Manchester United legend Roy Keane once penned a letter asking Arsenal to sign him, his former coach has revealed.
The ex-United captain is a club icon, having won seven Premier League titled during a glittering career at Old Trafford.
However, former coach Alfie Hale has revealed that Keane wrote to Arsenal, along with Liverpool, Manchester City and other Premier League big-hitters, to ask them to come and watch him play for Hale's side, Cobh Ramblers.
Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest were the only club to respond but they weren't interested at the time.
"The ironic thing about Notts Forest coming in to see him — he had written to every top club in England for a trial: Man United, Man City, Arsenal, Liverpool, every one of them," Hale told The42.
“[One of the few] that replied to him was Notts Forest. They said: ‘Sorry son, thank you for the application. We’ll look at you later, but at the moment, there is nothing here.’ But he said [Forest] at least had the courtesy to respond to him."
Of course, Nottingham Forest did eventually sign Keane from Cobh Ramblers before he eventually move to Manchester United in 1993, despite the initial rejection.
By the time Forest reacted, though, other big clubs had noticed Keane's talent and there was real competition for his signature.
"When it came down to signing him, other clubs dashed in," Hale said.
"There was a lad that played for me called John Hollins, he was the captain at Chelsea and I said: ‘John, I told you three or four times and you never listened!'. I said: ‘You’re only listening now because someone else has come in for him’.
"He said: ‘Can I talk to him, will you listen to me?’ I said: ‘You can,' but nothing came of it. Roy Keane had made up his mind: ‘I’m going to Forest.’
"[Forest] gave Cobh 20 grand, plus add-ons but it could have been 50 grand if they pushed it enough and if they put in more add-ons and all the little conditions attached to it, they could have made a fortune."
He continued: “Roy at 17 was basically just a youthful Roy Keane as you know him today. Nothing fanciful. Straight passing. Give it, go, get on it again, get on the end of it and if you have a shot at goal, great.
"And when it’s in your half, you bloody well win it. That’s him. Always committed. A very quiet lad."
