Keane's Edge

Born: Cork, August 10, 1971.

Nationality: Corkman ("If they ask me in England where I'm from I say Cork first, Ireland second"). Clubs: Rockmount, Cobh Ramblers, Nottingham Forest, Manchester United.

Other sports? Tried his hand at boxing and hurling, but gave them up as a bad job and opted for football.

Transfers: Cobh to Forest (£47,000, 12/6/90); Forest to United (£3.75m, 22/7/93).

Gutted? Brighton. Offered Keane a trial when he was 17, then changed their minds because their scout reckoned that he was too small and his temperament "too uneven".

D-day? Spotted by Forest scout Noel McCabe playing for Cobh Ramblers against Belvedere in an FAI youths Cup match in Dublin in February 1990. After the game McCabe submitted a report to Forest which concluded, "he is in my opinion a player to go on trial at Forest - right away".

Forest debut: August 1990, against Liverpool at Anfield (after just 10 minutes of reserve team football).

Senior Irish debut: May 1991, against Chile at Lansdowne Road.

United debut: August 1993, against Arsenal in the Charity Shield at Wembley. United captaincy: succeeded Eric Cantona in 1997.

Club honours: Five league championships, three FA Cups, one European Cup . . . and a Zenith Data Systems Cup final winner's medal with Forest ("to be honest, I just threw it away"). Appearances this season: 50 (five for the Republic of Ireland, 45 for United).

Goals this season: 12. (v Arsenal (two), Sturm Graz (two), Croatia Zagreb, Aston Villa, Palmeiras, Valencia, Bradford, Sunderland, Bordeaux, Fiorentina). Disciplinary record this season: Eight yellow cards and one red.

Quote: "I'm no Rivaldo, but I give it everything."

PFA Divisional Team Award Winners

Premiership: Martyn (Leeds), Kelly (Leeds), Stam (Man Utd), Hyypia (Liverpool), Harte (Leeds), Keane (Man Utd), Beckham (Man Utd), Kewell (Leeds), Vieira (Arsenal), Phillips (Sunderland), Cole (Man Utd).

Division One: Wright (Ipswich), Rowett (Birmingham), Rufus (Charlton), Coleman (Fulham), Powell (Charlton), Kinsella (Charlton), Hignett (Barnsley), Kennedy (Man City), Robinson (Charlton), Hunt (Charlton), Stewart (Ipswich).