Wayne Rooney received death threats most prominently after he made the significant move from boyhood club Everton to Manchester United.
Rooney signed for the Red Devils in a £27million deal in 2004 after turning down a contract offer from the Toffees at the age of 18.
Rooney said on 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 was a big rivalry so that made it a lot more difficult."
It was a time before the era of intense digital scrutiny 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 oldest son, Kai is currently on the books at United and has underscored the importance of retaining a strong network as he looks to make it in professional football.
Rooney was of the view that when he was young, he was in the local newspapers, and so everyone in Liverpool really knew him.
"Now I have it with the boy who’s 16 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 that young. I didn't have that really." he further added.
Rooney further said that he used to focus on the act of writing back and forth with Duncan Ferguson as a child while the Everton striker was in jail for assault.
When Rooney was 10 years old, Toffees striker Ferguson served a 44-day jail term for quarrelling 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 resulted in Rooney remaining a central player at Manchester United for several years of triumph.
