Rooney wanted to honour Hibbert

You can't criticise his decision to leave as it's his decision only, not yours. I personally think I'd only play for Everton if I was a football but then a footballer is different to a professional.

"There was an awful lot of people within the club who were delighted when Rooney left." Proof?

I defo don't like him after what he did to the England fans in South Africa, no need for that, but he does seem to be a bell-end.

Just because he is a great footballer, that does not make him a great man.

Hibbo is giving all his testimonial money to charity.

I wonder how much of his £200k+ a week Rooney gives to those less fortunate.

Rooney is not fit to wear the shirt that Big Dunc, Alan Ball, Labby, Alex Young and so many others have worn with pride.

Not enough time to bring in replacements.

sounds all to familiar.

First off, as a fan it was devastating when Rooney handed in his transfer request so late. On the surface it was too late to bring in a replacement, but knowing our financial situation 7-8 years on, does it surprise you that's how it went? Smash BK all you want, but as a club we had to do it. Nobody likes it, but that's how it is.

As for Rooney, picture yourself as a footballer. Yeah, you would give your left nut to play for the club and would never leave. But, to be honest I can't blame him. The chance to move to one of the world's top clubs, play in the best competitions and earn everything you dream for. I would do the same thing.

Of course I hate all his reactions, but most of those I believe were down to the negative reaction from the fans. I still believe he is a blue, but that won't stop him from being a professional footballer and doing his job against us. That reaction from the fans is easy to aim at him, but really, Wayne Rooney didn't leave because of Wayne Rooney. It would have been good to see him back having a kick around with an old friend just like heaps of other testimonials.

Grow up everyone, holding a grudge won't prove anything.

Completely agree

However, if he forced a move to us while still having something offer, I'd respect him for showing some balls to play for the club he professes to love.

You couldn't have written the script worse for when he went.

Libels the manager. Bouncing up and down in front of the Park End kissing his United badge? The biggest bunch of Scouse haters in the country. After Owen went there Fowler said he couldn't have made the move.

I know he was young, it must be difficult when you have people in your ear and his head was undoubtedly turned post Euro 2004. He contacted Moyes a couple of years ago and apologised, Moyes considers it closed. Rooney has also apologised to Ferguson for the transfer request shenanigans of a couple of years ago, I remember the press conference, Ferguson seemed more bemused and upset than anything else. I accept that Rooney has made massive mistakes in the public eye, that he can never take back, and people will judge him by those standards forever. Even though its highly likely that, as you get into your late 20's and mature, he is a very different person.

But you have got to put down a marker, for the clubs respect, and say sorry, this is Everton Football Club and you don't do that here.

Lets say Rooney showed. What would you do, clap him? For what?! Or decided to roll up when he's 34 and done? It would be pathetic.

These days, sometimes we give the impression of being so desperate we will put up with anything. We have been slapped around so much, some are so dazed they don't know what day it is. Pride in the club and self respect seem to have dissolved. Its one of the fundamental reasons the board are able to escape with treating the fan base with such contempt.

I'm sure he would love to. No thanks.

First appearance at Goodison?? No
First Goal for Everton? No

He said scoring a Hat Trick on his Manchester United debut at Old Trafford!!!

Not interested in ever having him back at Everton

The guys a nob!!

If anyone recieved the stick he did - they'd react too. It's human nature.

He was a man child... most probably still is..but one thing that cannot be disputed is the fact that he supports this club.

There's a certain irony in some of the pathetically childish remarks on this thread.

1) Rooney's departure at last minute was not the issue I had, it was his statement in the Man Utd press conference that he had made that decision six weeks prior to telling the manager! That said, the revenue (IMHO) saved our club from an imminent financial collapse and allowed us to get back to being Everton FC and stopped us being the Rooney FC the media had already started portraying us as.

2) He has apologised for kissing the Man Utd badge after scoring against us and agrees it was petulant in response to the fans' abuse. Apology (for me) means the matter should be closed.

