from the Carrington academy in 2003, made 17 senior appearances for United over five seasons, having five different loan spells before signing for Burnley for a £1.2million fee in July 2008, who he helped win promotion out of the Championship in 2009.
Ferdinand added: “Roy must have been coming back from an injury, or he didn’t play, and he was playing with the reserves. The youngsters that were in there like Eagles and Lee Martin were like rats, getting in close and trying to tackle.
(Image: 2002 Getty Images)
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“He went in late on Roy once or twice and Roy said to him, ‘Listen, slow down’. The ball comes in again, Eagles was trying to impress, trying to leave him mark and left a little bit on Roy again and pulled his jersey.
“Roy just turned round and went bang in the jaw. A quick short jab and I just stood there and went, ‘Roy, what’s wrong with you?’.
“And I went inside and said, ‘Roy, why are you doing that for? He’s a young kid man’. And I warned him.”