Roy Keane has revealed new details about his four-year battle with Sunderland after leaving the club

Roy Keane has opened up about the long-running financial dispute that followed his departure from Sunderland, revealing that his exit from the club led to a four-and-a-half-year battle with owner Ellis Short over money he believed he was owed.

The former Black Cats boss left the Stadium of Light midway through his third season in charge, having taken the club from the Championship to the Premier League and secured top-flight survival.

Speaking on Stick To Football, Keane reflected on the off-field fight that followed his 2008 departure –and his frustration with how the club’s ownership handled the situation. “You think about getting sacked, that's just the start of it. People are trying to get their few bob. Sunderland, with me, went on for about four-and-a-half years with owners and Ellis Short...”

Keane explained that the dispute stemmed from how his exit package was negotiated. He had reached an agreement with then-chairman Niall Quinn, only for the club’s new ownership to later question the legitimacy of the deal.

“It was because of who done the deal. Niall [Quinn] had done the deal with my solicitor. It was amicable, there was a few bob here and there. Then he was saying Niall didn't have the jurisdiction to do it, even though Niall was the chairman. That was the problem. They're finding the excuses.”

The Irishman said the disagreement centred on technicalities within the paperwork, with Short’s ownership group allegedly disputing whether Quinn had the authority to finalise the terms of Keane’s severance agreement. “That termination bit (wasn't in the contract). There was a fee agreed, and you would shake hands and go your separate ways. It's that word 'amicable', isn't it? That's where it gets messy.”

Keane took charge of Sunderland in August 2006, just weeks after the club had dropped into the Championship under Quinn’s caretaker spell. His arrival sparked an extraordinary turnaround –winning the Championship title in his first season and ending Sunderland’s brief stay in the second tier.

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During his time on Wearside, Keane signed several of his former Manchester United teammates –including Dwight Yorke, Liam Miller, and Kieran Richardson –and guided the club to safety in their first season back in the Premier League. His no-nonsense management style and instant success made him one of the most influential figures in the club’s modern history.

However, tensions grew behind the scenes in his third campaign, particularly after businessman Ellis Short increased his ownership stake in the club. Keane resigned in December 2008, later citing differences with both Short and Quinn.

Despite the disputes that followed, Keane’s impact at Sunderland remains significant. He revived the club at one of its lowest points and reconnected the fanbase with a sense of ambition and identity – even if his time on Wearside ended on difficult terms. Keane was later linked with a return to Sunderland in 2022 following the departure of Lee Johnson, but turned the job down after a week of talks, bringing to an end speculation of a comeback 14 years after his initial exit.

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