Wayne Rooney has been awarded a 2016 Testimonial by Manchester United to mark his 12 years with the club. At the request of the United and England skipper, all monies raised after expenses will be distributed to his chosen charities through the newly-created Wayne Rooney Foundation, itself a registered charity.
The highlight of the Testimonial will be a match featuring Manchester United to be played at Old Trafford on 3 August 2016. Further Testimonial events are also being planned again with the Wayne Rooney Foundation being the recipients of all profits from the events.
The charities to which the Testimonial proceeds will be distributed by the Foundation include the NSPCC which earlier this year appointed Wayne as its first Ambassador for Childhood following his work with and support for the national child protection charity.
Also benefitting will be Alder Hey Childrens’ Hospital and Claire House Hospice and the Manchester United Foundation which works across some of the most deprived areas of Greater Manchester using the passion for Manchester United to help and inspire youngsters.
The Testimonial was awarded by the club following the coming together of like-minded individuals and Manchester United fans who wrote to Executive Vice-Chairman Ed Woodward asking that Wayne Rooney’s service to the club be appropriately celebrated with the award of a Testimonial Game.
A committee was formed, chaired by Rob Cotton CEO of NCC Group Plc, who approached Paul Stretford Wayne Rooney’s Agent and Business Manager to see if Wayne would accept and allow the committee to organise the event.
Wayne’s subsequent agreement led to the formation of the Wayne Rooney Foundation to be the recipient of all profits from the Testimonial events. The committee appointed Triple S Sports & Entertainment Group, the management company behind Wayne since 2008 and the organisers and event managers for both Soccer Aid and Rugby Aid, to organise and commercially exploit the event.
Wayne is delighted that a testimonial will be held in his honour, he said: “I would like to thank everyone involved in making this Testimonial become a reality. Most of all I want to thank the fans for all their incredible support for me and the team since I joined the club. The match night will obviously be special for me and my family but I hope it will be a night of celebration for all involved and that we can also deliver one or two surprises. Most of all I hope the fans will come out in force and help raise as much money as possible for these amazing charities, all of which are very close to my heart for different reasons.”
Paul Stretford, Managing Director of Triple S Sports and Entertainment Group and Wayne’s agent and business manager since 2002, said: “I am delighted that Manchester United, Ed Woodward and the Board have awarded Wayne his testimonial as a celebration of 12 unbelievable years with the club. When I told Wayne that the a group of fans had come together to form a testimonial committee in his honour and had been granted the rights by the club he immediately insisted that all money raised should go to charities working for disadvantaged and sick children. I wasn’t surprised because it is typical of Wayne as a man and as father. On Wayne’s behalf we are now working hard to make the event a huge success, memorable for the fans, and creating real benefits those who depend on Wayne’s charities.”
Ed Woodward, Executive Vice Chairman of Manchester United, said: “I am delighted that United fans will be able to celebrate Wayne’s amazing years at the Club in this way. From his sensational debut hat-trick to the latest of his 236 goals, he has been a central figure in what has been one of the most successful periods in the Club’s history, winning everything from the Club World Cup, through the Champions League and League Cup to his five Premier League titles. Wayne has selected good causes very close to his heart and the Club is delighted to play its part, in providing Old Trafford as a fitting stage for such a game.”
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