In the whirlwind of football, the personal upheaval of a transfer is often forgotten.
Manchester United signed 18-year-old Wayne Rooney in 2004 and manager Alex Ferguson I couldn’t have hoped it would do better. Together they won the Premier League five times and the Champions League in 2008. Rooney became Manchester United’s record goalscorer.
But these things can cost money. I speak on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by: Heaven PlantRooney’s wife Coleen revealed the extent of the angry reaction to Wayne’s move from Everton to Old Trafford.
Vandals destroyed the Rooney home after Man United moved
Coleen Rooney appeared in the latest episode Stick to football and told Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher, Jill Scott, Roy Keane and Ian Wright about the unacceptable personal costs of her future husband’s move to Manchester.
“Our house had spray paint everywhere and car windows were broken,” she revealed. “We literally picked ourselves up and moved because Sir Alex Ferguson said he wanted us to leave Liverpool.”
“But then it was our families who faced the backlash and it wasn’t fair.”
Rooney’s success on the pitch was immediate, but the reaction from some fans in his hometown was both depressing and pathetic.
“Wayne didn’t go to Liverpool to eat or shop for a while after that because people were just shouting things,” Coleen said.
“It was difficult, but it was worth it because he won and took over as the leading scorer. We had fantastic moments there.”
Wayne, who is fourth in the rankings FourFourTwoa list of the best Premier League strikers of all timehe scored 253 goals for the Red Devils and was also England’s record goalscorer before Harry Kane overtook him in 2023. He returned to Everton in 2017 before joining DC United and then Derby County. His last two clubs as a player became his first two in management.
Coleen has been in the public eye in recent months thanks to her highly publicized legal proceedings and her popular appearance on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!
Returning to her move to Manchester with Wayne in 2004, Coleen explained her motivations.
“Everton is his club and he loved it, still loves it. However, Manchester United is a huge club. All she wanted was to win trophies. He has seen players in the past stay with their childhood clubs and win nothing.
“It was difficult for him, but he didn’t give up and wanted to leave.”
