Phil Foden’s grandmother has hit back at the vile chants from rival fans aimed at the Premier League star’s mother Claire Rowlands, and voiced the family’s ‘anger and disgust’.

Mary Keates, the Manchester City star’s paternal grandmother, told MailOnline: ‘It really upset me and the whole of the family, it’s disgusting. It really hurt to hear what was being shouted by the fans about Claire.

‘These people need to have a good look at themselves. Claire is a wonderful woman and mother. I don’t want to say too much because it makes me so angry and makes me feel sick.’

Ms Rowlands, 45, disgracefully became the subject of appalling chants from Manchester United fans during Sunday's limp 0-0 stalemate at Old Trafford, as the England midfielder was targeted by sections of the home support who abhorrently labelled her a 's**g' before his substitution in the 58th minute.

Now Foden has been left out of the squad for their afternoon clash against Crystal Palace, less than a week after the vile chants about his mother.

Speaking after the Manchester derby, City boss Pep Guardiola leapt to the defence of his player, who has endured a difficult season.

'It's a lack of class,' said Guardiola. 'But it's not United, it's the people, you know? We are so exposed, people who are on the screen in world football: managers, owners, and football players especially.

'Honestly, I don't understand the mind of the people involving the mum of Phil. It's a lack of integrity, class, and they should be ashamed.' 

Mary, 64 was married to Foden’s grandfather Walter who passed away in February 2003 at the age of 47, which famously inspired the player’s City squad number.

The Sky Blues star was very close to his grandfather, whose name he was given as a middle name, and remains close to Mary, regularly visiting her at the £200,000 home in Stockport he bought for her with his substantial football earnings.

Claire’s occasional transgressions, particularly after drinking, have landed her in the spotlight before, and after being arrested for being drunk and disorderly once, she admitted to police that she was ‘like an animal’ when boozing.

Then there was an incident at a boxing match, when her protective instincts towards young Phil saw her get involved in a melee with rowdy spectators.

And last year a very noisy fireworks display in the garden of her Cheshire village mansion put the noses of her posh neighbours firmly out of joint.

But her commitment to young Phil and the rest of her close-knit family is unquestionable, as many of those who watched Phil, 24, grow up pointed out.

Foden was brought up nearby in a humble end-of terrace house on Grenville Street, close to Stockport County Football Club, where many locals who know the family also expressed anger at the abuse aimed at Claire.

Steve Brown, 64 who has lived in the area all his life and runs a local garage said: ‘I know Claire and the rest of the family, they still come around here all the time because they have a lot of family living nearby.

‘Claire is a wonderful, decent woman. I’m a Manchester United fan myself but I don’t understand why so many of them were shouting abuse about her. Perhaps it’s just jealousy because people can’t stand seeing a good woman doing the right thing by her family.’

He added: ‘Claire has been instrumental in making Phil a success. She took him to training all the time, kept him on the straight and narrow and she’s a very nice, respectable woman. She’s dedicated her life to her son and doesn’t deserve this abuse.’

Another local, who simply gave her name as Joan, and who has known the family all her life, said: ‘Claire is very chatty and down to earth, like the rest of the family. They are really nice people who haven’t become big-headed. Nobody around here has got a bad word to say about them.

‘We see them around here all the time because they still have family in this area. They might be very rich and have a lot of money but that hasn’t changed them. Clare is a great woman, she’s done a lot for her son, so I don’t understand why people are hating her so much.’

Pete Butcher, another local said: ‘Claire is a really nice woman, she’s the one who made Phil Foden the success he is. He would not be such a big star if it wasn’t for her.

‘I remember when he was a kid, all he wanted to do was play football. Claire was always taking him here and there for training and making sure he was focused on his football.

‘There’s absolutely nothing wrong with her. She’s a strong woman who has done a great job raising a son who has become such a big star.’

Another neighbour added: ‘I don’t understand why people are calling Claire these horrible names. She’s done nothing wrong apart from raise a successful son, but I think because of social media, people are just jealous.

‘When she comes to this area, she still chats to us all and we have a good laugh. Both her and Phil, her husband have done a great job with the kids. They’re a very nice, down to earth bunch who haven’t let the money get to them.’

Foden's wealth has transformed the fortunes of his entire family, including buying a £3million, six-bedroom gated house in an upmarket Cheshire village for his parents and siblings.

It stands just down the road from the £2.85million mansion he shares with partner Rebecca Cooke, 24, and their two children, son Ronnie, six, and daughter True, three.

In the world of Premiership footballers, few players’ parents are quite as well-known as Phil Foden’s mum, and not always for the right reasons.

But whatever criticism the odd mistake has attracted, her formidable spirit has been the bedrock behind her son's meteoric rise in the sport.

Born and bred in Stockport, her journey was one of resilience, sacrifice, and an unyielding commitment to family…with the occasional bump along the road.

