text: Former Sunderland defender Danny Higginbotham has described a controversial speech made by Roy Keane which he calls 'one of the most bizarre team talks I've ever experienced'. Higginbotham and his Black Cats team-mates were about to take on Aston Villa during the 2007-08 Premier League season when Keane sat them down in the home changing room at the Stadium of Light. But instead of encouraging his players to put their poor start to the season behind them, the former Manchester United midfielder delivered an astonishing team talk. Republic of Ireland assistant manager Roy Keane (left) looks frustrated during his country's draw with Poland . Keane watches his Sunderland players in action against Aston Villa after delivering his 'bizarre' team talk . Danny Higginbotham (right) gave struggling Sunderland the lead during the game on December 15, 2007 . In his new autobiography Rise Of The Underdog: My Life Inside Football, Higginbotham - who scored in Sunderland's 1-1 draw with Villa that day - describes Keane's attempt to motivate his players. '''Listen lads,' he said. 'Basically you're s***. Try and enjoy the game. You're probably going to get beat. But just enjoy being s***." 'Then he just walked out. Those words have got to be insulting to any professional, no matter who they come from, and I'll admit it served as the perfect motivation to get out there and prove him wrong. I scored after 10 minutes and we were leading at half-time. We ended up drawing.' Higginbotham also reveals how Keane once demanded for him to swear at and criticise his team-mates instead of getting behind them. Aston Villa winger Shaun Maloney (right) scored a free-kick to secure a 1-1 draw for the visitors . Keane is now part of Martin O'Neill's backroom staff after leaving his role at Aston Villa earlier this season . Higginbotham (right), pictured in action against Manchester City, played under Keane for a season . Referring to a talk with Keane, Higginbotham writes: '''Danny, all I'm f****** hearing from you when I'm watching that game yesterday is f****** encouragement. That's all I'm hearing." I thought, well, that's not so bad. "I don't f****** want that. I want you to tell some of them they're being c****. Tell them.''' Despite a 2-0 loss away at Bolton in the season's penultimate game, Sunderland secured their Premier League safety with a match to spare. But although he had helped ensure another year in England's top-flight, Keane was in no mood to praise his players after their defeat against Gary Megson's side. Higginbotham (left) now works as a pundit after hanging up his boots in January, 2014 . Reliving his manager's post-match team talk, Higginbotham writes: '''You're the reason I'm driving up and down the f****** country to find another player, you're not f****** good enough," he yells at one player. '"Your attitude is s***. You're not good enough," he bawls at others. '"Next week we've got our last home game, against Arsenal. You know at the end of the season when you walk around the pitch, thank the fans for their support? I'm ringing Umbro and getting you some hooded jumpers, because you're a f****** embarrassment, it's a joke and this is not going to stay this way."'
target: Danny Higginbotham covers his time under Roy Keane in his new book .
  He played for Keane's Sunderland during the 2007-08 season .
  Keane told his players 'basically you're s***' before a game with Aston Villa .
  He also told one player he was 'not f****** good enough' to play for the club .