Roy Keane issued X-rated slight at Wayne Rooney after spat at Man Utd team hotel

Roy Keane was furious at Wayne Rooney after an incident early on in the striker’s Manchester United career.

Keane ruled the roost during his time at Old Trafford, ensuring player never let their standards slip.

While most would have been terrified of Keane’s wrath, a young Rooney once tested the waters by stealing the television remote and switching channel to the X-Factor while Keane was trying to watch a rugby league match.

Speaking on the 'Stick to Football' podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet, Rooney said: “He’s watching rugby league [Roy Keane], so I was sat there – it was Newcastle away – and you had to go out the room to get your food. I think it was my second or third game.

“He’s gone out, and I’ve changed it over to The X Factor – and hid the remote. So, he’s come back in, fuming. And we are sat there, and the next thing I know he’s got up and pulled the plug out of the TV.

"I don’t even know if he knows, but about midnight, the club security knocked at my door and asked for the remote. And I said, I’ve no idea where it is!”

Also speaking on the same programme, Keane claimed he immediately knew the culprit but had initially opted not to berate the then-teenager. That was until Rooney gloated about the incident the following day.

Keane ruled the roost at Manchester United (Getty)

"I like my rugby league and there was a good game on, and I came back, and I knew the lads were up to no good, the usual, very immature these lads," Keane added. "And I was like, 'where’s the controls' and of course, The X Factor was on.

"So anyway, I wouldn’t say I stormed off, but I went to bed, and I knew he [Rooney] had done it. But he was new to the club, so I thought, ‘Give him a chance, you don’t want to be too hard on him.’

‌“The next morning, we went down for breakfast, and he comes up to me and goes, ‘Did you find them controls?’ – and I was going to be polite to him but when he said that, I said, ‘Go f*** yourself’. We recovered after that!“