What happened when Roy Keane and Alex Ferguson sat on the same plane?

"Football is a small world and eventually you will cross paths with people again."

Those were Roy Keane’s words a few months ago when the prospect was raised of an end to his feud with old boss Alex Ferguson.

On Tuesday night, the pair’s paths did cross, on a flight-path from Paris to Manchester. But, according to an eye-witness account by The Guardian’s Daniel Taylor, a peace accord remains some way off.

Taylor wrote: “On one side, Keane sat impassively by the window. On the other side, Ferguson was three rows back.

“Two men who once had so much in common but who now give the impression they would rather not share one another’s oxygen.”

Keane had been working for ITV on Chelsea’s Champions League tie with PSG.

Ferguson reportedly caught up with old adversary Jose Mourinho ahead of that game.

But there was no old pals’ act in Charles de Gaulle.

“Ferguson and his wife, Cathy, had been first on the flight after he was recognised by a member of Air France’s staff and moved to the front of the queue,” added Taylor.

“Keane was the last after hanging back. As the Irishman took his seat, Cathy gave her husband a nudge. Ferguson took one look, narrowed his eyes and then lifted up his newspaper to continue reading the sports pages.

“That newspaper was a handy shield over the next hour or so in the air.”

A man who had once held the middle with Keane was now caught in the middle. Paul Scholes was also on ITV duty.

“Scholes’s presence as the man in the middle merely added to the sense of awkwardness.

“Cathy seemed pleased to see him, but maybe this wasn’t the time to beckon him over for a chat,” Taylor wrote.

The awkward dance saw roles reversed back at Manchester.

“It ended without so much as a backward glance. Keane was off the plane first while Ferguson hung back this time.”

“If we cross paths... would I forgive him? I don’t know,” mused Keane last year.

We still don’t know.