Roy Keane is up against Booker Prize winner Yann Martel for the Book of the Year Award.
His autobiography, co-written with Eamon Dunphy, has been nominated at this year's British Book Awards. It will compete with Martel's novel Life of Piand Atonementby Ian McEwan.
The Manchester United star was banned for five matches by the Football Association after admitting in the book that he deliberately tried to injure Manchester City midfielder Alf Inge Haaland during a tackle.
The British Book Awards are traditionally decided by members of the publishing world, but this year the voting is also open to the public.
Keane is also nominated in the biography category alongside Ulrika Jonsson, John McEnroe and the late Roy Jenkins's profile of Winston Churchill.
Kylie Minogue and Alan Titchmarsh will go head-to-head in the illustrated book section, and the author of the year section pits David Attenborough against Tipping The Velvetwriter Sarah Waters and the late Douglas Adams, creator of The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy.
The awards will be held in London on February 24th.
PA