Judge kicks out bid by former agents to sue Rooney for £4m

The Manchester United and England striker was accused of withholding commission on multi-million-pound deals brokered by sports management firm Proactive, who used to represent him.

He made no payments after football agent Paul Stretford, a director and founder of Proactive, left the firm in acrimony in October 2008, taking with him their star client.

The 24-year-old, who is currently on holiday in Barbados, was signed by Stretford for Proactive in 2002 as the teenage prodigy became the hottest property in football.

Rooney, then 17, went from 80-a-week Everton trainee living in his parent's council house in Croxteth, Liverpool, to household name soccer star with multi-million-pound sponsorship deals with the likes of Nike and Coca-Cola.

Proactive had argued that, as such contracts for Rooney and his wife Coleen were brokered by Stretford while he was still at the firm, they were still due the 20 per cent commission, amounting to 4.3m.

Yesterday Judge Brendan Hegarty QC, who postponed his ruling at Manchester Mercantile Court until after the World Cup, said the original contract was up to eight years long when the Football Association recommended a maximum of two years. He ruled that Proactive was only entitled to a "restitutional remedy" from the Rooneys amounting to around 90,000.

He also rejected an application to appeal from the firm's lawyers.

Ian Mill QC, representing Proactive, told the court they would consider taking the matter to the Court of Appeal.

In a statement released after the ruling, Manchester United and England star Rooney said: "I am delighted to have won this case."

He added: "Coleen and I have always been happy to pay all commissions due to the people who were owed them.

"But these sums were a joke and we felt they were just an attempt to exploit us.

"Fortunately the judge has knocked back their massively over-inflated claims and we are happy to pay the very small sum awarded.

"Going to court was the last thing I wanted to do.

"I was shocked that a company which represents some of Britain's biggest entertainers was going down this road which meant that private financial and commercial matters were made public. But you always have to fight for what's right in life and that's why we contested it."

Rooney's statement thanked his legal team and witnesses including Manchester United chief executive David Gill.

He added: "Finally, and most importantly, I would like to thank my Mum and Dad for their help, support and values they have given me."

Stretford, now managing director of Triple S Sports and Entertainment Group, also welcomed the ruling.

Proactive said it was left with no choice but to bring the lawsuit against the Rooneys.

A statement said: "Following years of successful and harmonious representation of Mr and Mrs Rooney, it was highly regrettable that the decision by Mr and Mrs Rooney and their companies to refuse to pay outstanding invoices and to claim back sums which they had previously paid, left Proactive Sports Management Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Formation Group plc, with no practical choice but to bring these proceedings."