Wayne Rooney would wait outside the Everton training ground to see Duncan Ferguson... their special relationship was key to his Goodison Park return

  • READ: Wayne Rooney seals emotional return to Everton 
  • Rooney has reunited with his childhood hero Duncan Ferguson at Everton
  • Ferguson was once an idol to Rooney and will now be his coach at Goodison Park
  • The Scotsman was key to the move, urging Ronald Koeman to pursue a transfer 

It was long before reports emerged of Everton’s interest in Wayne Rooney that boss Ronald Koeman revealed one of his backroom team was begging him to sign the then England captain.

Duncan Ferguson - Rooney’s friend and childhood idol - was in the ear of the Dutchman on a daily basis, for even as far back as November he knew that the idea was far from fantasy.

It cannot be underestimated, then, the role of Ferguson in Rooney’s sensational return to Goodison Park this week.

Duncan Ferguson played a key role in convincing Ronald Koeman to sign Wayne Rooney

Duncan Ferguson played a key role in convincing Ronald Koeman to sign Wayne Rooney

Rooney would hang around the training ground for the chance of an autograph from Ferguson who is pictured with the Rooney brothers in 1997 - from left John, Wayne, aged 11, and Graham

Rooney would hang around the training ground for the chance of an autograph from Ferguson who is pictured with the Rooney brothers in 1997 - from left John, Wayne, aged 11, and Graham

Their friendship was strong enough for Ferguson to persuade Rooney to turn out in the blue of his former club for his testimonial match two years ago, even though he was captain of Manchester United at the time. Only for Ferguson would Rooney make such a commitment.


It was, however, a fight which marked the onset of their relationship in the summer of 2002, albeit one wearing boxing gloves. Rooney was a 16-year-old rookie trying to force his way into the first-team when he happened upon senior pro Ferguson in the training-ground gym.

Given that Rooney had written to Ferguson when he was jailed in 1995 for assaulting an opponent, he would have been forgiven for having second thoughts about the sparring contest.

Ferguson has been a childhood idol, a team-mate, a friend and will now be a coach to Rooney

The Scotsman was a guest a Rooney's wedding in 2008, four years after he departed Everton

The Scotsman was a guest a Rooney's wedding in 2008, four years after he departed Everton

FERGUSON AND ROONEY AT EVERTON 

Duncan Ferguson

1994-98, 2000-06, 2014- (Coach)

Apps: 191 (82)

Goals: 72

 

Wayne Rooney

1996-2002 (Youth), 2002-04, 2017-

Apps: 48 (29)

Goals: 17

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But Ferguson recalled: ’I do remember us putting on the boxing gloves one day and having a spar.

‘We were in the gym lifting weights. It was an off-the-cuff thing and I have to say he was a handy fighter.

‘I remember getting punched right in the forehead by him. He was wearing the right glove and I was the one hiding away.

‘We only did it once - I never wanted to do it again. Like I say, he was handy.’

Weeks later Ferguson was by Rooney’s side as the youngster scored his first goals for his boyhood club during a 3-0 win at Wrexham in the League Cup. The pair had emerged from the bench in the second half and, by full-time, Rooney had netted twice.

For Rooney, it was a dream come true on two counts - scoring for Everton but doing so on the same pitch as the player whose poster had adorned his bedroom wall in Croxteth.

Rooney returned to Goodison Park to don the blue shirt for Ferguson's testimonial in 2015

Rooney returned to Goodison Park to don the blue shirt for Ferguson's testimonial in 2015

Ferguson later said: ‘We hit it off on the pitch from the start - he did what I told him to do. But about three weeks later he was telling me what to do!’

Rooney the schoolboy would hang around the training ground at Bellefield for the chance of an autograph or picture with Ferguson, and he was often successful.

It was understandable, then, that he would be painfully shy in his hero’s presence when, just a few years later, he was sharing a car with Ferguson en route to training.

The teenager, however, did his talking on the pitch.

‘Wayne is awfully quiet, even on the training pitch or when he was in my car and we were travelling to training. He was very quiet and he still is now,’ said Ferguson at the time of his testimonial.

The former England captain now considers Ferguson to be among his closet friends 

The former England captain now considers Ferguson to be among his closet friends 

Without Ferguson's influence, Rooney's return to Goodison Park may have never happened 

Without Ferguson's influence, Rooney's return to Goodison Park may have never happened 

‘I remember him walking into the training ground and he was very quiet. He was knocking the ball about and I remember saying to him, “Alright, wee man, I heard you are the top guy”. He just looked at me and laughed.

‘I think there was a mutual liking as he was a big Blue and he had a lot of respect. Of course there was a big age gap and he had his younger mates, but he knew I was there for him.’

Ferguson was also there for Rooney on his wedding day and now, as he renews his vows with Everton, his presence will no doubt aid the homecoming hero.

For without his insistence, this transfer might never have come about.  

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