Wayne Rooney opens up on Sir Alex Ferguson’s reaction after catching him in pub

Wayne Rooney has opened up on the first time he was on the receiving end of Sir Alex Ferguson’s wrath.

The Manchester United legend spent almost a decade under the Scot’s watchful eye having moved from Everton for a record fee in 2004. Ferguson was known for his control in and around Old Trafford and took issue with finding out his teenage star was in a pub.

United spent £25m on Rooney after his sensational Euros with England, but the player was still a rough diamond. Raised in Liverpool, Rooney returned home and popped into his local with his mum and dad – divulging in a soft drink.

In what seemed a fairly innocuous activity, Ferguson’s spies were everywhere and the striker was hauled in. Rooney has opened up on the incident in his book Wayne Rooney : My Decade in the Premier League.

He said: “The manager seemed like a really good bloke, but the next day I experienced his legendary influence first hand. It was a nice afternoon so I drove over to Crocky (Croxteth in Liverpool) to see the family. On the way, I spotted Mum and Dad in the car park of the local pub and I pulled over to say hello. We decided to go in for a drink, a diet pop for me.

“I was only there for 10 or 15 minutes before I went home, but a day later, the manager called me into his office. My first summons. [Ferguson said] ‘Wayne, what were you doing in that pub in Croxteth yesterday?'”

Rooney and Ferguson would come to blows later in their relationship, even if the player to continue to excel on the pitch, eventually becoming the club’s all-time leading scorer. Rooney, though, questioned the club’s ambition in the transfer market back in 2010, which led to a transfer request.

Days later though he completed a miraculous U-turn and penned a new deal as he and Ferguson settled their differences. The Scot had his fair share of confrontation throughout his tenure – often moving players on once they no longer saw eye-to-eye. Jaap Stam, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Roy Keane all left Old Trafford under a cloud.

Rooney, who left in 2017, has since accused Ferguson of getting out at the right time, knowing full well the club was about to embark on a major decline. He’s said previously: “Alex Ferguson knew where the club was going and he got out of there as quick as he could, and they’re still picking up the pieces now.”