Roy Keane Life and times - 1991: Even as a teenager, Keane was not afraid to stand up to authority. Following a friendly against the United States, the Republic of Ireland team were allowed a night out.  .  .

The next morning, with departure set for 7.30, the team were kept waiting until 8 a.m. by Keane. A furious Jack Charlton said: "Nineteen years old, your first trip, do you have any idea how long we have been waiting?" Keane replied, without a hint of fear: "I didn't ask you to wait, did I?"

1998 After spending almost an entire season on the sidelines through injury, Keane confessed he needed to change his ways. "In the past I was naive. I used to go to nightclubs, drink and go to Kentucky Fried Chicken shops," said Keane. "Unfortunately, I did not know people were going to have a go at me. Now I will make sure I know where I am going and who I am going with.

"You live and learn and hopefully those days are behind me."

1999 Keane admitted his unhappiness with the first new contract offer he received from Manchester United. He said: "I was a bit annoyed with the first offer put to me. Deep down they must have known it wasn't something I could sign. Our dealings have to be realistic. I am not naive enough to settle for anything less than a reasonable valuation of my worth."

2000 Keane brands United's decision to blame his £52,000-a-week wages for the hike in season ticket prices as "a stupid mistake". The club sent a letter to fans claiming that one of the reasons for the ticket increases was Keane's wage rise. "I'm not one for holding grudges but this was a stupid mistake, a bad public relations exercise and something that should never have happened. I'm still waiting for my apology but I could be waiting a long time."

2000 Keane criticised sections of United's support after what he felt was a poor atmosphere in the club's Champions League clash with Dynamo Kiev saying: "Sometimes you wonder, do they understand the game of football? Away from home our fans are fantastic, I'd call them the hardcore fans. But at home they have a few drinks and probably the prawn sandwiches, and they don't realise what's going on out on the pitch. I don't think some of the people who come to Old Trafford can spell football, never mind understand it."

2001 Keane hinted he might quit the international stage if FAI offficials continued to treat the squad like second-class citizens. "Where we trained last Monday, in Clonshaugh, was abysmal and it has been for as long as I've known it," he said. "I was fairly critical about our seating arrangements on the flight out here, when the officials were sitting in the first-class seats and the players were sitting behind."

Later that year he went on the offensive against his club saying it was time to break up the team in the wake of a Champions League exit against Bayern Munich. United lost 2-1 in the Olympic Stadium to complete a 3-1 aggregate defeat in the quarter-finals.

"The players gave it their all, but we are just not good enoughand maybe it's time to move on. Maybe it's the end of the road for this team."

Keane then admitted there were "no excuses" for his continuing lack of discipline after being shown a red card for the 10th time in his career.

"Nobody needs to tell me how foolishly I behaved at Newcastle last weekend. There is no defence," he said. "There are no excuses. I rather hoped the penny would have dropped by now, but it seems that is not yet the case. I try to maintain control, try to stay calm but the red mist sometimes descends."

2002 Following another Champions League exit, this time at the semi-final stage to Germany's Bayer Leverkusen, Keane was once again brutally honest, commenting: "We blew it. This club deserves to win European Cup finals and we blew it. It's as simple as that. We had a great opportunity and these sort of chances don't come along very often."

He later questioned the desire of some of his team-mates and warned - prophetically as it turned out - that the Red Devils could end the season without a trophy.

"There are a lot of cover-ups sometimes and players need to stand up and be counted. I'm not sure that happens a lot at this club. That's the least we should do. We shouldn't have to demand it from the players - they should be proud to play and give 100%. We're not asking for miracles."

Then, of course, came Saipan. An exasperated Keane announced he would quit international football after the World Cup having expressed his dissatisfaction with Ireland's preparations. When clear-the-air talks with Mick McCarthy descended into a "slanging match", McCarthy sent Keane packing.

"You've seen the training pitch and I'm not being a prima donna," said Keane. "Training pitch, travel arrangements, getting through the bloody airport when we were leaving, it's the combination of things. I would never say 'that's the reason or this is the reason,' but enough is enough."

The civil strife caused Keane's departure from the World Cup raged on in Ireland but Keane went back to Premiership matters. But controversy continued to stalk him.

Having suffered a serious knee injury in a clash with Alfe-Inge Haaland earlier in his career, Keane got his revenge in a Manchester derby. A crude stamp on the Norwegian's knee earned a red card and left Haaland badly injured. In his autobiography Keane admitted: "I waited until five minutes before the end, I hit him hard."

2003 Brian Kerr's arrival as Ireland manager opened the door to a return for Keane, but he ruled out that option. "I also consulted with my medical team who operated upon my hip last September. The unequivocal advice given to me by my doctors was that I should not return."

2004 As United lost their grip on the Barclaycard Premiership title Keane rounded on unidentified younger players, accusing them of not pulling their weight.

"We have one or two young players who have done very little in the game," he said. "They need to remember that and not slacken off. They need to remember just how lucky we all are to play for Manchester United and show that out on the pitch."