ROY KEANE has joked Sir Alex Ferguson “struck it well” after recalling his infamous clash with David Beckham.
The legendary Manchester United manager clashed with the former midfielder after an FA Cup fifth round loss to Arsenal in 2003.
PA:Press AssociationDavid Beckham was left with stitches above his eye after Sir Alex Ferguson kicked a boot at him[/caption]
Beckham was left requiring stitches above his left eye after being struck by a stray boot kicked by Ferguson in the dressing room.
Over two decades on, Keane has now shed some new light on the incident.
The former United captain was speaking on Sky Sports from inside the Old Trafford dressing room ahead of their match against Tottenham.
He explained: “I think Becks was over there somewhere, somewhere there by the mirror.
“I think the manager had a go at him for not tracking back and I think Becks said something back.
“It was an accident. He struck it well, but he was so unfortunate, honestly.
“If it was anybody else it would have been fine but because it was Becks at the time, and obviously Becks was so high profile, and like Jamie [Redknapp], a good-looking guy, that created one or two issues.
“But that all happens in dressing rooms. I used to love all that stuff.”
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GettyRoy Keane joked Ferguson ‘struck it well’ whilst recalling the incident[/caption]
It later emerged that Ferguson had been targeting a pile of clothes on the changing room floor during one of his notorious hairdryer treatments.
Regardless, Beckham was later snapped with stitching above his eye as a result of the incident.
The former England star admitted in his tell-all Netflix series last year that he went to attack Ferguson after he kicked the boot at him.
Sharing the story, he said: “I went like that,” and gestured putting his hand to his forehead and realised he was bleeding, before getting out of his seat and saying “and then like that” to indicate how he lunged for Ferguson.