Keane opts not to appeal ban

Manchester United skipper Roy Keane has opted not to appeal against his five-match ban and £150,000 (€235,000) fine.

The FA tonight confirmed the deadline for Keane to contest his punishment passed without reply today, which means the 31-year-old former Irish skipper must sit out the five games following tomorrow’s clash with Southampton.

It means the midfielder, currently in the latter stages of his recovery from a hip operation, will be suspended for Tuesday’s Worthington Cup clash with Leicester and will not be eligible for a domestic return until the quarter-finals of the same competition at the beginning of December.

A statement on the official FA website www.theFA.com confirmed: "At 5.30pm, the Football Association had not received an appeal from Roy Keane regarding the five-match suspension and £150,000 fine brought against the Manchester United player at a disciplinary hearing on Tuesday, October 15.

"Roy Keane had 14 days in which to respond from Friday, October 18, the date on which he was sent official notification of the hearing’s findings.

"Keane’s ban is due to start on November 4."