Rooney defends agent in £4m court battle

He confirmed that he trusted his agent Paul Stretford and was grateful to him for his help.

The court has heard that the young football prodigy, then aged 17, was signed up by Stretford in 2002 when he began to make an impact on English football with his home-town club Everton FC.

Stretford, a founder and director of the sports management firm Proactive, would go on to broker multi-million pound deals with firms including Nike and Coca-Cola for Rooney, as well as acting for his wife Coleen.

The deals agreed to pay Proactive 20 per cent commission but, since Stretford left the firm in acrimony in October 2008, no further commission payments have been made.

Rooney acknowledged he had sided with Stretford after his agent was dismissed from his job, following charges of misconduct, and banned as acting as a football agent by the Football Association.

Proactive's lawyers, Harrogate-based McCormicks, claim that under the terms of the contract Stretford signed with the Rooneys while he was working for the firm, Proactive is still due the payments – now amounting to a minimum of 4.3m.

Rooney agreed when asked by Ian Mill QC, acting for Proactive, if Stretford had helped to make him a "very wealthy young man" and also agreed that he felt Mr Stretford should get the 4.3m in commission payments, not Proactive, and that the firm had treated his agent badly. He added that he felt only Mr Stretford could supply the services he needed.

Rooney was joined in court by his parents who handled their son's career prior to his signing with Proactive.

Mr Mill asked the player to recall that his agent had been investigated by the FA in 2008 and things "did not go well" for Mr Stretford as he was found guilty of a number of misconduct charges.

Mr Mill reminded the witness his agent appealed against the decision by the FA – but his appeal was rejected. "And doubtless he still

maintained his innocence?" Mr Mill asked.

"Of course," Rooney replied. "Of course because you trusted him implicitly?" Mr Mill said. "Yes," replied the footballer.

The striker told the hearing he wanted Mr Stretford involved in discussions with Manchester United about renewing his playing contract, which expires in 2012.

Rooney said he did not believe Proactive could take care of him after Mr Stretford left.

Mr Mill said the only reason Proactive was not able to provide services for Rooney was because the star did not want it to. "As I said before, I wanted Mr Stretford to look after me," said the striker."

He added: "I didn't think Proactive could provide the services.

"Nobody from Proactive called me to say 'we can provide the services for you'."

That was because Rooney's lawyers had told Proactive not to contact him, said Mr Mill.

Rooney replied: "Before Mr Stretford was basically sacked from the company, nobody explained he was going to be sacked and that they could still do things for me."

The "vast majority" of his earnings were from his contract with Manchester United, said Mr Mill. But a sizeable proportion came from four sponsorship deals he has with Coca-Cola, Nike, EA Sports and the new addition of Tiger Beer.

The court heard that Rooney's manager, Sir Alex Ferguson had specified Rooney could have no more than five sponsorship deals.

Mr Mill asked him: "You're allowed five sponsorship deals. What's that based on?"

"It is based on what my manager tells me," replied Rooney, whose wife Coleen will not be giving evidence.

Rooney, dressed in a navy blue suit and thin black tie, said he was "at the max" with what his sponsorship deals demand of him but later acknowledged there were opportunities stemming from this summer's World Cup in South Africa which Mr Stretford could help him with .

The case continues.

Yorkshire lawyer for sports firm

The sports management company which is claiming in excess of 4m in unpaid commission from Manchester United and England footballer Wayne Rooney, his wife Coleen, and the companies which own their image rights is being represented by Harrogate-based law firm McCormicks.

Solicitor James Martin has been instructed by the claimant, Proactive.

The case is being heard at Manchester Mercantile Court and is currently in its second week.

The trial is due to finish at the end of next week.