Sky Sports make major Roy Keane decision after pundit confronted fan in stands

Roy Keane was on punditry duty with Sky Sports when he confronted a supporter following Ipswich Town's 1-1 draw with Manchester United last Sunday at Portman Road

By: irishmirror.ie

Nov 29 2024
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Sky Sports make major Roy Kean

Roy Keane will be at Anfield on Sunday after Sky Sports completed their investigation into the pundit's heated pitch-side altercation last weekend.

Keane, 53, was filmed confronting a section of Ipswich Town supporters during a break in Sky's coverage of their 1-1 draw with Manchester United. The Irishman, who managed Ipswich between 2009 and 2011, told one fan: "I'll wait for you in the car park... Meet me in the car park."

Sky chiefs subsequently spoke to Keane and others who were present, including host Kelly Cates and pundits Jamie Redknapp and Izzy Christiansen, to establish what happened. Following the conclusion of their investigation, the Daily Mail report that Sky will have Keane as part of their line-up on Sunday as Liverpool host Manchester City in a mouth-watering Premier League fixture.

Reigning champions City are already eight points behind Liverpool and haven't won for six games, denting their hopes of winning a fifth successive league title. Keane will be joined by fellow United legend Gary Neville, former Liverpool pair Jamie Carragher and Daniel Sturridge, and ex-City defender Micah Richards.

Keane is contracted to appear in around 20 'Super Sunday' broadcasts per season, having become a regular since 2018. The former United captain was infamously head-butted by a fan at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium in September 2023, with the incident ending up in court.

One Ipswich fan involved in last Sunday's incident, 55-year-old season ticket holder Neil Finbow, spoke to Mirror Football this week and said: "It was the guy in the middle's comments that got him, I think. He was going on about his time when he was manager, how he treated his kids.

"I will sort of defend Roy Keane here as well, because it may be that the comment, 'I'll see you in the car park' is to talk to the guy rather than take him out, so it can be misconstrued. I thought he was being quite aggressive, in hindsight.

Neil Finbow was among the group (Image: Neil Finbow)

"The guy had an issue, when [Keane] was at the club, when you see him point he was pointing to 'when you were here in the car park, you ignored my kids and swore at them', and he had an issue with that. So obviously that's been pent-up."

"I don't have any regrets [about going down the front]," he adds. "It's pent-up anger. No swear words came out of my mouth, I just said 'you're a better pundit than you are a manager'.

"I played football, not at that level, and you get comments on a football pitch and you just have to let them ride, don't you. I spoke to my friends this morning and they said it's all gone viral, that's not what I want. I'm not worried about that. But it's not the Eric Cantona kung-fu kick is it.

"That guy got banned for life for throwing some atrocious stuff at Eric Cantona, but those sarcastic comments from myself and the guy who had an issue from years ago about his kids... I think we pay a lot of money to go down there, our hard-earned cash, and I've watched some dross. I think it was just pent-up inside."