This was never going to be so flaccid an occasion as the 19-year-old’s last appearance at the stadium back in May, in a home defeat to Bolton Wanderers, and feelings spilled over when a coin thrown from the home support struck Roy Carroll. Having been warned by the FA for pitch invasions when Portsmouth and Liverpool visited, Everton face a heavy fine at the very least.
Things didn’t get off to a good start. When the Manchester United team bus arrived, a police helicopter swirled overhead and a mob of 500 Everton supporters were there to boo it. Then, when Rooney left the field at the end of his warm-up, the heckling started and he ill-advisedly lingered in front of the tunnel playing keepy-uppy. A woman said something as Rooney walked off the pitch. Face twisted, he gave her a mouthful back.
It did not bode well for how he might react to more serious provocation and, as the teams emerged for kick-off, a banner bearing a rotund cartoon figure of Rooney and the word “Judas” was passed overhead in the Gwladys Street End. Rooney used to stand there as a boy. Cries of “Judas!” spewed from the stands as Rooney contested his first challenge with Alan Stubbs.
Once the game was in full swing, however, it became clear that feelings towards Rooney on the field simply did not match those off it.
Stubbs, Rooney’s best mate when he played here, revealed the pair had been exchanging text messages. Stubbs was one of the centre-backs marking Rooney and they treated one another respectfully.
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A supporter threw something yellow and plastic at Rooney as he held on to the ball near a corner flag, but he only once tussled with an opponent with anything approaching roughness when, piqued at having a free-kick claim ignored, he went in slightly hard on Joseph Yobo. It would be overdoing it to eulogise Rooney’s behaviour — he remained calm partly because the game around him did — but his comportment was commendable.
He concentrated on doing what he does best — play football with unnatural precocity. He twice missed opportunities for a goal when put through on Nigel Martyn, but otherwise made a positive impact.
Quinton Fortune’s goal quietened the home crowd a little and when Cristiano Ronaldo tapped in the second, some more of the sting was drawn. But idiots will be idiots. An isolated number of fans continued to spew fury in Rooney’s direction and a gaggle even stayed in the freezing cold for an hour after full time to chant “Die, Die Rooney” at the United bus.
When United signed Rooney, Sir Alex Ferguson predicted anger towards the teenager would be a temporary thing. “There’s always been a great association between the two clubs,” Ferguson said. “Their fans have got to recognise Everton only survived by two points last season because of his performances.”
But maybe Fergie missed the point. The goals Rooney scored for Everton and the £28m the club received for him could not compensate the faithful for what they lost when he departed. His transfer took away hope, and nothing can make up for that.
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Teams such as Everton, in the strata below the elite, may produce teams who can make news occasionally, but the days when they could hold on to individuals of world renown are gone. For the brief time Rooney was at Everton, he broke the mould but when he signed for United, football’s new order was asserted again.
Rooney has been portrayed as a throwback figure, but it was unreasonable to expect one teenager to turn the clock back to football’s more innocent era and remain at his boyhood club. When a big team, with big money came calling, he jumped just like the vast majority of those in the Gwladys Street End — if they are honest — would have done. The old man and his sandwich board preached redemption and Rooney has long been excused by neutrals.
But he won’t find forgiveness on Gwladys Street or inside the four stands of Goodison.