A football shirt that no one knew existed is now heading to auction, with an expected selling price of £20,000. The jersey was prepared for Roy Keane during the 2002 World Cup, but the Manchester United legend famously walked out on the Ireland squad before the tournament in Japan, leaving the shirt unused.
The Untold Story of the Shirt
The shirt was kept by the team's kitman, who brought it back from Japan and handed it to his superior. It has remained in a lock-up on the outskirts of Dublin for the past 24 years. Now, Jonathan Courtenay has decided to sell it.
Courtenay, who was the Umbro distributor in Ireland at the time, explained: "When Roy pulled out of the squad and came home, the jerseys had already been named and numbered and were on their way out to Japan. The kitman held onto those jerseys, and they came back in skips. I have had the shirt for 24 years. I've shown it to people over the years. It's travelled about a bit."
He added: "I'm of an age where it doesn't excite me as much as it should anymore. Everything has a value, and I'm happy to let it move on. I have one wonderful daughter, but she doesn't have much interest in my collection, so I'm going to let some pieces go now."
The Infamous Saipan Incident
The shirt dates back to one of the most explosive confrontations in football history. In May 2002, Roy Keane had a heated argument with Ireland manager Mick McCarthy in Saipan over the standard of training facilities. The row led to Keane leaving the squad, a story that made front-page news worldwide.
Courtenay recalled: "Mick and Roy had had a disagreement on a tour under Jack Charlton back in 1993. There was already a little bit of bad blood there. They had a blazing argument over the standard of facilities. I do remember the start of the World Cup, and this was happening between Roy and Mick while India and Pakistan were threatening each other with nuclear war. The headlines in the papers in Delhi were about Roy walking out of the World Cup!"
Auction Details
The Budds auction will take place in Wellingborough, Northants, later this month once the World Cup is underway. David Convery, head of sporting memorabilia at Budds auctioneers, said: "Roy Keane is a living legend in Irish football, and this shirt dates from one of the most infamous and explosive confrontations in football history. It was made for the team captain but obviously never worn. Instead, it's a ghostly reminder of the tournament the team could have had, and one of the biggest 'what if' questions football fans have ever debated."
The auction features other iconic items, including:
- Gordon Banks' match-worn shirt from his legendary 'Save of the Century' against Pelé in 1970 (valued at £200,000 - £300,000)
- Peter Shilton's goalkeeper shirt from Maradona's infamous 'Hand of God' match in 1986 (valued at £200,000 - £300,000)
- Rare memorabilia from England's 1966 World Cup-winning squad, including Alan Ball's Final shirt, Gordon Banks' winners medal, and a complete set of tournament tickets.
Convery added: "The auction catalogue is evidence of the drama, the emotion, and the reason why the game is so well loved all over the world."