She is the matriarch of a bustling household, mothering five children: Phil, Callum, 27, Kenzi, 14, Lois, seven, and six-year-old Avayah.

Her partnership with Phil Foden Sr., 46, a staunch Manchester United supporter, adds a layer of friendly rivalry to the family's dynamic, given Claire and Phil Jr.'s allegiance to Manchester City.

Phil's passion for football was evident from a tender age. Claire often reminisces about her son's singular focus on the sport, noting that he was ‘the cheapest kid ever,’ devoid of interest in games or toys, fixated solely on a football.

Recognizing his talent, Claire played a pivotal role in nurturing it. At just four years old, Phil was introduced to Manchester City's academy, a move orchestrated and supported by her unwavering belief in his potential.

She was a constant presence, ferrying him to training sessions, cheering from the sidelines, and ensuring he remained grounded amidst the burgeoning attention.​

Claire, who has described herself as ‘an animal’ in drink, has thrust herself into the public eye with her wild behaviour on occasion. One infamous incident occurred in 2022 during a boxing event at Manchester's AO Arena.

Following Amir Khan's bout against Kell Brook, a confrontation erupted involving Phil and some other members of the crowd.

Witnessing her son being targeted, Claire intervened without hesitation, and in the ensuing altercation, she confronted the aggressors, demanding respect for her son.

Social media footage showed an assailant punching Foden's mother backstage.

Foden was subjected to a string of obscenities, including a homophobic slur, and was led back to the family's private lounge.

The incident escalated, leading to Rowlands being shockingly hit in the face. Another member of Foden's group later picked up a fire extinguisher as they attempted to defend the player.

In January 2024, a court heard that Claire described herself as ‘like an animal’ when in booze when she was arrested for being drunk and disorderly outside a north Wales nightclub the previous September, fined over £200.

She was abusive to police officers and body-cam footage showed her shouting at them to ‘f*** off ‘ before she was placed in handcuffs and arrested.

In police interview, Rowlands admitted: ‘I kicked off with the police officers. I was a bit of a b***h.’

She also told cops she was ‘like an animal’ when she had been drinking.

She said: ‘I do not drink often but when I do, I make up for time. I am like an animal.’

During the hearing at Llandudno Magistrates Court, PC Stephen Gunning said she had been ‘stumbling with her speech slurred and her eyes glazed’.

She was fined £100, with £85 prosecution costs and a £40 surcharge having previously admitted being drunk and disorderly in a public place.

The footballer's mum had been enjoying a night out with friends and ended up downing shots of vodka and tequila before showing off her 'party trick' of flicking a man's hat off, Llandudno magistrates' court was told.

The night started when she had been invited to a caravan with two of her friends as respite from caring for her youngest son, who is disabled and requires 24-hour care.

She told the court: 'The plan was just to go out, have a laugh, let our hair down and enjoy ourselves. We went to the caravan, had a few cans, washed our hair and got all dressed up.'

The group went to a bar on the caravan site, and 'had some fun, doing some karaoke and getting all the old people dancing to Motown'.

The group later went to Sunny’s in town – followed by neighbouring nightclub Bentley's – where Rowlands said she drank shots of tequila and vodka before she was asked to leave by bouncers who accused her of assaulting someone.

Magistrates were shown CCTV footage from the club which showed Rowlands knocking a baseball cap off Paul Shortman's head and then trying to put it back on him.

Rowlands told the court she was just having a 'bit of fun' and did not intend to hurt the man when she tried to put his cap back on.

She said: 'I was drunk. It was just a bit of fun, a bit of banter. I just could not believe it, that I could get into trouble for knocking someone's cap off. It's my party trick, knocking someone's cap off and putting it back on.

'I did not mean him any harm or to hurt him and you can see that on the video. It was just a bit of banter which has been taken the wrong way.'

Last November, party-loving Claire upset neighbours with a deafening two-hour fireworks party compared to displays at ‘Sydney Harbour Bridge or Disneyland’ in the back garden of her house in leafy Cheshire.

Residents in the upmarket lane in Prestbury had to calm terrified pets and infants when the ‘display-standard’ pyrotechnics began and claimed they were given no warning by Claire of the event which lasted from 6pm until 8.30pm.

One, who lives close by, said: ‘It must have cost thousands.

‘They wouldn’t have looked out of place at the New Year’s Eve celebrations at the Sydney Harbour Bridge or at Disneyland!

‘Not that the neighbours were impressed. Most were concerned about their pets.’

Claire moved into the £3.5m mansion bought by her Manchester City and England star son Phil in 2018. He lives in another property not far away.

An annoyed neighbour said: ‘There was no prior notice or warning, causing immense distress to residents' dogs and babies.

‘In response, the locals once again wrote an open letter deploring the antics of the Fodens and the effect it is having on our lives.’