Everton boss David Moyes settles Wayne Rooney libel claim out of court

May 4 2008 by Staff Reporter, Liverpool Daily Post

EVERTON manager David Moyes has settled his libel action against Wayne Rooney, it has been revealed.

The Goodison manager sued the 22-year-old England striker along with ghost writer Hunter Davies and publisher HarperCollins, over claims Rooney made in his book, My Story So Far.

The hardback autobiography, published in July 2006, accused Moyes of being overbearing, controlling and ultimately responsible for Rooney’s £27m transfer from Everton to Manchester United in 2004.

It was reported Moyes was claiming more than £300,000 in damages from his former player.

The case had been due before the High Court on Tuesday but sources have now revealed the action has been settled.

Everton FC spokesman Ian Ross said: “It is a private matter and the club will make no comment.” Rooney’s spokesman was not available.

In the book, he claims he told Moyes he wanted to leave Everton after it emerged he had visited prostitutes, and that Moyes passed details of the conversation to a newspaper.

Moyes reacted furiously to the allegations.

In a writ issued at the High Court in London, he claimed the allegation had “injured his professional and personal reputation and caused serious embarrassment and distress”.

The writ also claims Moyes had suffered considerable embarrassment to his reputation when it was stated in the book that Rooney called him “a ----ing joke, whom he couldn’t trust”.

Moyes had also asked for an injunction against Rooney and Davies, banning them from publishing the controversial passage again.

The writ alleged the defendants (Rooney, Davies and Harper Collins) published the book and the libel:

Without checking with Moyes or the newspaper if it was true. It adds that the article did not even reflect Rooney’s complaint.

Failed to mention that Moyes angrily denied the leak during the dressing room row.

Offered no apology to Moyes despite various letters from his legal team in September 2006.

The accusations were removed from paperback editions.