07/11/2024
BRILLIANT STORY OF THE DAY! Former Keeper Mark Crossley on BRIAN CLOUGH PUNCHING ROY KEANE:
“The one story that is true with Roy is, we played Crystal Palace in a cup game and he gave me a short back pass. I miskicked it and John Salako chipped me from the halfway line, it took the game to a replay 3-3 in the last minute. Cloughy was waiting in the dressing room for Keano, because Roy used to sprint off the pitch. But the gaffer was hiding behind the door, out he steps and punches Roy and says: ‘Don’t ever pass the ball back to my goalkeeper, young man’.
“It was actually my fault, but he punched Keano and I think that was just his way of letting him know, I’m the gaffer and you do as I say’.
Roy Keane spoke of his memories of it:
"When I walked into the dressing room after the game, Clough punched me straight in the face. 'Don't pass the ball back to the goalkeeper', he screamed as I lay on the floor, him standing over me. I was hurt and shocked, too shocked to do anything but nod my head in agreement.”
Keane said he had far too much respect for Clough to fight back. In fact, he said it was a genius move from Cloughy, as the midfielder certainly learned his lesson. Keane revealed he did not retaliate to Clough’s punch, saying: “Brian Clough punched me after a game against Crystal Palace. Did I take it that badly? No. He was a genius. He was upset, he was heated and he punched me. I remember thinking, ‘I still think you’re a brilliant manager’. I came in the next day and I trained and I didn’t text anyone in the media or ring somebody or go on WhatsApp & Twitter, whatever they go on, saying ‘somebody punched me as the softies do in todays game’.
BRILLIANT 👏👏👏