September 6 2002

Crystal Palace

In more extracts from Roy Keane's book, he revealed he stamped on GARETH SOUTHGATE when Man United played Palace in the FA Cup semi-final in 1995 for "getting in the way".

Keane could now face further FA punishment following the latest extracts published in the Sun, this time about SOUTHGATE.

Keane said: "He shouldn't be lying on the floor. Defenders shouldn't be on their backsides. I felt that he got in the way."

Elsewhere in the book, Keane talks about the infamous incident where Eric Cantona jumped into the crowd to attack a Palace fan.

"Fair play to Eric. I might have done the same myself. Of course, when I got home and saw the television pictures I could see it was a nasty incident," he said.

"Out of order, too. But my attitude didn't change. My heart went out to him and all the lads felt the same.

"We didn't pat him on the back and say well done - but Eric was a good lad and we weren't going to turn on him now."

Keane was on the Selhurst Park pitch when Cantona "lost it". He added: "Eric got involved with his marker, Richard Shaw. It was niggly stuff, not nasty - shirt-pulling, obstruction, a bit of chat.

"You shouldn't bother about it but the aim is to break your concentration - sometimes it worked and, with Eric, Palace got a result. Eric lost it and kicked Shaw. Off.

"The crowd went mad. As Eric walked towards the dressing room the game resumed. Now it's a battle. Suddenly there was a commotion on the far touchline - something had happened but we didn't know what. It turned out some looper had had a go at Eri c near the tunnel.

"Eric didn't react immediately, then turned back and launched himself at his tormentor.

"Bruce Lee would have been proud of his kung fu kick, although he could have hurt himself quite badly, broken his back.

"It's a good thing he wasn't wearing studs. As it was, he ended up on his feet trading blows with the guy.

"After the game, the dressing room was quiet. The directors were in a huddle with the gaffer. Eric sat there, head bowed.

"Police were outside in the corridor. It was a big test for the manager but I still say some of the things you hear from the terraces are really sickening.

"Racist taunts, chants about players' personal lives - Eric suffered a lot from that - filth that makes you wonder about the people who come to football matches."