Keith Keane fears ‘match-fixer’ tag

Former Republic of Ireland U21 player Keith Keane fears he will be always be tagged a "match-fixer" despite all charges against him being dropped by the police last week.

Preston midfielder Keane and 12 other players were charged in April with spot fixing — allegedly being paid to be booked or sent-off — but the case was dropped. It has been a nightmare time for Keane and he fears it is something that will follow him for the rest of his career — and life.

He said: “My biggest worry is that for the rest of my life people will still consider me a match-fixer. That frightens me. They (the police) don’t tell you anything. You don’t know what is going on and that scares you.