{"id":236226,"date":"2023-09-19T17:41:10","date_gmt":"2023-09-19T17:41:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lovemainstream.com\/?p=236226"},"modified":"2023-09-19T17:41:10","modified_gmt":"2023-09-19T17:41:10","slug":"i-was-tasked-with-replacing-roy-keane-at-man-utd-but-we-had-a-great-relationship-we-used-to-drink-pots-of-tea-together-the-sun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lovemainstream.com\/lifestyle\/i-was-tasked-with-replacing-roy-keane-at-man-utd-but-we-had-a-great-relationship-we-used-to-drink-pots-of-tea-together-the-sun\/","title":{"rendered":"I was tasked with replacing Roy Keane at Man Utd but we had a great relationship – we used to drink pots of tea together | The Sun"},"content":{"rendered":"
FORMER Manchester United star Alan Smith has opened up about his arrival at Old Trafford from Leeds and trying to replace legend Roy Keane.<\/p>\n
The pair formed a great relationship as a result and Smith revealed how they used to enjoy drinking pots of tea together.<\/p>\n
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Sir Alex Ferguson brought Smith to Old Trafford in the summer of 2004 after\u00a0his former team and rivals Leeds were relegated from the Premier League.<\/p>\n
The former forward struggled to find regular game time amidst the wealth of attacking options the club possessed.<\/p>\n
As a result, Smith began to play as a deep-lying midfielder – a role in which he would often fill in for Roy Keane as the legendary Irishman neared the end of his career. <\/p>\n
Smith spoke to Manchester Evening News about his time at United and his experience with Keane.<\/p>\n
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He said: "Roy Keane was impossible to replace because of his personality and the manager knew he was struggling injury-wise and couldn't play three games in a week.<\/p>\n
"I was just someone who was willing to play that role, to try to do it to the best of my ability. <\/p>\n
"I was never overawed by it because I thought it was a compliment, thinking that I'd never be as good as him but that I could fill in."<\/p>\n
FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS AND BONUSES NEW CUSTOMERS<\/strong><\/p>\n Keane didn't drink alcohol by the time Smith arrived and the pair gravitated toward each other on team nights out.<\/p>\n <\/picture>DEVIL MAY CARE <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/picture>EUR JOKING <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/picture>double trouble <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/picture>PAEDO COACH <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n He added: "Me and Roy had such a great relationship, to be honest.<\/p>\n "I've been a football geek my whole life and we'd talk about that, but people don't see that side of me because they think I've got a reputation, but I'm the opposite.<\/p>\n "I loved football from when I first started playing and for me and Roy, it was interesting because we'd go out and we would drink pots of tea and just chat about football. <\/p>\n "He'd tell me about all of his experiences previously."<\/p>\n Despite arriving from one of the club's fiercest competitors, Smith quickly found himself a place on the team and tried to fill the void opened by Keane's departure in November 2005.<\/p>\n Smith went on to make 93 appearances for United and scored 12 goals, but a horror double-leg break against Liverpool curtailed his career with them and he joined Newcastle in 2007.<\/p>\nMost read in Football<\/h2>\n
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