FOREST HISTORY · Historic event
Keane signs from Cobh Ramblers
On this day in 1990 Forest sign Roy Keane from Cobh Ramblers.
Roy Keane’s move from Cobh Ramblers gave Forest one of the most important young midfielders of the early 1990s.
He arrived from Irish football at the age of 18 with raw qualities that suited Brian Clough’s eye for talent: competitive instinct, physical courage and a sharp appetite for the game. Forest became the place where those qualities were tested and sharpened in English football.
Keane quickly grew into a central figure. His energy gave Forest bite in midfield, but he was more than a ball-winner. He could carry possession forward, arrive in important areas and impose himself on matches with a maturity beyond his age.
For supporters, part of the fascination was watching a young player develop at speed. Keane looked ready for bigger stages almost from the beginning, yet his Forest years were not just a stepping stone. They were a major part of his football education.
His later move to Manchester United changed the scale of his career, but the City Ground was where English football first saw the player he was becoming. The signing remains one of Forest’s great talent-spotting moments.
Sources
Nottingham Forest official site; Cobh Ramblers; Soccerbase
Forest timeline
Explore more Nottingham Forest history
Browse the timeline to discover more events from this day and beyond:
0–2
3–0
1–1
1–2
4–1
1–0
1–0
2–1
2–0
0–1
0–2
2–2
0–0
1–2
0–1
14:00
16:30
20:00
15:00
17:30
15:00
20:00
20:00
15:00
15:00
15:00
16:30
19:30
15:00
19:30
15:00
15:00
15:00
15:00
20:00
15:00
15:00
20:00
15:00
15:00
15:00
15:00
15:00
15:00
15:00
15:00
15:00
16:00
Roy Keane’s move from Cobh Ramblers gave Forest one of the most important young midfielders of the early 1990s. He arrived from Irish football…
Billy Davies left Forest after two seasons that had brought hope, pressure and repeated play-off disappointment. His side had reached back-to-back Championship play-off semi-finals,…