Manchester United legend Roy Keane stunned Ian Wright by revealing what happened during one of the darkest moments in his prolific career at Old Trafford.
Keane was a pivotal figure under Sir Alex Ferguson at United and commanded incredible respect as club captain, with the Irishman excelling at Old Trafford.
The 52-year-old captained United to their iconic treble win in 1999 and Keane lifted seven Premier League titles, a Champions League and four FA Cups with the club.
Keane, who was signed from Nottingham Forest in 1993, made 478 appearances during his time at United and scored 51 times and picked up 38 assists.
However, the Sky Sports pundit’s time at Old Trafford came to a shock end in 2005 after Ferguson ruthlessly axed him from the Premier League club.
Keane’s meeting with Gill and Ferguson
Keane’s relationship with Ferguson fractured towards the end of his time at United, with the United legend famously delivering an infamous MUTV interview in 2005.
Former United manager Ferguson moved Keane on and the Irish hardman signed for Celtic, with Keane’s brief spell with the Scottish side ending in 2006.
Joined on The Overlap by Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher, Jill Scott and Wright, Keane recalled his brutal meeting with Ferguson and ex-United chief executive David Gill.
Speaking on the Stick to Football show, he said: “Lads, I make the point and I keep going on about it – Jaap [Stam] was here a few weeks ago – I generally have no problem when a club says to a player, it’s the game we’re in, you’re [Wright] getting called to Paris and they’re trying to have a chat.
“To me, at least that’s kind of respectful. They’ve sat down and had a bit of a chat.
“I look here at Jaap, I heard Incey [Paul Ince], I go back to my own stuff, I’m getting called into a meeting with Ferguson and Gill and before I sit down there – give me that piece of paper there, give us that, I know they’re your questions – before I sit down they go, ‘Here we go, we’ve already prepared a statement, would you like to read [the statement]?’
“So, this is my issue, not that the player has to leave the club, but at least Arsenal are saying to you listen… I’m reading the same, ‘We’d like to thank Roy for his 11 and a half’ and I’m reading it and they’re just sitting there. We’ve already prepared the statement.”
Wright’s reaction to Keane’s meeting
Arsenal legend Wright was stunned by Keane’s encounter with Ferguson and Gill before his United exit and described the story as “cold.”
Responding to Keane, Wright said: “Jesus, that’s cold. That’s cold, isn’t it?”
Keane added: “And they had the years wrong, Wrighty. They had the years wrong. You’re on about [the] Mafia and you getting shot in the back of the head.
“It was like Jaap was saying ‘I’ll meet you in 10 minutes at a service station.’ I always think imagine Rafael Benitez ringing [Steven] Gerrard going, ‘I’ll meet you in 10 minutes at a service station in Liverpool.’ You’d be like what, Gerrard? […] Incey, I’ll meet you at the golf course in 10 minutes.”