Man Utd: Roy Keane and Terry Sheringham's bust-up that stopped them speaking for 3.5 years | OneFootball

Roy Keane certainly got into some scraps and scrapes during his time in professional football.

Renowned the world over for his fearsome leadership, combative playing style and no-nonsense mantra, the Manchester United legend was probably the last person in the sport that you wanted to get on the wrong side of.

However, that was seemingly where Teddy Sheringham found himself for no less than three and a half years according to the man himself in a book titled: ‘1999: Manchester United, the Treble and All That,’ which is slated for release next week.

Sheringham and Keane at Man Utd

The Times have reported an extract from the book where Sheringham explains the wild story of a bust-up with Keane that took place during their time as United teammates.

The treble winners had also shared the Nottingham Forest dressing room earlier in their careers, but clearly that didn’t stand for much during a 1998 bus journey from a night out with the United squad.

That’s because Sheringham, who also famously fell out with Red Devils strike partner Andy Cole, tells the tale of how his row with Keane started almost entirely out of the blue, but went onto last for years upon years.

Sheringham recalls row

Sheringham’s account goes as follows: “I’m sitting behind the driver, Keany was next to the driver. Steve Bruce is next to me, [Gary] Pallister, Denis [Irwin], a couple of others in there. Bit of banter flying about in the car.

“All of a sudden, Keany said: ‘Why don’t you f*** off back to London in your f***ing red Ferrari and your penthouse?’

“I went: ‘Eh?’; And he says: ‘Yeah, f*** off back to London’.

“I’m like: ‘Are you coming for me, Keany? Why are you coming for me, you Paddy? F***ing what?’

“And he went: ‘f*** off’, and he goes on: ‘f***ing red Ferrari, penthouse…’.

“Then he jumped round, still with his bad leg, got me by the tie, pulled me towards him, grappling with him. Suddenly everyone’s going: ‘what’s going on?’ and pulling us apart.”

No communication for years

Sheringham then went onto explain how Keane didn’t have it out with him the next day in training, but instead opted for the cold shoulder, recounting: “I couldn’t sleep that night thinking: ‘It’s going to go off as soon as I get into training’.

“I’ve seen Roy in the gym so I know it can go off. So I go in thinking: ‘Get yourself ready’. I actually go in to change thinking: ‘I’m ready for him’.

‘You have your own cubicle so I was either next to Keany, or maybe the one after, and as I walked in, he’s there doing his shoes up.

“I walked in past him and I’m thinking he’s going to get up and boot me in the face. I’m thinking: ‘here we go’. Keany gets up and walks out.

“He didn’t say a word to me. He didn’t say a word to me for the next three-and-a-half years.”

Sheringham really meant that, too, doubling down by adding: “After that, not a word. On the pitch he didn’t say anything to me. Nothing socially for the next four years, not even in the dressing room.”

Goodness me. It really is eye-opening to see Sheringham recounting what was clearly, from his recollection, a largely unprovoked but nevertheless staggering verbal exchange with his own club captain.

What else has been said?

And according to the Daily Mail, Keane wrote of Sheringham in his 2002 autobiography: “Teddy arrived for training on his first day at the club in his red Ferrari, every inch the confident Londoner. The chemistry between us was never right.”

Nevertheless, it clearly didn’t stop United from enjoying roaring success because the four years where the two players overlapped at Old Trafford saw the club win three Premier League titles, one FA Cup and the Champions League.

And it is worth noting that Sheringham has still been very complimentary of Keane the player and just how important he was for United during that golden period despite their difficult personal relationship.

Still, it sounds like quite the feud!