Wayne Rooney admits it was "weird" to play for Everton again after Duncan Ferguson testimonial cameo

Wayne Rooney admitted it felt "a bit weird" to pull on the blue shirt of Everton for the first time in 11 years.

The Manchester United skipper, who moved to Old Trafford for £27m in 2004, came on as a substitute during Duncan Ferguson's testimonial on Sunday.



He replaced former Red Devils teammate Tom Cleverley with 17 minutes to play of the 2-1 defeat to Villarreal and received a rapturous applause from the Goodison Park crowd.


"It's nice to come back here and the fans gave me a great reception, which obviously I was delighted with," he told reporters.

"Most importantly it was a big day for Duncan and he really enioyed the game and it was nice to see him back on the pitch again.


"It was a bit different today, going into the home dressing-room again. It was a bit weird at first but, as I say, didn't know what to expect with the reception but it was a great reception."

Rooney's relationship with Everton's fans soured in the years following his departure due to a legal dispute with former manager David Moyes, as well a badge-kissing moment during a United victory on Merseyside in 2008. More