Keane recalls glory days (and nights) on Leeside

In keeping with his role as guest of honour at the launch of the Cork City FC Patronage Scheme in support of the club’s underage Education and Development Fund, it was appropriate that Roy Keane found time to reflect on his early days in football and, in particular, the critical move from Leeside to Nottingham which paved the way for the creation of a legend.

Keane recalled how, at the outset of his career, his determination to get on an FAI/FÁS soccer course saw him break the rules by signing for both Cork City (“Upstairs in Le Chateau — I wasn’t drinking!”) and, within a couple of days, Cobh Ramblers.

“The FAI charged me which was maybe the start of things to come,” he grinned. “Rightly so, I’d signed for two clubs. They fined me one hundred pounds and Cobh paid it. And going to Cobh was my chance to go on the FÁS course. Playing League of Ireland was a great education. With Cobh we were in the First Division and it was tough but it was great for me when I went to Forest at 19.

“I spoke to the Irish U17s a few weeks ago. You forget how young they are, 16 going over. It’s a shock to the system. It’s hard enough moving when you’re 19, 20 or 21. It’s a big ask. I can only speak from experience: I don’t think it would have suited me going over at 16 but I can understand why it is hard for young players to turn it down when they have the chance.

“Going over at 19 suited me. I had the year with Cobh, a year on the FÁS course, I was physically fine. I was ready for the full team training. Forest was the right club for me, Brian Clough was the right manager, the way they played the game.”

Celebrated Forest boss Clough ensured Keane had time off to go home to Cork, even if it meant having to make allowances for the rather less disciplined young man of those early days (recalling Sidetrax disco in his native city, Keane quipped: “I eventually got barred from there but it wasn’t my fault! Self defence”).

“Brian was very good,” Keane recalled. “I was young, 19, but I was doing well for him and he looked after me. He’d let me go back once a month for three or four nights. He never realised when I went back and played the following Saturday I didn’t play too well because I’d been out four nights in-a-row back then!

“Forest was a brilliant club for me. You need breaks. Rockmount was the right club for me. Cobh was the right club at the right time but I’m sure I could have done okay for Cork City.”

Flashing forward from career beginning to career end, Keane – in praising Paul Scholes’ television analysis of the Manchester derby – observed that the challenges for the retired footballer can be even more testing than those for the neophyte.

“It’s a massive shock to the system. The pitfalls for ex-footballers are frightening in terms of addictions, gambling, bankruptcies and divorces. It’s pretty scary so I think it’s important ex-players get an opportunity at whatever it might be, doing TV or making appearances. Scholesy kept it simple [on TV] and it was the way he played. I loved playing with him and, you know, it was nice to see him.”

NOTE: The Cork City FC Patronage Scheme, in partnership with UCC, is in support of the club’s underage Education and Development Fund, the objective of which is to assist in educating and developing the very best footballing talent on Leeside. For more information, contact Tim Murphy, Chief Executive, Cork City FC on 087-9575362 or [e-mail]