Roy Keane has compared Manchester United to Disneyland and Mickey Mouse in his latest criticism of the club.

The former captain said it was "like a Mafia situation" when it came to criticism of the club, claiming that many ex-United players toe the party line.

Keane was speaking at a Q&A at Lancashire Country Cricket Club in Manchester today as part of the promotional tour for his new autobiography The Second Half.

"There’s a lot of propaganda. A lot of nonsense gets spoken about at United. A lot of ex-players work for the club and they’re on contracts. Ex-players from the 1960s and 1970s — the Paddy Crerands of this world. F*** me. Do me a favour. People have to listen to all that — ‘United were great today’. No, they weren’t. Why are you saying it?

"It’s almost like a Mafia situation — ‘You’re one of us — don’t ‘f***ing say anything bad about us’. It’s like Disneyland. ‘Man United Land’. ‘F***ing Mickey Mouses running everywhere. People getting swayed by Paddy Crerand! Paddy still thinks it’s nineteen sixty f***ing seven."

Former midfielder Crerand, who contributes to MUTV, was critical of Keane when the Ireland assistant manager defended a decision to send off winger Nani during Alex Ferguson's final Champions League match in charge at United against Real Madrid.