Legendary Manchester United hardman Roy Keane is said to have ‘scared referees’ having also made an opponent bleed by elbowing them in the face during a Premier League clash.
The Irishman was infamous for his fiery temper, which boiled to the surface on a frequent basis throughout his time at the Red Devils, Nottingham Forest and Celtic, as well as on the international stage with his country.
That temper was used by Keane to get the better of opponents by whatever means necessary and helped him to win seven Premier League titles and the Champions League.
One of his former opponents has now claimed that the midfielder’s actions also led to referee themselves feeling scared when taking charge of a game involving one of Keane’s sides.
HAVE YOUR SAY! Who is the best midfielder in the Premier League's history? Comment below.
Darren Ambrose came up against Keane and United during the 2004/2005 season, when Newcastle visited Old Trafford.
The Magpies star had given the visitors the lead just before the half-hour mark when he capitalised on Tim Howard’s scuffed clearance before skipping past Gabriel Heinze and Wes Brown to score.
Ambrose enjoyed an impressive game in what was just his third Premier League start of the season, but he also had a run-in with Keane that left him bloodied.
The former midfielder has now recalled his battle with the iconic United captain that ended with him taking an elbow to the face.
“He scared everyone. Scared the referees. I was having a battle with him at Old Trafford and he threw an elbow at me, properly,” Ambrose told talkSPORT.
“I was all young and enthusiastic on his back and he threw an elbow and cut my lip open. Blood was everywhere, on my shirt.
“The ref called us both over and I said ‘he’s just elbowed me in the face’. And Keane actually said ‘yeah, well what did you expect? You was all over me’.
“So I’m thinking, this is brilliant, he’s just admitted to elbowing me in the face and the ref said exactly the same thing to me, he said ‘what did you expect? You was all over him’. He just got away with it.”
To make matters worse for Ambrose, his goal was not enough to prevent Newcastle falling to defeat at Old Trafford.
Though they took a one-goal lead into half-time, Wayne Rooney scored one of the best goals in Premier League history with a thumping long-rang volley.
And with 15 minutes remaining, Wes Brown headed past Shay Given from a corner to hand United all three points.
The Red Devils would go on to finish third in the top-flight that season, which was Keane’s last campaign at the club.
He would encounter Ambrose again three years later when the Englishman joined Ipswich on loan for the 2008/2009 season, during which Keane took over as the Tractor Boys’ manager.
