From the first Premier League title in 1993 to Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement 20 years later, Manchester United were England's dominant force.

It means that picking a Ferguson XI from his time at the Old Trafford helm often sparks debate, yet one player's place within that side is never in question - Roy Keane.

While Peter Schmeichel and Edwin van der Sar produced countless crucial stops, the likes of Rio Ferdinand and Steve Bruce made vital clearances and challenges, as well as vital goals being scored by Messrs Cantona, Van Nistelrooy, Solskjaer et al, Keane was the driving force behind a lot of the success.

Such a servant should have departed the club with a fanfare, but the circumstances surrounding Keane's exit, which happened nine years ago today, were acrimonious to say the least.

Never one to be too far away from controversy, a critical assessment on MUTV of his teammates following their 4-1 defeat away at Middlesbrough angered Ferguson.

The interview was never aired to the public, but it had made up Ferguson's mind - it was one offence too many and his captain had to depart.

In a meeting attended by Ferguson, chief executive David Gill, Keane and his lawyer Michael Kennedy, the Irishman was informed that his contract, which was due to expire at the end of the season, was to be cancelled with immediate effect.

Despite the animosity, Ferguson paid tribute to Keane by saying: "Roy Keane has been a fantastic servant for Manchester United. The best midfield player in the world of his generation, he is already one of the great figures in our club's illustrious history.

"Roy has been central to the success of the club in the last 12-and-a-half years and everyone at Old Trafford wishes him well in the rest of his career and beyond."

Meanwhile, Keane added: "It has been a great honour and privilege for me to play for Manchester United for over 12 years.

"During my time at the club I have been fortunate to play alongside some of the best players in the game and in front of the best supporters in the world. At all times I have endeavoured to do my best for the management and the team."

However, following those pleasantries, neither man held back regarding Keane's abrupt exit in their most recent autobiographies.

Keane, in The Second Half, said of that meeting in Ferguson's office: "I said to Ferguson, 'Can I play for somebody else?' And he said, 'Yeah you can, cos we're tearing up your contract'. So I thought, 'All right, I'll get fixed up.'

"I knew there'd be clubs in for me when the news got out. I said, 'Yeah, I think we have come to the end.' I just thought, 'Fucking prick' and I stood up and went 'Yeah. I'm off."

As for Ferguson, he offered in My Autobiography: "I believe that Roy Keane's behaviour pattern changed when he realised he was no longer the Roy Keane of old.

"Acting on a conviction that some of his strengths had been stolen from him by injury and age we tried to change his job description. I think he could see the truth of what we were saying to him, but to surrender to it was too damaging to his pride."

Neither believes that they are to blame for the breakdown in the relationship, but what cannot be disputed is Keane's record following his arrival from Nottingham Forest in 1993.

He won seven Premier League titles, four FA Cups, one Intercontinental Cup, but was suspended for the Champions League final of 1999, which United dramatically won 2-1 against Bayern Munich.