SALFORD City’s star striker has no regrets about his move which had Jim White frothing at the mouth and moaning about it being a new low for Scottish football.
Adam Rooney wanted a new challenge and he has certainly found one down Manchester-way at a non-league English club that just so happens to have world famous owners.
Eyebrows were raised when the Irishman left Aberdeen for Salford City. Nobody could quite get why the 30-year-old would make such a move downwards, way downwards, even if the club was not your standard National League outfit.
They are being bankrolled by Manchester United’s Class of 92. That is Ryan Giggs, Gary and Phil Neville, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and last year David Beckham joined his old team-mates.
Rooney moved for a six-figure fee and he’s obviously being well looked after.
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And a day spent at the club’s Peninsula Stadium highlights where the money is being spent and the ambitions which Gaz, Scholesy, Becks and the rest have for this once small club going nowhere.
“It’s been really good,” said Rooney who is just coming back from injury. “It’s such an exciting club to be at. We’ve now got new changing rooms, there are all sorts of bits and pieces being done, different components being set in place all the time.
“So much has been done and they are not finished by a long stretch. This is a very exciting football club.
“We are fourth in the league so that’s a play-off place and we are set to finish the season strongly. From a football side, it’s been great. I’ve no complaints.
“From the outset, I looked on this as a new challenge for me, something that was so different to what I was used to. That’s what it has been. So, no regrets.”
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Rooney is Salford’s top scorer with 19 goals despite being out injured for seven weeks. He came on as a substitute in Saturday’s goal-less draw with Barnet.
He could have stayed at Aberdeen. He spent four-and-a-half years at Pittodrie scoring 88 goals plus the winning penalty in the League cup win over Inverness Caledonian thistle, his former club.
But Rooney is a footballer and starting big games on the bench was not for him.
“I do miss Scotland,” he admitted. “I loved my time at Aberdeen and Inverness. I’m really proud to get 100 goals in the Premiership. They were great days.
“I keep in touch with all the lads at Aberdeen and I’m glad to see them in the Scottish Cup semi-final. I’ll be rooting for them.”
That, of course, could have been Rooney had he stayed.
“You say that but I could end up at Wembley this season in a play-off final with us trying to get into the Football League,” he says. “I experienced finals and semi-finals with Aberdeen and Inverness. I wanted a new challenge. I felt that was right for this time of my career.
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“I could have been involved with Aberdeen still or I could have been sitting on the bench not playing. That is part and parcel of football. It was time to move on. I made this decision for my family, my career and for myself. Yes, it’s very different but I’m happy where I am.”
The shiny Peninsula Stadium is a lovely place to watch football. The crowd of over 2500 on Saturday for the Barney game were loud and funny. The match-day experience, good food and drink, stuff for kids, would shame most if not all Scottish Premiership grounds.
“I’ve had mates over from Ireland and a few Aberdeen fans have even been down and they have all spoken about how great the atmosphere is,” said Rooney.
“This is a great club, we have a growing fan-base who really get behind us. People enjoy being here. The atmosphere around the place is almost laidback. Everyone is really positive.
“Okay, Saturday’s draw wasn’t great but we are trying to play exciting football. We want to entertaining football.”
But the big question is: Has he met Mr Beckham?
“He was actually here a few weeks ago when I was still out in injured. He walked right past me. I would have said hello but my three-year-old was desperate to run about the place and I had to deal with that. I’m sure I’ll bump into him one day.”
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