Wayne Rooney related to "Ruby" Bob

MightyWarrior · Post by **MightyWarrior** » 24 Jun 2004, 07:39

I think Ian said he looked like a boxer - who'da thunk it?!

WAYNE RELATED TO EX-BOXING CHAMP
Jun 23 2004
EXCLUSIVE
By Jane Kerr

WAYNE Rooney is related to a legendary world heavyweight boxing champ.
An uncle told yesterday how the powerfully-built teenager can count Gentleman "Ruby" Bob Fitzsimmons among his ancestors.
Robert Morrey, a brother of Wayne's mother Jeanette said: "It's through his great, great grandfather who was a blood relation."
Now back in Liverpool from his home in Melbourne, Australia to watch Euro 2004 with the Rooney clan, Robert grinned: "So I reckon the warrior spirit must be in Wayne's blood."
Bob, left, took the world middleweight championship from Jack Dempsey in 1891. He bagged the heavyweight crown in 1897.
Meanwhile another uncle of Wayne's, Robert's brother Bill Morrey, 54, begged fans not to pile too much pressure on the "unbelievably quiet and modest" hero.

The dad-of-four, who lives outside Melbourne near Robert, said: "I'm very, very proud. It's just tremendous what he's achieved.

"I just hope he can handle it. When I last went to Liverpool, Wayne was 13 and unbelievably quiet and modest. My brother and sister say he's the same. I really hope everyone understands and allows him to develop in a natural way. It's got to be hard to carry all the expectations of England."

Bill, who had a taste of football fame in the mid-70s when he played for Marine in their FA Cup victory against Barnsley, was picked for an England international squad game against Spain when he was 24 but went down with pneumonia and missed the game.

Amd he reckons soccer is in Wayne's genes: "Wayne's grandfather, was an excellent player. We were brought up with football."

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/allnews/tm ... _page.html

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 24 Jun 2004, 07:46

His dad boxed, and I believe his brother plays rugby league - but I still find it hard to believe that a Scouser is related to Helston man Fitzsimmons. I think someone has stuck in 'freckled complexion' on google search and come up with Bob.
Still, it could be true.

knockout · Post by **knockout** » 24 Jun 2004, 09:12

Rooneys younger brother, Graham, won the north west school boys title this year!!!

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 24 Jun 2004, 09:45

knockout wrote:Rooneys younger brother, Graham, won the north west school boys title this year!!!

Did he? That's an interesting fact. Wayne certainly looks like he can look after himself.

dondada · Post by **dondada** » 24 Jun 2004, 09:52

Yes, I had heard he had boxing in his blood...but coming from Ruby Bob is some bloody pedigree!

If you remember when there was some bother in the Istanbul (?) tunnel, Rooney was apparently swinging like a good 'un.

Go on the lad tonight!

J · Post by J » 24 Jun 2004, 09:53

too effin right!!! go on engerrrrland!

Ulysses · Post by **Ulysses** » 24 Jun 2004, 10:17

His uncle runs Croxteth ABC in Liverpool and was in the corner of Croxteth's ABA finallist John Donnelly in Wembley earlier this year.

sboxingbuddy · Post by **sboxingbuddy** » 24 Jun 2004, 10:21

that's real funny

Irishlad69 · Post by **Irishlad69** » 24 Jun 2004, 15:30

Bob fitzsimmons father was from tyrone in ireland, and his mother was a native cornish woman named strongman. Its curious that wayne rooney is half irish too, only the relation to bob is from the cornish side obviously.