Manchester United legend Roy Keane was known for his confrontational style on the pitch, though he was also a brilliant player. His feuds have tended to continue off the pitch, and one of the most famous was with Jason McAteer, which lasted 20 years.
Roy Keane’s Unexpected Move Ends Rift With Former Liverpool Star
Keane’s feud with McAteer started at the 2002 FIFA World Cup after the then-Manchester United star walked away from the Ireland squad just before the tournament. He had fallen out with manager Mick McCarthy over the facilities at their camp, and the former Liverpool star was among those who sided with the manager.
They went back and forth in the media, with Keane also calling out his former teammate in his autobiography, saying that he was too fond of himself and was “more interested in hair gel and nightclubs than winning matches.”
Speaking on “Call Yourself A Fan,” McAteer said, “We didn’t speak for 20 years and went backwards and forwards in the media, he’d hammer me so I’d hammer him, he’d give me some stick so I’d give him some stick. We had a fight during Sunderland versus Man Utd and he ended up getting sent off.
“His book had just come out, he had hammered me in his book and started giving me some on the pitch, so I just told him to just shut up and said, ‘Put it in your book, kn*bhead.’ With a minute to go he’s just gone in with an elbow and got a red card, and we didn’t speak for the next 20 years.”
However, it came to an end in 2025, when Keane’s surprise gesture of paying McAteer and his family’s bill at a cafe in Ireland made him emotional. He said:
“About six months ago, I was in a cafe where I live with my missus, and he [Keane] was in there with his family. I went round the corner, and he left after about 20 minutes. I went to get the bil,l and the waiter came over and went, ‘He’s paid your bill.’ I got dead emotional as I thought, had I wasted 20 years? Because he’s actually alright, you know.”
McAteer recalled calling Jamie Carragher to get Roy Keane’s number and informing him of the bill he had paid at the cafe. He asked for the Manchester United legend’s number, and the former England defender wanted to check with the Irishman before disclosing it.
The Liverpool legend later returned to McAteer with a message from Keane accepting the thanks, but he did not want his number shared.