3) By the same token, his apology to Moyes after the way he acted upon his first 'biography' was accepted by the man himself so the matter should be closed. Try to think back to when you were a teenager and into early twenties. I was an absolute knob but oblivious to that fact until I matured and I didn't have the entourage fawning over me and obscene, offensive wealth.

4) I don't want a player back in the twilight of his career, I want them in their pomp or not at all. A Wayne on the wane would only emphasise the perception of us as a 'small club'. Let's not go back to the desperate hopes of the the era of signings we had with Ginola, Gascoigne, Blomqvist, etc.

5) @Paul Ferry (286) It has been made public on the OS and in several local & national newspapers that all of the proceeds from tonight's testimonial are going to charity (Daily Mail Online today for example writes : "... the only thing he will relish about being in the spotlight is that all proceeds are going to Clare House children's hospice and the Rainbow Trust." You not being aware of facts does not make it fair to slate Jay Harris simply because he is the only one of nine at that point to have made the observation.

Just saying.....

In fairness, let's wait until the man has retired before we treat his answer to such a question with any real credibility, eh?

Personally, I think it is without question that he is a blue and that he has done things to qualify him as a knob but that doesn't mean I wouldn't welcome him back if we could improve the rest of the squad sufficiently for him to be tempted whilst still on the top of his game (chance'd be a fine thing).

At the age of 18, despite years of torture watching teams under the likes of Walker and Smith, Everton was far and away the biggest passion in my life.

I would have given up almost anything for the opportunity to pull on the Everton jersey at Goodison even once, even a substitute appearance in the 94th minute that lasts just a few seconds. If that had ever happened for me, everything else in my life afterwards would have paled in insignificance compared to that moment.

I feel that way because I'm a Blue, and I would bet that nearly every Blue on here would agree. So what I was getting at was: how come Wayne Rooney doesn't feel the same?

I spoke to the scout who signed Rooney and the fact is Rooney and Moyes just didn't get on — a fact exploited by his shithouse agent.

Thanks for the info on Fowler, a quite startling revelation.

Perhaps, using your encyclopedic knowledge of Merseyside football, you could shine some light on the background of the player I mentioned two words previously, Owen?

I ask as I'm in the dark regarding his background as well. Did he play for Chester?

That point was clearly being made in relation to people from the city playing for United.

Don't think Owen played for Chester but his dad did play for Everton; consequently, Michael Owen was brought up an Evertonian with Lineker being his favourite player.

Other notables in the puzzling area of EFC scouting over the years are Carragher, McManaman and of course Rush — all boyhood blues!

Bloody scandalous!!! I'm sure there's a few more BTW!!

We've been better without him since. I think we undersold and should have got £30m + for him but, as to having him back, no thanks.

As an Evertonian, he is far from the greats of Alan Ball, Alex Young, Dixie Dean and is only just above the likes of Thomas Radzinski and John Spencer for me.

Thanks for the memories (great goal against Arsenal / Seaman) but don't come back.

Rooney, like a lot of his generation of high earning sportsman, has been ill-advised on occasion, made some bad judgements on occasion, has risen to the bait on occasion (isn't that what we barracked him for?). I'd still be happier if he was scoring his goals for us rather than United.

Plus his is a story of talent unfulfilled. He looked a world beater at the Euros at 18 but has he really progressed as people expected since? Don't think so.

As an Everton fan myself, I cannot get my head around why he would want to leave. I understand people are ambitious and if he had stayed with us until he was 24-25 and signed for Real or Barcelona so he could play Champions League no one would have had any qualms and he would have gone down as an Everton legend.

Yeah I guess we kinda lost sight of the fact this is about Tony Hibbert not Wayne Rooney.
Having said that it'd be pretty smart to organise the next testimonial against a select 11 of ex Evertonians that have fallen out of favour or pissed off the fans!

