Shay Given embroiled in controversy over fabricated Wayne Rooney anecdote
Shay Given has found himself at the centre of a social media storm after recounting an anecdote on Wayne Rooney that appears to be entirely fabricated, reports BritPanorama.
The former Newcastle goalkeeper shared what he presented as a memorable exchange with then-manager Bobby Robson about facing Rooney from the penalty spot at Old Trafford. “I remember a time at Old Trafford once, we played Man United away and Rooney was the penalty taker and his last three went to the keeper’s right,” Given told The Overlap. He claimed Robson insisted he dive right despite Given’s suggestion that Rooney might switch direction, with the striker ultimately sending the ball the opposite way.
However, the tale quickly unravelled when eagle-eyed social media users examined the timeline of events. Robson departed Newcastle the day prior to Rooney’s arrival at Manchester United in August 2004, making any such conversation between the manager and Given about the striker impossible. Furthermore, records show that Given never actually faced a Rooney penalty during his entire tenure with the Magpies.
The Irish goalkeeper did eventually find himself opposite Rooney from twelve yards, but this occurred seven years later following his move to Aston Villa. On that occasion, Given was indeed beaten by the prolific England international, failing to keep out the spot-kick. Users on X wasted no time in highlighting the glaring inconsistencies in Given’s account.
One user responded: “Cool story, apart from the fact Bobby Robson left Newcastle before Wayne Rooney made his Utd debut.” Another account was more blunt in their assessment, posting: “Not a single bit of this is true.” A third commenter described the anecdote as “one of the strangest and easiest to disprove lies I’ve heard in a long time.”
Despite this latest controversy, Given remains widely considered among the finest goalkeepers Ireland has ever produced, having enjoyed distinguished spells at Newcastle, Manchester City and Villa throughout his career. This is not the first time the 49-year-old has attracted negative attention during his media work this year. While appearing as a pundit on BBC’s Final Score, Given described Wilfried Nancy’s brief 33-day spell as Celtic manager as “an absolute Holocaust.” Presenter Jason Mohammad later apologised for the language during the broadcast. Given subsequently admitted on social media that he had not fully understood the word’s meaning, expressing that he was “genuinely mortified” and pledging to donate his television fee to the Holocaust Educational Trust.
As for Rooney, the 40-year-old is currently working as a pundit on BBC Match of the Day. However, recent reports have suggested that he’s eager to get back into football management, having previously been in charge of the likes of Plymouth, Birmingham and Derby.
This episode serves as a reminder of how narratives can quickly shift in the world of football, where past encounters can be stretched or reimagined into tales for public consumption. In an arena where authenticity reigns supreme, even seasoned figures like Given must tread carefully amidst the bright lights of the media.
