Roy Keane book launch event to go ahead, despite gaffe by Tesco store

Extracts of Keane's book have been making headlines since copies appeared on shelves at a store in Manchester

Roy Keane reveals he head-butted Peter Schmeichel during a fight on Manchester United’s 1998 pre-season tour of Asia (EPA)

The official launch for Roy Keane's new autobiography is set to go ahead on Thursday as originally planned despite copies of the book having accidentally been put on sale already this week.

Supermarket chain Tesco has apologised and launched an investigation after one of its stores in Burnage, Manchester committed a blunder by putting Keane's The Second Half on its shelves on Monday - three days earlier than the scheduled release date.

National newspapers subsequently published extracts of the book, which revealed details about the former Manchester United captain's shock exit from the club and a drink-fuelled fight with his former team-mate Peter Schmeichel.

The plan for Thursday's official launch had included Keane taking part in a promotional press conference that afternoon at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.

And the book's publishers Weidenfeld & Nicolson confirmed on Tuesday that the event with the 43-year-old Republic of Ireland and Aston Villa assistant boss will still be happening.

A spokesperson for the publishers told Press Association Sport: "It wasn't part of our plan obviously (for details of the book to be in the public domain before Thursday).

"But we are adapting to the situation and carrying on with the press conference because people will still want to speak to Roy himself."

The spokesperson said the publishers were unable to comment on the possibility of Weidenfeld & Nicolson taking legal action against Tesco, but added: "We have been in touch with Tesco and they have apologised and withdrawn any stock that was mistakenly put out."

Meanwhile, Republic of Ireland boss Martin O'Neill has stressed the need for the focus in the camp to be on the Euro 2016 qualifying double-header against Gibraltar on Saturday and then Germany on Tuesday rather than anything relating to the book.

O'Neill told Sky Sports News: "The games are very, very important and are the main reason we are here.

"I wouldn't want anything to be a distraction. You could turn around and tell me that me speaking about this is a distraction - but such is life, and you get on with it.

"I genuinely don't know what the headlines are about the book. It obviously was going to cause some sort of furore at some stage or another - the very fact that he (Keane) has put his name to this book would suggest that that is exactly what would happen.

"Really, it is there and it doesn't matter. The games are the most important things for us."

He added: "Let me read it first of all and then I will find out (about it)."

PA