Handing drinks to Wayne Rooney & driving Duncan Ferguson's Range Rover! Wrexham star's first taste of professional football saw him rub shoulders with future England captain

Wrexham star Ollie Rathbone has come a long way from handing drinks to Wayne Rooney at Everton and playfully driving Duncan Ferguson's Range Rover.

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

WHAT HAPPENED?
Rathbone’s father, Mick, followed David Moyes from Preston to Goodison Park in 2002. He would, having enjoyed a professional playing career of his own, go on to become head of sports medicine for the Toffees.

Getty
THE BIGGER PICTURE
During that time, young Ollie was often invited down to the training ground. He was given a first taste of what it is like to be a footballer, with shoulders being rubbed with some iconic figures - including a man that would go on to become England captain and Manchester United’s all-time leading goalscorer.
WHAT OLLIE RATHBONE SAID
Rathbone told the Men In Blazers podcast: "Grew up in a football household - absolutely football mad. My dad started football at 16, he’s 66 now, he’s still in the game and has been in it for 50 years. That was the only sport for me, in my house.
"When he was at Everton, on some of the quiet days he’d take me in. I’d have a kickaround and meet the players. It was the best. I remember handing Wayne Rooney, who was on the verge of superstardom, a drink. They were glory days. I think it was a Lucozade."

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty
DID YOU KNOW?
Rathbone added on the other shenanigans that he got up to, which included taking the wheel of Scottish striker Ferguson’s car: "I can only vaguely remember that. He’d be driving and I’d be sat on his lap. I’d be doing the steering and he’d be doing the pedals.
"That was always good fun. He always used to give me 20 quid as well, which was a good part. I used to love going into Everton because I could play football all day and at the end there was 20 quid!"
WHAT NEXT?
He is now earning much more than that, having linked up with Wrexham in the summer of 2024. The classy midfielder was briefly the Red Dragons’ record signing, as Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney splashed more cash, and is hoping to help the Welsh outfit to a third successive promotion - as they continue to ride high in the League One table.

Virgin Media