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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Rachel Sutherland

Derby County condemn vandalism of Richard Keogh billboard

A billboard showing Ireland star Richard Keogh was defaced to mock his serious injury as a result of what the club has called an "alcohol-related" incident.

The board outside Pride Park stadium had shown him holding a trophy aloft but this was replaced with a picture of a pint.

Keogh, 33, who has been an ever-present in the starting 11, will miss the remainder of the season with a serious knee injury as a result of the incident after a team bonding dinner last Tuesday.

Fellow Rams players Tom Lawrence and Mason Bennett were charged with drink driving following a crash which saw a Range Rover and a Mercedes collide in Allestree  that same night.

Lawrence, 25, of Duffield, and Bennett, 23, of Whaley Thorns, near Mansfield were arrested at the scene.

Republic of Ireland's Richard Keogh (©INPHO/Tommy Dickson)

Yesterday, it was reported Keogh damaged his anterior cruciate ligament and his medial collateral ligament, potentially keeping him out of action for 15 months.

A club spokesman said the billboard featuring Keogh had now been removed.

He said: "We can't condone this behaviour and equally we understand the sensitivity around this after what happened last week."

There were three other boards put up outside Pride Park which have also now been taken down, despite not being damaged.

Lawrence and Bennett are due to appear at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, 15 October.

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