Keane: No lap of honour as nothing to celebrate

May 11 2008 by James Hunter, Sunday Sun

ROY KEANE insists there will be no lap of honour this afternoon – just a salute to the full-house crowd at the Stadium of Light.

The Black Cats boss has already said that Premier League survival is nothing to celebrate, although the fans who have seen their side relegated in humiliating circumstances after their last two top-flight campaigns may beg to differ!

Sunderland round their season off against Arsenal this afternoon, at the end of which the players will show their appreciation to the supporters who have backed them all season.

Keane said: “The players will walk around the pitch after the game but I wouldn’t class it as a lap of honour, far from it.

“It is important that we show our appreciation to the fans.

“I’ve said before, there’s nothing to celebrate it will be a salute to the supporters, who have been magnificent again this year.

“It’s also nice for the players to bring their kids onto the pitch, because the players’ families go through the highs and lows of the season with them.” The game is a sell-out and Sunderland will be hoping to finish their season off with a victory – and make up for their woeful performance at Bolton last weekend, which ended in a 2-0 defeat.

Keane said: “Our performance at Bolton was not acceptable, I said that at the time and I still feel the same way.

“We have another huge challenge coming up against Arsenal, which is a terrific football club.

“But this is a chance for us to finish on a positive note and make sure that we go into the summer on the back of a good performance and hopefully a good result.”