Share

Keane declined iconic jersey

London - Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane claims he was offered the club's iconic No7 shirt by then manager Alex Feguson so as to prevent David Beckham getting it.

Keane, who left United in acrimonious circumstances in 2005 after year's of dedicated and inspirational service, reveals the incident in his updated autobiography The Second Half, which is published on Thursday, but which embarrassingly has mistakenly already gone on sale in a supermarket in Manchester.

Maverick French star Eric Cantona had left the club in 1997 and Ferguson according to Keane was determined England captain Beckham would not get to don the No7 shirt, a number that had been worn by among other United legends, Bryan Robson and George Best and went on later to be worn by Cristiano Ronaldo.

"At United, '7' was the iconic number," Keane wrote.

"When Eric Cantona left there was debate about who was going to be the next captain. I was quite relaxed about it. But there was his number, too - '7'.

"Bryan Robson had had it before Cantona and, of course, it went back to Georgie Best.

"The manager pulled me into his office and said that he wanted me to wear the '7'.

"I said, 'No, I'm not bothered.' And he said, 'I know Becks will f**** want it and I don't want him to have it'."

However, Keane did not give in and Beckham, with whom Ferguson enjoyed a stormy relationship, went on to lay his hands on the shirt.

Keane spent 12 years at United, eight as captain, and won seven Premier League titles, four FA Cups and the 1999 Champions League.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1473 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2252 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE