Wayne Rooney most notably received death threats after making a major move from boyhood club Everton to Manchester United.
Rooney signed for the Red Devils in 2004 for a £27 million contract after turning down a contract offer from the Toffees at the age of 18.
Rooney said in the latest episode of BBC Sport’s The Wayne Rooney Show: “I got death threats.”
He further explained: “Leaving was difficult because I went to Manchester United, and Liverpool and Manchester were a big rivalry, so that made it a lot harder.”
It was a time before the era of intense digital surveillance when Rooney made the move to Manchester United, and he experienced a distinct kind of pressure on young footballers in the modern game.
However, his eldest son Kai is currently on the books at United and has highlighted the importance of maintaining a strong network as he looks to make it in professional football.
Rooney believed that when he was young he was in the local papers, so everyone in Liverpool really knew him.
“Now I’m talking to the 16-year-old boy and he’s on social media. He plays for my United, he’s sponsored by Puma and there are millions of people watching them when they’re so young. I didn’t really have that.” he further added.
Rooney went on to say that as a child he focused on writing back and forth with Duncan Ferguson, while the Everton striker was in prison for assault.
When Rooney was 10 years old, Toffees striker Ferguson was serving a 44-day prison sentence for feuding with Raith Rovers defender John McStay at his previous club, Rangers.
The incident accentuated the extreme passion and volatile nature of elite football fan culture, but ultimately ensured that Rooney remained a central player at Manchester United for years to come.
