When Jill Scott first met Roy Keane she was overawed, nervous and talked so much she claims she did little more than “chew the ears off” one of football’s prickliest characters for more than two hours.
Keane, notoriously, does not suffer fools or time-wasters and Scott was not sure what the former Manchester United captain would make of her badgering him for stories about his time as Sunderland manager with relentless enthusiasm. What has followed, though, is one of the game’s more unlikely friendships.
Indeed, Scott and Keane’s relationship is a heart-warming subplot of the Stick to Football podcast.
As regular guests, the pair tease each other like brother and sister. If you watch on YouTube, you will often see them smirking in each other’s direction, as they gently goad their fellow guests.
“I’m not sure Roy would describe us as friends,” Scott replies with a laugh when the subject is raised. “The first time I met him was in Qatar at the World Cup. I was sat next to him and he was telling me stories about when he was Sunderland manager. As a Sunderland fan, oh my God, I think I chewed his ear off for two hours. That was our initial communication…
“I think we get on. I respect him so much, his values, his morals and the way he looks at life. I loved him as a footballer. Maybe we are friends, I enjoy getting a coffee with him. He makes you laugh all the time. I actually think he could be a comedian, you know. He’s a great guy, I feel very lucky to work with him. He’s not as grumpy as people think. He’s not… he is just passionate about football.
“In fact, he’s passionate about life. If he sees something that he doesn’t like, you know a dog having a poo and the owner not picking it up, he is going to tell you. He wants to put everything right in the world, but he has got good values and morals and I think that’s great.”
One of the funniest moments on the podcast came last year when Scott told a story about being tackled by former West Ham and Newcastle striker Marlon Harewood in a charity game, telling the panel he had “absolutely smashed” her. His eyes sparkling with mischief, Keane, with impeccable comedy timing, replied: “And what was the game like?” The clip, with Keane’s smile afterwards, the raised eyebrow, the protest that it was merely an innocent question, as everyone burst into laughter, inevitably went viral. It was indicative of their relationship that he could say something like that to her.
"Please keep that in!" 🤣
— The Overlap (@WeAreTheOverlap) November 21, 2024
Is this the funniest moment in Stick to Football history? 😅 pic.twitter.com/ijMXyGeHLR
They may make each other laugh, but Scott, like most people who have spent any time with Keane, has incurred his wrath, annoying the former Republic of Ireland international with her poor time-keeping. It has led to a ...
