It was actually the agent who exploited Rooneys, announces QC.

Ryder Mejia

03 February 2010

The firm was paid up to twenty per cent commission on multi-million pound contracts signed by the Rooneys to endorse firms like Nike and Coca-Cola, Manchester Mercantile Court heard.

But these firms' first contact point with the couple was Paul Stretford, Rooney's long-time agent and a previous director of Active .

And since leaving Active in antagonism in October 2008, it is claimed he has declined to authorize further commission payments to the firm " now worth £4.3m. We simply don't get how this is often their view.". Mr Mill recounted that for almost 6 years from July 2002, Paul Stretford had acted for Wayne Rooney thru Active "with great success". The footballer, then under eighteen, was enrolled with the contract of his ma and pa as he burst on to the football scene with Everton. He afterwards signed for Manchester United in a £20m deal and both he and his now better half became household names. The footballer himself was quoted as saying he couldn't "speak highly enough" of his agent, who always got him the sweetest deals. Mr Stretford looked after both his transfer dealings and his off-field business interests. However Mr Mill announced, such success must be "equally attributed" to Active for enabling the deals to occur. The connection between Active and Mr Stretford broke down over his inclusion in a trial at Warrington

Crown Court in October 2004, which Mr Mill announced had an "unhappy conclusion". The case concerned Mr Stretford reportedly being threatened by "certain individuals" when Wayne Rooney left one firm to enroll with Mr Stretford. But Mr Stretford's proof was questioned when the Crown Prosecution Service dropped the case, exclaiming they could "not rely" on him as a witness. When the board of Active declined to back Mr Stretford's appeal, the 2 parted company in October 2008. Active claims he was discharged for gross misconduct while Mr Stretford maintains he ended his very own contract. Since that time he has reportedly declined to authorize payments to Active adding up to £4.3m. The FA afterwards banned Mr Stretford from acting as a football agent for nine months from May 2009. Mr Mill claimed Mr Stretford has "constructed a sequence of ridiculous and unmeritorious defences". "Where is the exploitation?" Mr Mill asked. "I would respectfully suggest if there's any exploitation, it's the manipulation of the Rooneys by Mr Stretford, who has used them to further his dispute with Active . Briefly Active simply looks for the monies to which it is contractually entitled.".