Keane will miss Fergie reunion

DAVID Beckham wanted Roy Keane to play under Sir Alex Ferguson in his charity match at Old Trafford next month.

Beckham will captain a Great Britain and Ireland XI, managed by Ferguson, against a Rest of the World team coached by Carlo Ancelotti on November 14.

Several of Beckham’s former United team mates will play to raise funds for UNICEF.

Former United captain Keane turned down the offer due to commitments with the Republic of Ireland, for which he is assistant coach.

“That’s part of the problem with some of the other players we wanted. We had to pick a weekend when we would get a lot of support and 3pm on a Saturday does not happen very often.”

Had Keane been able to acceptr, it would have been only the second time the former midfielder had played for Ferguson since their famous bust–up in 2005.

Ferguson became angry with his captain after the latter delivered a damning critique of his team–mates on the club’s in–house TV station after defeat by Middlesbrough. Shortly afterwards Keane moved to Celtic.

Though Keane played again under Ferguson in his testimonial in 2006, the pair have had a frosty relationship and have traded jibes in their respective autobiographies.

Tickets for the game from www.manutd.com.