I would suggest:

GK: John Ruddy (OK finding a keeper was a struggle!)
RB: Earl Barrett (just because he was soooooo shit!!)
CB: Joseph Yobo (I actually kinda liked him but something dodgy went on)
CB: Joleon Lescott
LB: Alessandro Pistone (for taking a huge wage and never playing, plus he looks like a gothic vampire villain)
LM: Royston Drenthe
CM: Danny Williamson (again, he took a wage for 4 years but never played!!)
CM: Gareth Farrelly (so bad it was depressing)
RM: Nick Barmby
CF: Wayne Rooney
CF: Franny Jeffers

Yes, the thorny issue of early/mid 90's scouting at Everton. I looked at Fowler's book in HMV one day to find any clues of what was going on because it always wondered how we had missed out on so many. Although Fowler was nominally a Blue, I don't think he was a massive one and had been to both clubs, Dalglish was on it straight away; as soon as he saw him, he knew. He would make a fuss of him picking him up, dropping him off. Fowler said he just felt more at home there. His dad actually held off committing to anyone for a long time. Firm interest from both though.

McManaman, totally different, big Evertonian. According to Fowler, having been knocked back by us, he returned armed with a 2-year YTS from the shite and said, give me a year and I will sign.... you know the answer! FFS!!

I think we are all aware of a certain forehead challenged, current international attacking midfielder and I also rated Dave Thompson who was let go by Houllier for, as far as I could see, not being French and had broke into the England set up playing left hand for City before a bad knee injury.

Rooney and Michael Ball were the two top class ones through us lately, terrible shame what happened to Michael Ball and unnecessary; tremendous player. Richard Dunne has had a very good Prem career as well to be fair.

Jury still out in Rodders, I rate his ability but I'm worried about him becoming placid, ineffectual Jermaine Jenas type underachiever. Barkley looks the real deal, ability and has swagger and self-belief

Is it the same mechanism, I wonder, for those amongst us who deny that Rooney is an Evertonian, despite the indisputable evidence that he is?

As regards Rooney I said "I wonder how much of his £200k+ a week Rooney gives to those less fortunate."

Ummm

I`m staggered that anybody can be stupid enough to be taken in by a few empty gestures designed to ease the painful embarressment he has caused his parents down the years. . .

Still his departure gave a few non contributing malcontents the excuse they were looking for to stay away from GP

Second, Stoke have agreed a fee with Michael Kightly, a useful but cheap right winger who did pretty well for Wolves last season. I think we could do a lot worse.

I always think of Pistone when I see that barman in Benidorm.

For some people, leaving the club when he did, in the way he did, kissing the badge etc. means that he does not meet their criteria.

Is Paul McCartney an Evertonian? Sly Stallone? It all depends on your definition of what that means in practice. I suspect there are some on this site who would even deny that our esteemed Chairman is an Evertonian.

I think a lot of people are missing the point about rooney, it's not the fact that he left, it's the manner in which he left: he criticised Moyes and refused to listen to the coaches in training, at one point kicking the ball out of Alan Irvine's hand (who was assistant manager at the time) during heading practise because he thought he was too good for everyone, and we all know about the rest since he left. (He was even ready to ditch Man Utd because he thought he was better then them.) Is this the kind of character you want your children to be inspired by?

No-one complained about Arteta leaving, we all understood because he showed the club and it's fans respect, just like Tim Cahill. If Rooney hadn't left in such acrimonious of situations I would have respected him for it, but he's dug his grave now and has to lay in it. I for one don't want to see him in an Everton shirt again, just like Lescott (same attitude in leaving), but I will always welcome back the likes Timmy and Arteta because they respected the club and its fans.

He's thick.

Rooney professed to be a Blue (Once a blue etc.), grew up supporting the club and all that. Yet at the age of 18 he jumped ship.

My view is that it's a trade off between personal ambition (both in relation to success and financially) and loyalty. I think he should have stuck with us for at least another couple of years on the premise that the club would at least try to match his ambitions. What he did was jump ship with no regard to how the club had developed him.

Pienaar professed nothing for the club but kept his mouth shut and was completely professional until a chance to better himself at an ambitious club came up.

No, I wouldn't mind having Rooney back although I can understand why some people would feel otherwise.

He was also a complete bellend with regards to how he celebrated his goal against us and the way he treated Moyes and others at the club.

Would I have him back though...... Yeah, but only if he still has it. I don't want him crawling back when he's 33.

You claim Speed was "rightly despised for his treachery" then in the following sentence describe other Evertonians as having "no dignity".

Assuming you are not engaging in a spot of self-parody, then I hope you can appreciate the irony in those two statements.

Speed was "rightly despised for his treachery".

You're talking crap. Find out what really happened before slagging off a former player. Idiot.

Anders Brevik for right wing?

However his bank balance and stash of medals proves he did the right thing for Wayne Rooney. He is a footballer and wanted to win things, he would never do that at Everton.

We were all disappointed to see him go but it's a job to them, they all (or nearly all) switch clubs at some stage whereas we're stuck with the one we picked aged seven. He was always going to leave at some point, get real folks.

He did himself no favours with his 'Once an Evertonian' tee shirt but he was only about 16 at the time, the stuff with Moyes after he left was silly but I'm more inclined to blame his 'advisors' than Wayne. Even his best friend wouldnt have him down as a Mensa candidate and some of the off field behaviour bears the stamp of many modern day footballers, he's no more or less cuplable than a lot of others.

The over the top celebrations when scoring against us were also silly - very silly indeed - but to some extent he was getting and still gets 'pelters' from the Goodison crowd and if you poke a stick into a wasps nest you might get stung.

Personally I hope he does one day come back and play for us, I'd have no issues about that or if he scored against the RS. That wont happen I guess until he's past his very best but hey, we welcomed Gazza and Ginola whose best days were behind them, and personally I'd cut the man a bit of slack (no reference to Grandma intended!!)

A young lad, built like a pit-bull with skills unusual in an English p[layer was brought through in a good system (some say Colin Harvey had a big hand in that, I don't know but would like to know more).

The Saviour of English Football - I'm sure I read that somewhere. Playing for us, by the way.

Not one of us who post on here is going to refuse to sign a contact guaranteeing them many many millions more than the lottery they have just won, for their love of EFC.

So the lad was a dick. True. Moyes never let him speak to the media. He is older and, who knows? a bit wiser by now. And to me, the idea of him turning out for Hibbo's testimonial is as good an indication of a good footballing brain (the one that's made him his fortune) as you can get.

And if he returns? With Hibbo and Neville way over the hill we could use a good RB. Betcha he'd make an effing good one - with a few overlapping runs to support the cause.

A young lad, built like a pit-bull with skills unusual in an English p[layer was brought through in a good system (some say Colin Harvey had a big hand in that, I don't know but would like to know more).

The Saviour of English Football - I'm sure I read that somewhere. Playing for us, by the way.

Not one of us who post on here is going to refuse to sign a contact guaranteeing them many many millions more than the lottery they have just won, for their love of EFC.

So the lad was a dick. True. Moyes never let him speak to the media. He is older and, who knows? a bit wiser by now. And to me, the idea of him turning out for Hibbo's testimonial is as good an indication of a good footballing brain (the one that's made him his fortune) as you can get.

And if he returns? With Hibbo and Neville way over the hill we could use a good RB. Betcha he'd make an effing good one - with a few overlapping runs to support the cause.

In terms of his football hes been disciplined and focused largely, Ronaldo left United he stepped up and been largely the main man. Although his tounaments have been poor I think hes been compromised by injuries there, Rooney needs to be sharp.

But, for reasons I mentioned early doors, for Evertons sake, in a hypothetical of him returning under any circs I would rather we left it. Plus, I think hes talented enough to play a bit deeper and adapt as he gets older so he will be at United a long time yet. 27 now? Dont know how long he has left but there will be another long term contract imo.

This is a personal view but I feel that Rooney is unusual in that, if anything, he has gone backwards. He is a strong runner, but he is one-footed, has very few tricks, constantly tries to score impossible goals, presumably because he wants to be adored (and I have never felt that begin an out and out striker was his real strenght). What exactly is he supposed to have learned from the Ronaldos of this world?

Rooney is a flat track bully who has never really performed against the very best. He has never topped his goal against the Arsenal. Sure, he is better than what we have, but for me it is a case of unfullfilled potential.

Sorry, Gareth, maybe a knee jerk reaction calling a felIow blue an idiot but I just can't stand all this crap that rears it's head whenever someone mentions Speed. Speed was done up like a kipper by Kendall and what you refer to as rumours were just that .Rumours. I was fortunate enough to get an insight into what had really happened from the horses mouth, so to speak, and this is a topic that has been done to death on here, but still people come on and, guess what, slag off a fellow blue. Speed.

Roll on the 20th so we can have something tangible to argue over!

Goal of the Season - decent cross, good position, shinned it in.

An Eastern European judge in a Winter Olympics ice dance final once gave aperfect 10 to an East European couple who had actually fallen over.

Have you ever witnessed his goal 'celebration'? The kind of stunted cartwheel I used to do when I was ten. He is not a gymnast, and neither does he have to be. He's a very good footballer.

OK - prediction time. Possibly one of the best right backs that ever played for us. Retiring to deepest Cheshire age 35. Tell you what, there can't be many amongst us who wouldn't envy that.

For example look at the goal return of Messi and Ronaldo as they go from their teens to their early 20's, Messi played exclusively wide but now plays central, Ronaldo can play all across and do damage anywhere, look at his physical devlopment, hes good in the air, his goal return you could never predicted it when he was 18 and a show pony, step over circus act.

Rooney had big droughts in the champions league and international football because, as all young players do, he was developing, changing and growing up as a player. He used to do lots of left hand in the champions league when ronaldo was there for example, because of his work rate. He was also getting his football education.

Im not necessarily comparing Rooney to those players btw as I don't think he is on their level, they are just high profile, immediate cases of player development. Rooney didnt really do much growing up in the Prem for me, he could handle it straight off. He grew up in the champions league and international football.

The swaggering, dribbling, highlight reel(Leeds away for us) Euro 2004 Rooney went years ago. Hes a different kind of player these days, massively effective team player who provides goals, assists, can play up top, in mid if needs. He must be unbelievable to play with if you are the main striker.

Just because he doesnt have that dribbling explosiveness of youth doesnt mean he hasnt progressed. Thats pretty blinkered.

For example look at the goal return of Messi and Ronaldo as they go from their teens to their early 20's, Messi played exclusively wide but now plays central, Ronaldo can play all across and do damage anywhere, look at his physical devlopment, hes good in the air, his goal return you could never predicted it when he was 18 and a show pony, step over circus act.

Rooney had big droughts in the champions league and international football because, as all young players do, he was developing, changing and growing up as a player. He used to do lots of left hand in the champions league when ronaldo was there for example, because of his work rate. He was also getting his football education.

Im not necessarily comparing Rooney to those players btw as I don't think he is on their level, they are just high profile, immediate cases of player development. Rooney didnt really do much growing up in the Prem for me, he could handle it straight off. He grew up in the champions league and international football.

The swaggering, dribbling, highlight reel(Leeds away for us) Euro 2004 Rooney went years ago. Hes a different kind of player these days, massively effective team player who provides goals, assists, can play up top, in mid if needs. He must be unbelievable to play with if you are the main striker.

Just because he doesnt have that dribbling explosiveness of youth doesnt mean he hasnt progressed. Thats pretty blinkered.

By returning to Everton (on a free) he could make us saleable, he could transcend the sport (sort of thing Beckham is trying to do), and he could achieve something that money can't buy in terms of following his heart instead of being a slave to the wage (that beckham is), and ultimately still become an Everton legend.

SAF may have just scrambled his brain and turned a potential world beater into an above average talent who has yet to perform on the big stage. And this perhaps explains why none of the bigger international clubs overseas ever seem to have shown any interest.

"He's a Blue". Do me a favour...

However, in recent years if he scored against us his celebrations have been very respectful. In the 4-4 draw I don't recall him celebrating at all?!?

