The News that Never Was

Saturday provided the story that never was. Roy Keane did not walk out on Sunderland - but enough people believed that he might have done to keep my phone buzzing. Setanta are based in Dublin and much of my freelance work is for their Irish service, including Saturday's match between Blackburn and Sunderland. With so many Irish personalities involved at Sunderland there is terrific interest in anything that moves at the Stadium of Light.

So as rumours spread that Keane had quit, I was receiving calls on Friday evening and Saturday morning from Setanta producers anxious for me to find out the truth.

It didn't take long. A chat with Sunderland's media team was followed by evidence with the naked eye that Roy Keane was indeed with his team at Ewood Park, where they went on to win 2-1.

But it wasn't just Setanta who were on the case. Everyone was asking the same questions, making the same checks, and afterwards, putting the same questions to Keane - questions which, it has to be said, Keane dealt with in an admirably patient way. In this business, no-one wants to be left out when a story breaks. Even if it turns out to be a red and white herring.