Roy Keane verbally attacks Sir Alex Ferguson during the launch of his autobiography

Roy Keane has accused his former manager Sir Alex Ferguson of spreading lies about him.

During the press conference of the official launch of his second autobiography The Second Half in Dublin, Keane attacked Ferguson saying the world of football is frightened to criticise the Scot. The book has been a major hit even before its release putting the former Nottingham Forest player into the spotlight on social media.

Football world is scared of Ferguson

"A lot of people are frightened of him" Keane said. "You can't go against him because you'll never be allowed speak to him again but, thank God, I don't have those problems. Why do people let him get away with that?

"People sit back and are frightened to death of him. I think a lot of managers would probably be intimidated by him, probably bow to him. I think [Roberto] Martinez reckons he was misquoted a few years ago that Ferguson had his disciples but he obviously does.

'The position I was playing in for United in the middle of the park, you have to express strength all the time and you had no weaknesses. This is a chance for me to look back. There was fear, there is fear.

"But don't get the impression that I was going into work every day shaking in my boots.”

On Ferguson’s biography

Ferguson in his autobiography had remarked that the hardest part of the Irishman’s body was his tongue. On this the 43-year-old remarked that he hadn’t read the book.

“I kick pretty hard. It was a cheap dig. He was never critical when we were winning trophies and he was getting his new contracts, getting this and that named after him - Sir this, and whatever else. He was not pulling me or other players, saying: 'Listen, you need to relax a bit.' That was the game and I appreciate the game. The game finished, and we finished, but it was all the carry-on afterwards.”

On being invited for Ferguson’s trophy unveiling

The who’s who of footballers who’ve played under the 73-year-old Scot turned up at the event but was the former United captain invited? To this he replied:

“I think I did, yeah, but I don’t think he invited me. It was probably his committee, or his son, or whatever, but why would I go to that? That was all power and control to him.”

If he will ever forgive Ferguson

Keane said that it was not just him who was subject to the former Aberdeen manager’s needless criticism and that it was wrong to say things about people who had done so much for him

“For Alex Ferguson, not just to criticise myself, but other players who were part of a team that brought some good days to lots of supporters … for him to criticise that when you think of what he made out of it. He made millions of pounds out of it. He got his statues. He got his stand named after him. To come back and criticise … I wasn’t too bothered about myself, but to criticise people who brought him success was just ridiculous.”

On the subject of forgiveness, he chose to remain non-committal though revealed that he was fed up of all the things that had been said about him.

“Will I ever forgive him? I don’t know. The stuff that has been said about me over the years, even from ex-team-mates, is a pack of lies, just lies and lies and lies and sometimes you just say: ‘Listen, I have to get up and say something myself and defend myself a little bit.’ Hopefully the book will reflect that. A lot of stuff I let go – lots of stuff I let go – but eventually you have to go: ‘Nah, nah, enough’s enough’.”

He revealed that even though he had his difference with some players, he bore no ill-will with any of them.

“The lads at Man United were absolutely fantastic. They were great, great lads. Just because there were disagreements – obviously my situation with Peter [Schmeichel], which again was highlighted in the book – the days I had with them lads at United were probably the best days of my life. They were absolutely fantastic lads and we were winning trophies. So for people to try to tarnish that and have little digs, that’s why you have to come out fighting”

Read more extracts from The Second Half here.

In a separate interview to the BBC, he talks about the football world living in fear of his former manager.

When asked what he would say if he crossed paths with him again.

He said: “Truthfully, I'd probably have a go at him. Yeah, why not?”

“What would I say? Why are you talking nonsense about us, talking rubbish about me and other lads who have done well?”

“I'm 43 years of age - am I supposed to be frightened of him? You've got to take them on. Football is a small world, so I'm sure we'll cross each other, and I look forward to it.”