The formative international days of a future Irish captain featured at Turners Cross…
Long before his reign as the general at Old Trafford, a varied career with Ireland and the beard, there was a time when Roy Maurice Keane was just like any other young footballer.
The 19-year-old was on the front of the match programme as Ireland welcomed old enemies England to Turners Cross for an U-21 qualifying match in November 1990.
By our logic the future Irish assistant manager would only have been 19 and enjoying his first few months abroad at Nottingham Forrest under the guidance of the late, great Brian Clough.
The Irish team that night contained a few names that should also be well known to football fans such as former captain Kenny Cunningham, ex Limerick and Shamrock Rovers boss Pat Scully and current Longford Town manager Tony Cousins.
Ireland lost the match 3-0 thanks to a brace from a young Southampton striker by the name of Alan Shearer and a goal from Ian Olney of Aston Villa.
To be fair, that England side weren’t too bad as they boasted the likes of Shearer, Lee Sharpe, Jason Cundy, John Ebrell and David James in their starting XI with Rod Wallace and Paul Warhurst on the bench.
Take a look at a fresh faced and pre-bearded Roy Keane below…
Roy KEANE pic.twitter.com/0pVvyatI34
— Old School Panini (@OldSchoolPanini) November 11, 2014
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