Sir Alex Ferguson's three strict Man United rules that Wayne Rooney enforced after he retired

Sir Alex Ferguson had three strict rules at Manchester United and they were enforced by Wayne Rooney after his retirement.

Ferguson had the highest of standards during his glittering 26 year tenure in charge of United and ensured that everyone adhered to them, no matter how small they were in the grand scheme of things.

And Jesse Lingard found that out a few years after Ferguson had retired in a game with CSKA Moscow under Louis van Gaal.

The temperatures were freezing at the Arena CSKA in the Russian capital but Rooney, United's skipper, told him not to wear gloves.

"He played me at CSKA Moscow away in the Champions League," Lingard said on the Diary of a CEO podcast.

"[It was] freezing cold, minus five or whatever it was. Rooney was like, 'Don't wear gloves'. I [didn't] wear gloves, played well and after that stayed in the team.

"At [Manchester] United we’re brought up [being told] you’ve got to wear black boots, no gloves and no long bottoms in training. It’s just the basic things and you’re brought up with that when you go into the first-team.

"Of course in the warm-up, you're gonna wear gloves but for the game, back to basics. Don't wear gloves in the age.

“It’s just values, it’s morals, it’s the way you’ve been brought up. United put that into us at an early age.”

Lingard played 232 times for boyhood club United, scoring in FA Cup, EFL Cup and Community Shield finals before leaving for Nottingham Forest in the summer.

Image: Alamy

The black boots stipulation, meanwhile is treated seriously at United. Midfielder Scott McTominay didn't like the rule in place but had to earn the right to wear multi-coloured boots coming through the academy.

"I probably couldn't tell you one player in the club who likes wearing black boots," he told The Sun.

"But it was the rules and something accustomed to every academy player and if someone tried to come out in red boots it's like 'you're no different to any of us so get your black boots back on until you earn the respect and right to wear coloured boots'.

"I didn't like the black boots. But you had to do it. You had to respect the rules.

"There are no big egos, there's no young kids coming in wearing jewellery and looking a bit flash, that's not the case at this club."

Image: Alamy

Another reminder for the United youngsters to remain grounded comes from a picture of Lionel Messi in the academy dressing room.

Seven-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi is seen cleaning his boots after playing for Argentina and Croatia at Upton Park in 2016.

Topics: Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United, Jesse Lingard, Wayne Rooney

Josh Lawless

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and wrestling. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has interviewed some of the biggest names in the field - including the first UK interview with The Hardy Boyz after their return to WWE. He has never sported a pair of Lonsdale Slip-ons, contrary to reports.

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