Bully Keane put boot in: Girls claim Utd skipper kicked them in bar rage

EXCLUSIVE By Adrian Addison and Caroline Sigley

TWO women said to have been kicked by soccer ace Roy Keane last night branded him a bad- tempered bully who needs help to control his aggression.

Pals Maxine Rourke and Leanne Carey spoke out after Manchester United skipper Keane was released on police bail after spending a night in a cell.

They said the tough midfielder lashed out in a bar after a furious four-letter exchange sparked when he asked married Maxine if she fancied United's black strikers Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke.

Mum-of-two Maxine, who claimed Keane booted her shin and pulled her hair, called him "drunk and intimidating."

Shadow

And Australian Leanne, 25, said she was "terrified" as millionaire Keane, 27, blew a fuse and kicked her kung fu-style in the thigh.

The bust-up allegedly happened as Keane and other United stars celebrated winning the Premiership. Keane was arrested after the Monday night fracas, though he strenuously denied the attacks.

He was released at noon yesterday, sporting a facial injury, after being visited by club boss Alex Ferguson. But the affair threatens to cast a shadow over United's bid to land a historic treble.

The team takes on Newcastle in Saturday's FA Cup final before attempting to become European champs in next Wednesday's clash against Bayern Munich.

Keane's stunning form has played a big part in United's glory trail.

Leanne and Maxine - married to bass guitarist Andy Rourke, who played with top 80s band The Smiths - work together at Manchester cafe Quo Vadis.

They were invited to join United stars including Keane, Cole, Yorke, Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Gary Neville, Jaap Stam and Denis Irwin for the celebrations at another city centre bar, Mulligans.

Leanne said she thought Keane was the worse for wear after she saw him drop a girl fan's camera in a pint of lager.

And trouble flared after the group headed for another bar, Henry's. Maxine, a lifelong Man United fan, said:

I was on a stool at the bar near the players. Roy Keane had been chatting to three girls at a table and came to get a drink. The players were just dancing around and enjoying themselves - there were lots of girls around.

Chatting

Keane started chatting to me and said, "Hi, all right?" I told him I had met him once before in Nottingham when he played for Forest.

He was quite pleasant before going away with his drink. Later I was sitting talking to Beckham about music, telling him my fella was a bass player.

Keane came back and half-jokingly said, "You don't like me any more because I don't own a Ferrari like Beckham."

I said, "I'm not interested in anybody - I've been with my fella for ten years." I started chatting to my friends and Andy Cole came up, dancing around. I was laughing with him about his dancing and we started chatting. Cole joked, "I've got the rhythm." Then when Cole left Keane came over and said, "After a bit of black then, are you?"

He seemed drunk and was intimidating, staring at me. I said, "What do you mean by that?" Keane said, "You know, do you like Cole and Yorke?" I said, "I'm married to a white bloke."

Maxine said a male pal then muttered something about Irishman Keane that angered him.

She added: "He then turned on me. He swore at me so I swore back. He threw his pint full in my face and I instinctively threw my glass of champagne in his."

Leanne said she moved in to try to calm Keane. She added:

I heard Maxine say in a raised voice, "My partner is white." I thought it was some sort of racial trouble - and the next thing I know he's thrown a pint in her face. I stepped in and said, "That's no way to treat a lady."

He kicked out at my thigh kung-fu style. It threw me back and really hurt.

He was being held back by about four men - two were Gary Neville and Nicky Butt.

Shock

I was in such shock I ran and hid behind the bar. I was terrified of Keane and you could see the shock on the players' faces.

Maxine said raging Keane was pulled back by Neville, Butt and others. But she added: "He broke free like a madman. They got hold of him again and he booted me in the shin. Then as he was being pulled away he grabbed hold of my hair. He had hold for about 30 seconds while I hung on to the stool and the bar. The players seemed dumbfounded.

"Keane might have been marked when he was pulled back in the scuffle - but we didn't hit him.

"It eventually stopped and we were chucked out as if it was our fault. It was unbelievable."

Maxine added: "No man is allowed to hit a woman - or anyone for that matter. He needs help to control his anger."

The women left to phone the police, ignoring an attempt by Gary Neville to calm them.

Maxine said: "Neville said there was no point in getting the police.

"He told us, 'There's only going to be one loser, and that's you. I've seen this before.' But he admitted seeing Keane kick me." Leanne added: "Keane is obviously aggressive when he is drunk. The club should send him to anger classes."

Police said Keane was arrested on suspicion of assault but denied the allegations. He has been bailed without charge to reappear at a police station in July while further investigations are carried out.

Rest

Det Chief Insp John Davies said the star was examined by a doctor who advised eight hours' rest. But he insisted this was not because Keane was drunk.

He added: "We will re-interview people to make sure what the allegations centre on, because everybody concerned had consumed alcohol, including the girls. Keane was totally in control. He's not, in football parlance, over the moon. But he's not distressed."

Keane was driven back to his Pounds 900,000 home in Hale, Cheshire, after his release. He would not comment on the assault claims.

The firm which runs Henry's, Greenalls Pubs and Restaurants, last night appeared to blame Maxine and Leanne for the bust-up.

A spokeswoman said the trouble started soon after they arrived at the bar to join the United players. A champagne glass was thrown and Keane was cut below the eye.

The spokeswoman added: "Greenalls welcomes all customers providing their conduct is reasonable.

"The two girls in question caused offence to both staff and customers and were ejected."

May 19, 1999 | Sun, The (London, England). Author/Byline: Adrian Addison and Caroline Sigley