Former Manchester United striker, Wayne Rooney, has said he would not accept a Premier League winners’ medal if Manchester City are stripped of the 2011/12 title, insisting his former side did not do enough to deserve the crown.
Rooney’s comments differ from those of former United teammates Rio Ferdinand and David de Gea, who have both suggested that the club’s runners-up finish could result in them being awarded another Premier League medal.
Speaking on the Stick To United podcast, Rooney said he would feel uncomfortable receiving the title, despite the ongoing controversy surrounding Manchester City and the charges brought against the club by the Premier League.
“I have heard Rio has come out saying about getting another Premier League medal… I wouldn’t really feel comfortable accepting another Premier League medal, if I’m being honest,” he said.
“I don’t think we deserve it, we didn’t do enough that season to win the league. I think we were six or seven points clear with four or five games to go and we threw it away.”
The 2011/12 title race went down to the final day, with United beating Sunderland 1-0 at the Stadium of Light through Rooney’s header.
City, meanwhile, were trailing Queens Park Rangers 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium and needed a victory to secure the title.
Edin Dzeko’s late equaliser gave City hope before Sergio Aguero scored in stoppage time to complete a dramatic comeback and seal the championship.
Rooney said he could understand the impact any retrospective punishment would have on the City players who won the title on the pitch.
“I’ve seen everything that has come out over the past few days and listening to people and I was putting myself in a Man City player’s shoes… they’re players, they’re doing everything they can to try and win the Premier League title and in their mind they have done it, if those players have no understanding of what is going on above them, if that happened to me… I would be absolutely devastated.”
The former England captain added that although the title could potentially be removed from City, he would still not want to receive the medal.
“It might happen, they might take them [medals] away, but I wouldn’t want it [a medal] because I don’t think as a team we deserved it that year because obviously we didn’t finish first.”
“So when I see team-mates saying “I want a medal”, I’m happy with the five I’ve won. I wouldn’t want this one. Should they get it stripped for what the owners have done? Yeah maybe, but I wouldn’t feel comfortable accepting it.”
De Gea, who was also part of United’s 2011/12 squad, had earlier posted on X, “So… Let’s talk. How many Premier League titles have I won then?”
Ferdinand, another member of the team that finished runners-up that season, also wrote, “Another premier league medal to be added to the cabinet.”
