NEW Ipswich Town manager Roy Keane has been voted the “hardest footballer of all time''.

NEW Ipswich Town manager Roy Keane has been voted the “hardest footballer of all time''.

The former Manchester United midfielder and club captain was voted “hardest'' despite hanging up his boots almost three years ago.

Keane beat former Chelsea hatchetman Ron 'Chopper' Harris to claim the title in the poll.

Only three current players made the top 20 - Chelsea captain John Terry, Birmingham's Lee Bowyer and Juventus midfielder Patrick Vieira.

Another former Stamford Bridge star Vinnie Jones, now a Hollywood actor, came third and Spurs stalwart Dave Mackay was fourth. Dennis Wise, another former Chelsea player, completed the top five.

Nick McBoyle, managing director for www.sportingfix.com, said: "Roy Keane could safely be described as fiery, right from his inception with Nottingham Forest through to his immensely successful time at United.

"I imagine that he is still just as fiery as a manager, I wouldn't like to be on the receiving end of his half-time tirade if Ipswich are losing.''

The top ten all-time football hard men were: Roy Keane; 2 Ron 'Chopper' Harris; 3 Vinnie Jones; 4 Dave Mackay; 5 Dennis Wise; 6 Stuart Pearce; 7 David Batty; 8 John Terry; 9 Graeme Souness; 10 Patrick Vieira.