\u201cAbout six months ago I was in a cafe and he [Roy Keane] was in there with his family. He left after about 20 minutes. I went to get my bill but the waiter said Roy had paid it. I got dead emotional, had I wasted 20 years? Because he\u2019s actually all right, you know.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo I rang Jamie Carragher and said, \u2018soft arse has paid my bill in a restaurant, can I have his number?\u2019, and he said he\u2019d better ask him first. Two hours later, Carra rang me back and said, \u2018Roy said he accepts the thank you, but you can f**k off, you\u2019re not having his number\u2019.\u201d \u2013 Jason McAteer, speaking on the quizshow \u2018Call Yourself A Fan\u2019, on the end of a two-decade-long feud.<\/p>\n
Altogether: Aw.<\/p>\n
Arabs of Dundee<\/p>\n
Some of us always believed that Dundee United supporters are called Arabs because in 1963 they covered a frozen pitch with sand so their cup game against Albion Rovers could go ahead. They won 3-0, newspapers reporting that they had taken to the sand \u201clike Arabs\u201d.<\/p>\n
However: \u201cIt\u2019s a great story, but isn\u2019t remotely true,\u201d The Dundee Courier once revealed. Instead, they claim it dates back to 1960 when a chant-leading supporter, who resembled president Nasser of Egypt, often hollered: \u201cI AM NASSER AND YOU ARE MY ARABS!\u201d The sandy pitch still sounds more convincing, to be honest.<\/p>\n
Why do we mention all of this? Because a supporter of Dundee, Dundee United\u2019s not-so-beloved neighbours, has won \u00a310,926.46 in compensation after an employment tribunal ruled that his sacking by BT was unjust. The company found that he had breached their \u2018Diversity and Inclusion\u2019 policies, among his supposed transgressions calling a Dundee United-supporting co-worker and friend an \u201cArab b*****d\u201d. <\/p>\n
After having the Arab thing explained to them, the tribunal accepted it was just football banter, if a bit rude, and not actual racism. They didn\u2019t rule, alas, on whether the name came from a sandy pitch or a Nasser lookalike.<\/p>\n
Arrests of the week<\/p>\n
We\u2019ll go with the three Club Brugge fans who were jailed for five days in Kazakhstan after being found guilty of \u201cdisrespectful and disturbing acts of public order\u201d \u2013 including being drunk and removing their clothes \u2013 during the Belgian side\u2019s Champions League game against Kairat Almaty. What were they wearing? Mankinis, in honour of Borat in that \u2018Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan\u2019 movie. Considering the temperatures were below zero, they deserved a medal, not imprisonment.<\/p>\n
Quote<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s always angry, always with a long face. He probably doesn\u2019t have sex at home because he\u2019s a very bitter guy.\u201d \u2013 Diego Costa with fond memories of Antonio Conte during their time at Chelsea. <\/p>\n
Number: 145<\/p>\n
That\u2019s how much, in euros, the new \u2018pro\u2019 version of Ireland\u2019s jersey will cost fans. The kid\u2019s shirt? \u20ac85. The good news? \u201cIt\u2019s a timeless piece for loyal supporters.\u201d<\/p>\n
Word of Mouth<\/p>\n
\u201cFor the first time in history, no Brit was arrested during a World Cup! Imagine! This is something really, really special!\u201d \u2013 Fifa president Gianni Infantino, talking about how peaceful the Qatar World Cup<\/a> was, not quite endearing himself to Blighty. <\/p>\n \u201cFor me, it is a surprise when coaches with no history and no work done have the opportunity to coach the most important teams in the world.\u201d \u2013 Jos\u00e9 Mourinho stopping short of praising Manchester United<\/a> for choosing Michael Carrick as their interim gaffer. <\/p>\n