Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney returns to play for Everton

Everton honoured cult hero Duncan Ferguson with a testimonial against Villarreal on Sunday that saw Wayne Rooney put on a blue shirt and make a cameo appearance for his former club.

Manchester United's former Everton forward Wayne Rooney comes on during the Duncan Ferguson Testimonal pre-season friendlyagainst Villarreal. AFP

Everton honoured cult hero Duncan Ferguson with a testimonial against Villarreal on Sunday that saw Wayne Rooney make a cameo appearance for his former club.

Rooney, who started out with the Toffees before being sold to Manchester United in 2004, put on the blue shirt as he came off the bench to a standing ovation for the final 15 minutes of a match the Spanish side won 2-1 before a crowd of almost 35,000.

United manager Louis van Gaal will be relieved that Rooney emerged unscathed from his run out with the Old Trafford club’s Premier League opener against Tottenham Hotspur only six days away.

Ferguson, now 43, himself came off the bench late on and was on the field when Tyias Browning netted Everton’s goal in reply to strikes by Gerard Moreno and Matias Nahuel for the visitors.

Once the most expensive player in British football when bought by Rangers from Dundee United in 1993, Ferguson joined Everton initially on loan in 1994.

He stayed at the club despite serving a brief prison sentence in relation to an on-field headbutt of Raith Rovers’ Jock McStay during his time at Ibrox but was sold to Newcastle United in 1998.

However, Ferguson came back for a second spell and finished his career at Goodison, where he is now part of the coaching staff.

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