Robbie Keane recalls hilarious penny game at Leeds United and how Robbie Fowler scored a hat-trick while carrying coin

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Incredibly, it is more than 20 years since David O’Leary took Leeds United to the semi-finals of the Champions League. A side boasting the likes of Robbie Keane and Rio Ferdinand.

Before the financial collapse a couple of years later, Leeds beat AC Milan at Elland Road and reach the semi-finals before losing to Valencia. Leeds even knocked giants Barcelona out at the first group stage.

A side that included the likes of Keane, Ferdinand, Olivier Dacourt, Harry Kewell and Mark Viduka. But a side that punched above their weight both on and off the pitch and eventually, it caught up with Leeds.

Peter Ridsdale was Leeds chairman and every Leeds fan remembers his interview following the financial collapse, which saw Leeds forced to sell their best players and eventually suffer relegation in 2003-04.

• READ MORE: Craig Bellamy says there aren’t many better players than Leeds United star

Robbie Keane recalls hilarious penny game while at Leeds United

The Ireland icon, who was at Elland Road as an assistant manager during Sam Allardyce’s four-game stint, joined Leeds initially on loan in December 2000. That turned permanent in the summer of 2001 for £11m.

He played 56 times for Leeds, scoring 19 times before the financial issues forced Leeds to sell him in the summer of 2002 to Tottenham. Speaking on Rio Ferdinand’s YouTube, Keane recalled his Leeds spell.

The Spurs icon shared how the Leeds squad used to play a penny game, explaining how £12m signing Robbie Fowler once scored a hat-trick against Bolton on Boxing Day in 2001, carrying a penny during.

“We used to have this game, you used to have to pass this penny around during a game. The one who had it at the end, would have to buy a meal for the team,” Keane said, recalling his spell at Elland Road.

Ferdinand added: “Or go on a night out. If you got offered the penny, you couldn’t refuse it [apart from the goalkeepers].” Keane continued: “Robbie Fowler scored a hat-trick at Bolton with a penny in his hand.

“He wouldn’t give it to anyone.” Keane said, on £12m Leeds signing Fowler. Ferdinand added: “You’d be celebrating a goal, someone would go like that [hand you a penny] and you’d be like for goodness sake.”

Some of Robbie Keane’s best form came in a Leeds United shirt

Despite Leeds boasting strikers like Fowler, Viduka, Alan Smith and Michael Bridges, Keane still managed a goal less than every three games during his 18 months at Leeds during a golden era for The Whites.

Considering the levels of the clubs he played for and removing the likes of LA Galaxy, Celtic and ATK, Keane’s goal every 2.9 games at Leeds was only bettered slightly at Coventry and then while at Spurs.

At Liverpool, Wolves, West Ham, Inter Milan and Villa, Keane could not replicate the kind of goalscoring rate he showed while at Leeds. A shame that Leeds were forced to sell the Irishman to Tottenham.

Fowler meanwhile, scored 14 goals in 33 games for Leeds but Nigel Martyn recently said Leeds overpaid for Fowler. He claims that his legs were gone by the time he had left Anfield, to go and join Leeds.