Football: Clough fines Keane pounds 5,000

BRIAN CLOUGH, the Nottingham Forest manager, yesterday fined Roy Keane, his Republic of Ireland international, nearly pounds 5,000. The 21-year-old midfielder was sent home from a club trip to Jersey last week after an altercation in a hotel bar.

The fine is the equivalent to a week's wages but Clough, who could have doubled it under Professional Football Association guidelines on punishment for breach of club discipline, said: 'The incident has been built up out of nothing but Roy has got to learn to keep out of trouble however minor it is.'

Keane is currently serving a two-match suspension for accumulated bookings and, after missing Saturday's 3-0 defeat at Everton, will also miss Wednesday's home game against Norwich.

Last week Keane agreed to sign a new three-year contract with Forest, ending speculation that he would make an expensive move to either Blackburn, Arsenal or abroad.

Neither club nor player, though, have revealed whether there is a get-out clause which would free Keane to negotiate with other clubs if Forest are relegated from the Premier League this season.