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?'"
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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."
