Former captain Roy Keane says he is ‘pretty ashamed’ of Manchester United’s decision to withdraw from the FA Cup in 2000.

United accepted the Football Association’s offer to miss the competition in order to play in the inaugural World Team Championship, now known as the Club World Cup.

Manchester United were due to defend the FA Cup trophy but the FA believed the club’s participation in the World Test Championship would aid England’s 2006 World Cup bid.

As a result United became the first and only FA Cup winners not to defend their title in 2000, with Chelsea going on to win the competition, beating Aston Villa in the final.

Manchester United’s decision, made during Sir Alex Ferguson’s long and celebrated reign as manager, attracted widespread criticism from supporters and the media fo

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