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Comedian Ricky Gervais has launched a hilarious dig at Roy Keane via social media, mocking the heated exchange between the former Manchester United captain and an Ipswich supporter during a recent match at Portman Road.
After a hard-fought match ending in a 1-1 draw between United and Ipswich on Sunday, Keane had a furious clash with a fan who had berated him. The ex-Ireland international famously told fans they could take their disagreement to the ‘parking lot’ straight after the game.
In the context of the match, Keane was finishing his consulting role alongside fellow Sky Sports analysts Jamie Redknapp and Izzy Christiansen when he decided to confront a remaining fan to provoke him further.
In an exclusive video captured by Mail Sport, Keane, who coached Ipswich from 2009 to 2011, was seen dropping his microphone, shoving his hands in his pockets, and walking towards the fan to confront him directly, initiating a heated exchange .
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The situation escalated as the fan continued to hurl insults, prompting Keane to insist several times, “wait and chat in the parking lot”, as emotions flared on both sides.
In light of the incident, Gervais took the opportunity to deride Keane on social media. Responding to an announcement about his appearance on the Stick to Football podcast, where Keane is a regular consultant, Gervais joked: “I’m just glad Roy doesn’t want to chat with me in the car park.”
Gervais’ presence on the podcast surprised many people, as the show usually hosts former players and consultants. During the segment, he explained how he found his passion for football again. “I really like football now,” he revealed. “I took a break for about 30 years. I wasn’t anti-football, it just slipped under my radar. I played at school and until my early 30s, but then I lost contact. During COVID, I started watching matches again, especially those played without an audience. It was a real turning point for me.”
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He also shared how a gripping documentary, Sunderland ‘Till I Dierekindled his interest in the sport. “The sense of community it depicted, as well as the hardships faced by the players and their finances, completely hooked me. I then dove into other documentaries, like those about Manchester City and Leeds, and now I watch every game I can.”
Following Keane’s clash with the fan, Sky Sports confirmed they would not be improving security measures for their consultants. The network conducts risk assessments for every match, deploying security teams only for high-risk matches. However, they recognize that they cannot mitigate every instance of verbal abuse thrown from the stands.
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The fallout from the incident did not escape attention, with Keane receiving a warning from the network afterwards. Sky are believed to have sympathy for him, given the ridicule he received that day from a specific group of Ipswich supporters.
Witnesses report that Keane had suffered continued provocations from a section of local supporters deemed to have crossed the line with their comments.
Self-identified fan Neil Finbow took to social media to tout his “new feat”—being “proposed to the parking lot by Roy Keane” following their verbal exchange. Finbow revealed he teased Keane over his past failures as Ipswich manager and even mentioned Keane’s famous tackle on Alf-Inge Haaland.
Additionally, he mentioned: “I reminded him how he set Ipswich back by five years and ruined our club. I made my feelings known since he was let go years ago, although I claimed that I never indulged in personal attacks too much and just said, ‘You’re a better consultant than you were as a coach.'”
For Gervais, this humorous moment on social media is just another episode in the ongoing theater of English football, a place where emotions run high and fans always ready to engage.
