Everton star Wayne Rooney backs Liverpool's bid for 2022 Commonwealth Games
England’s all-time leading goalscorer Wayne Rooney has joined his boyhood club Everton in backing Liverpool’s transformational bid for the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Rooney, born and bred in the Liverpool suburb of Croxteth, has thrown his weight behind the bid which promises to transform the city and accelerate up to £1bn of investment in the docklands area.
Central to the Games vision is a brand new stadium for Rooney’s current club Everton in Bramley Moore Dock, which will provide a stunning setting for the Commonwealth athletics as well as an intimate, atmospheric Premier League arena.
Rooney joins a host of famous faces already backing the bid, including World boxing champion Tony Bellew, Olympic heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson and Commonwealth and Olympic Games medallists Steve Parry and Beth Tweddle.
The news of Rooney’s support follows just days after Liverpool FC legend and Rooney’s former England teammate Steven Gerrard gave his backing to the bid, alongside both Jamie Carragher and Robbie Fowler.
Both of the city’s world famous clubs have come together in support for the bid and go to prove Liverpool’s united appetite for the Games in 2022.
Discussing the bid, Wayne Rooney said: “I’m proud to be in a position to back our city’s bid to host the Commonwealth Games in 2022 and I have no doubt that Liverpool would be the perfect host city."
He added: "Bringing the Commonwealth Games to the city would be fantastic and fitting, showcasing again to the world what a great city Liverpool is and I support the bid wholeheartedly.”
Liverpool 2022 bid chair, Brian Barwick, said: “I am really delighted Wayne has shown his support for the Liverpool Bid for the 2022 Commonwealth Games".
Liverpool’s Mayor Joe Anderson said: