Keane released on bail

Millionaire Manchester United star Roy Keane was back at his mock-Tudor mansion last night after spending a night in the cells following an alleged assault on a woman.

Keane, 27, was celebrating clinching the Premiership title with team-mates when trouble broke out on Monday night in a Manchester city centre bar involving Maxine Rourke, believed to be the wife of former Smiths bass player Andy, and her Australian friend Leanne Carey, 25.

During the incident it was claimed that Keane kicked Carey.

The players had begun their night out in the Irish bar Mulligans, before going to nearby Henry's in Manchester city centre around 8.00 p.m.

A spokeswoman for Greenalls Pubs and Restaurants, which runs the bar, said: "The Manchester United team were enjoying a few drinks in Henry's Cafe Bar last night - we often see players in here and they are always polite and get on well with the staff."

Two girls came in about 8.30 p.m. and the trouble started soon afterwards.

The Greenalls spokeswoman said that a champagne glass was thrown and Keane received a cut below the eye.

She said both girls were asked by the manager to leave the bar, which they did immediately and without question.

"Greenalls welcomes all customers into its outlets providing that their conduct is reasonable. The two girls in question caused offence to both staff and customers, were in breach of this code and were ejected in line with company policy," she added.

Greater Manchester Police were called and Keane was arrested shortly before 10.00 p.m. in another bar called Quo Vadis.

Keane was taken to Bootle Street Police Station and examined by a doctor who said he should have eight hours rest before he was questioned.

Detective Chief Inspector John Davis said it was not fair to say the rest was needed because of the amount of alcohol he had consumed.

Keane was joined by United's manager Alex Ferguson at 9.15 a.m. Ferguson arrived on foot with security staff and spoke with the player.

Keane was then interviewed twice and his solicitor went through the statements.

He was released on bail, without charge, at midday and driven away in a police van. He is due back at the station on July 13th.

Shortly afterwards he arrived at his £900,000 home in Hale, Cheshire, where he refused to answer the door.

Police are now planning to re-interview witnesses from the bar and investigate the allegations made by the women so as to ascertain how Keane received a cut to his face.

Davis said as Keane left the police station: "He is totally in control. How shall I say in football parlance, he's not over the moon but he is not distressed. But what his inner feelings are I don't know."

The incident is a headache Ferguson does not need as his side bids to win an unprecedented treble for an English club.

He volunteered to go to the police station and was not requested to be there by Keane or the police.

At an FA Cup final open day he confirmed the incident and said Keane was released on police bail without charge.

He said: "He will be interviewed again in July when police inquiries are complete."

United beat Tottenham 2-1 at Old Trafford on Sunday to clinch the Premiership from Arsenal by one point.

Keane is expected to play a key role in Ferguson's preparations for Saturday's FA Cup final against Newcastle United, with a vital role in the centre of midfield.

But he is out of the Champions League final against Bayern Munich in Barcelona on May 26th as he is suspended. The players had a day off on Monday after Sunday's nail-biting match with Spurs and some are thought to have played golf.

After his players clinched their fifth Premiership title in seven years, Ferguson hailed them as the "gods of football".

He said: "I'm going to sit here and paint them as gods of the game, but we all know hard work is what makes this happen and those players are prepared to graft to get their trophies.

"This will all disappear once the champagne has gone from my head, but we are all allowed to be dreamers until the realism sets in again."

Ferguson's fifth championship took him level with Sir Matt Busby's five league titles for the club in the 1950s and 1960s.

And on Monday he was named Premiership Manager of the Year, his fourth manager of the year accolade, regaining the title from Arsenal's Arsene Wenger.