Kid Carson caught Keane eye ... by kicking a wall

now on, you’ll be training with me and the first team.”

Impressed by his passion, Keane also recognised ability and Carson (right) made his Football League debut a few weeks later, scored a double to defeat Crystal Palace in his third appearance, and retained his place in the first team even after his backer bit the dust at Portman Road.

These days Carson is plying his trade in League Two with York, whose 17-match unbeaten charge into the 2013-14 play-offs bodes well for the new campaign.

“We were playing an Under-18s match against Chelsea and were 3-0 down at half-time,” recalled the 20-year-old, whose summer has been spent recovering from a cruciate ligament injury.

“My head completely went: I was kicking tables, punching walls and shouting, and hurt my foot doing it.

“In the second half we clawed it back to 3-2, and arguably should have beaten them.

“Afterwards, my foot was sore and I had to tell the physio I’d hurt it in a tackle. I couldn’t play for two or three weeks.

“Roy Keane heard about what had really gone on and asked me why I had reacted like I did. Rather than give me a rollocking, he said he wanted me to train with him when I was back to fitness.

“He liked the passion I had shown and my style of play too. Roy is a very scary man but if you worked hard for him he would always do the same for you.

“I was a bit of a livewire when I was younger, someone who liked the rough side of the game as a central midfielder. I was keen on a tackle and got stuck in, so maybe he saw a little bit of himself in me.”