KANGAROO COURT

Last updated : 16 October 2002 By Editor

Roy Keane was yesterday found guilty by the FA for two charges of bringing the game into disrepute. He has received a five match ban and a record £150,000 fine. The charges related to a claim in Keane's autobiography that he deliberately set out to hurt Manchester City midfielder Alf Inge Haaland in a game in April 2001 and secondly publishing his account to gain financial reward.

The suspension will start on 4th November and will mean he will miss ties against Leicester (Worthless Cup), Man City, West Ham, Newcastle, and Liverpool. He will return in time for the Arsenal match at Old Trafford on December 7th.

A three-man panel, chaired by FA disciplinary committee chief Barry Bright, heard Keane being cross-examined by the FA's lawyer John Sturman QC. They deliberated for six hours before dishing out the punishment.

The fine is worth about two weeks' wages but it is the ban that will worry Manchester United the most. The punishment will begin three weeks from now (mainly thanks to the press), which is just about when Sir Alex Ferguson said Keane would return from his hip operation.

United's statement regarding the action says

"Clearly, after the arguments that have been put forward in Roy's defence, we are disappointed with the verdict. But after such a long day, now is not the time to make quick decisions so we will be reviewing the question of appeal over the next few days."