I wouldnt be shocked if I saw Rooney in a blue shirt again. It might be when he is 32 (ish) or if younger if some billionnaire buys Everton soon (ha ha ha)

With regards to him transferring Everton kept turning down the bids until Rooney handed in a transfer request that way the club don't have to pay a loyalty bonus. I know this as my cousin used to play pro & he told me that nearly every footballer in the prem to the championship have this in their contract.

Thats what hasnt helped Portsmouth when theyve sold players as theyve sold them when the player hasnt asked to go so they have to pay them a loyalty fee.

And it's hardly his fault that the club he supported and got to play for is now a shadow of its former self, and like Blackpool in the 60's with little or no prospects of silverware. People on here should learn to differentiate between a hobby (no matter how passionate and emotionally draining the hobby can be) and the day job

I would love him to come back as long as he had something to offer, not when he is on his last legs.

Once a blue always a blue, don't forget that people. If he was my son, I would have told him to do exactly the same thing. Anybody that says different is full of shit.

You're right. He's not the only one. I imagine you're thick as mince yourself. See, I've looked through my posts and I can't see where I've forgiven "a money-grabbing pervert who rubbed our club's nose in the shit". And I think Rooney was on more than £80 a week. If that's all he was on, can you blame him for leaving...???

As for Speed, I never "changed my spots" as you put it, just because Speed died; I had some insight into why he left long before. In addition, I have NEVER slagged off Speed. I am sick of arguing with so-called fans who think it's clever to slag players off the moment when age catches up with player and he becomes a target for the boo boys. Great servants like Reid, Harvey, Young and Weir have all taken a dog's abuse from the pricks on the terraces.

And don't you ever question MY loyalty to Everton. I've been a blue all my life.

I'm glad I'm not your son. I've instilled in my kids values of loyalty and commitment not being greedy, money grabbing twats.

Andy Kay 579 - a pathetic attempt to justify Rooney's actions. Your defence consists of, Phil Neville doesnt get booed by mancs. Rooney wore a tshirt to a game, got his kid an Everton kit and asked to play in Hibbi's testimonial. Oh well that alright then. Forget the fact that he fucked us off at the first opportunity, he once wore a tshirt of a different kind with words we thought he actually meant, he was so desperate to leave the club he "loves" that he would have gone to Newcastle. He defamed our manager in his book and he kissed the badge and over celebrated various goals against us on several occasions. But it's ok as he is a blue deep down.

There are times when I wonder if football fans ever sit down and for one minute think about what they say when talking about players. Football players behave like they do because they can. They will come to and go from clubs as they like, and once they leave, there is precious few of them the fans will ever have a nice word for again, regardless of whether or not the player acted with good grace.

I've got to question the sanity and intelligence of fans who say they wouldn't have a top class footballer back at our club – because THEY feel scorned at how he left this club..

He hasn't murdered anyone... Catch a fuckin grip!

Evertonians should want the best players to play for this club, irrespective of their morals. They don't get paid for being saints – and who actually cares if he paid an ageing hooker... FFS this baord appears to be populated by Snow White and the Seven Intellectual Dwarfs.

Ray Roche (604) has echoed what I was going to say i.e. at no stage did I say I had "forgiven" Rooney for anything. I simply pointed out the irony in you claiming Speed was "rightly despised for his treachery" and then going on to say that other fans have "no dignity".

And you think that's a battle of semantics?

I thought it was a cornerstone of what most of us believe. You know... "born, not manufactured", etc.

Rooney was born a Blue. He got to play a bit for his beloved team but he clearly fell out bigtime with the manager. I firmly believe he was forced to submit the transfer request as a classic politburo gambit by the Everton autocracy to fool the more gullible Blues... and judging by the swath of posts whenever this comes up, that worked a treat.

He's demonstrated time and again he follows Everton in his heart despite now playing for our arch rivals Man Utd. Difficult to get your head around? Yes, without doubt. And yes, he does some stupid things... but so do a lot of us.

Once a Blue, always a Blue.