Shearer: I would have knocked Roy Keane out

Oli Fisher

Newcastle legend Alan Shearer has jokingly claimed he would have knocked out Man Utd man Roy Keane after their famous spat in 2001.

Shearer was up against Keane at St James Park when the Irishman launched a punch at the Geordie icon.

Even despite receiving a red card, the United midfielder was insistent on properly connecting with Shearer and the pair had to be separated.

“You had to look after yourself, definitely,” Shearer began.

“I always gave as good as I got – I was hard and most of the time I was fair. Neil Lennon deserved it, he was stupid for heading my foot! Nah, I just kicked out, didn’t mean to kick him in the head and I panicked when I saw it.

“I think I did an FA Cup game with Roy Keane [after we’d both retired] – we got on fine, had a laugh and a joke. He’s another one who I had some great battles with. He punched me in the face once, didn’t he? At St. James’ Park.

“He got that red card – it was funny – he walked off the pitch, it was the last minute of the game and he was waiting for me at the top of the tunnel. Of course we tried to get each other and we couldn’t, it was like ‘hold me back/don’t hold me back’ but we couldn’t get each other.

“It would have been interesting.”

Asked if he’d have knocked out Keane, Shearer replied: “Of course I would have.”