Roy Keane clashes with angry Ipswich fan while working as Sky Sports pundit
Subscribe To Miguel Delaney's Free Newsletter!
Subscribe To Miguel Delaney's Free Weekly Newsletter
Join Miguel Delaney's Free Weekly Newsletter
I would like to receive emails regarding promotions, events, and news from The Independent. Please take a look at our privacy policy.
Roy Keane had a spirited conversation with an Ipswich Town supporter at Portman Road on Sunday.
Keane served as a commentator for Manchester United's match against Ipswich, which marked Ruben Amorim's debut as manager of the Red Devils.
Just after the match ended in a 1-1 draw, while the broadcast was paused, an Ipswich fan shouted at Keane, who was standing on the sidelines next to other Sky Sports commentators Izzy Christiansen and Jamie Redknapp.
Keane, who was in charge of Ipswich during a challenging 20 months from 2009 to 2011, confronted a fan and got into a passionate debate with him.
"Stay in the parking lot, and we can talk about it," Keane suggested.
The fan replied by implying that Keane had overlooked his previous request for an autograph when they were by the tunnel.
"I didn't catch that," Keane said, then continued, "I’ll be waiting for you in the parking lot."
As security escorted Keane away from the area, Redknapp intervened and advised the fan, “Just let it go.”
In 2023, Keane was headbutted by a supporter of Arsenal, and he acknowledged earlier this season that he was becoming increasingly fed up with the disturbances caused by fans during matches.
When asked if he sees himself still working as a pundit a decade from now, he replied, “I’m passionate about football, but dealing with the challenges of matches, traveling to venues, and interactions with fans can be tough. Just a few months back, I had to go to court because someone headbutted me. Do I take pleasure in that aspect? Definitely not.”
"The games themselves are enjoyable. However, the experience of getting to the games, finding parking, and dealing with people yelling your name—it's a mixed bag. After a decade of being a pundit, I wouldn't want to go through that again."
Keane appears on Sky Sports nearly every week, analyzing the Premier League, and he is also a familiar face on ITV for its broadcasts of England and international football matches.
The ex-captain of Manchester United expresses his enjoyment of reviewing matches as a commentator, but he insists that the travel and the public scrutiny that come with the job will lead him to step away in the next few years.
In an episode of The Overlap on Tour, Keane openly shared that he finds the idea of living overseas appealing.
“In the next few years, I believe I’ll be relocating to another country… just putting it out there,” Keane mentioned on an episode of the show alongside Gary Neville, Ian Wright, and Jamie Carragher in Turin.
Jamie Carragher encouraged Keane to name a place he would like to go, and Keane replied, “You know, Switzerland could be nice. It’s a stunning country.”
