- Rio Ferdinand played alongside ex-defender Brown at Man United for nine years
- Ferdinand, 46, was recalling his favourite Christmas party stories while a player
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Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has reflected on when Wes Brown had to be carried out of a Christmas party during their time at the Red Devils, after angering Roy Keane.
As is tradition with the majority of companies in the UK, football clubs host Christmas parties for their players in the build-up to the big day.
With players having to endure strict diets to allow for maximum levels of performance in elite football, the festive social event is a chance to let off some steam.
And when talking on his own podcast, Rio Ferdinand Presents, the former United centre-back recalled when a boozed-up Brown nearly crossed the line with then-club captain Keane.
‘Wes Brown got carried out at midnight, or just before midnight,’ said Ferdinand. ‘We were doing all day at a Christmas do and he got carried out. I’ll never forget [it].
‘Wes was a funny drinker. I remember Roy Keane stopped drinking and we were out somewhere in Manchester and Wes kept trying to feed Roy a drink.
Wes Brown (left) once got boozed-up at a Christmas party and angered Roy Keane (middle)
Ferdinand remembered Brown being a ‘funny drinker’ while reminiscing about Christmas do’s
‘You know Roy, he was like “one more and I am going to put that over your head in a minute”, that type of thing. Wes had to get told to move out the way. That’s the problem with footballers and alcohol, it always goes wrong.’
Keane has had his share of Christmas party stories too. Speaking to Stick to Football, brought to you by Sky Bet, last year, he remembered a time when he wasn’t even allowed to go to United’s big event.
‘I got banned from the Christmas party one year,’ explained Keane. ‘I must’ve been injured, and the reserve team were having a night out and I went out with them and I think there was a bit of bother in Manchester.
‘The first team lads were going out a couple days later and Sir Alex Ferguson came in, in front of everyone, and said that if anyone was seen drinking with me that day, they would get fined.
‘The players were worried about getting fined by the manager, so I ended up going out by myself – I had a Christmas party by myself.’
While Christmas parties can be enjoyable for many players, the physical demands of the Premier League stops some from allowing themselves to let loose.
The festive period is renowned for its cramped calendar, with teams playing regularly up until the new year.
And Owen Hargreaves, while with Ferdinand, explained how much a player drank at the Christmas do was dependant on how regularly they were being selected.
‘Most of the guys can’t really drink because you have a game every three days,’ said Hargreaves.
‘No disrespect, but if you play one game a week in the Premier League, you have two or three days when you can go mad.’
