Man United stars left in stitches after pranking Wayne Rooney on long-haul flight

Manchester United players were once left in fits of laughter after pranking Wayne Rooney during a long-haul flight.

As United are one of the biggest clubs in world football, they often have to travel around the world during pre-season in order to connect with fans abroad.

Former United masseuse Rod Thornley has now recalled the time when members of the squad played a prank on Rooney during a flight to Australia.

Speaking on the Under The Cosh podcast, Thornley said: “We're on a jumbo jet on a pre-season tour going to Australia and someone had nicked [Rooney's] suit-bottoms.

“He started getting himself dressed, shirt's on, tie's up, 'where's me f***ing pants?' No one gave him his pants back, the lads had hidden them.”

He continued: “So we're all suited up and ready to get off the plane and he's fuming. He storms down to the front of the plane, you've got Bobby Charlton on there and Sir Alex [Ferguson] on there, [and he shouts] 'no one's getting off this f***ing plane until I get my pants back!'

“He's like that [holding his arms up to block the walkway], 'no one's getting off!' … it was so funny. The lads were crying laughing and his head had gone. Like, gone.”

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Thornley went on to talk about the relationship he had with Rooney.

He said: “We just got on, straight away. He used to get me to play Playstation with him. During Euro 2004 we're chatting away and he says to me, 'what do I call your gaffer?'

“I said, 'err what do you mean?' and he went, 'if your gaffer was in the room, what would I call him?' I went, 'Sir Alex. I call him gaffer but he's my boss, not yours'. And then I went, 'hang on a second, are you signing for us?' and he went, 'what do you f***ing think?'

“So he gets his phone out, and I went, (sternly) 'mate, call him Sir Alex, just f***ing make sure you call him Sir Alex', and he said, 'no no, I will, I will'. He picks his phone up [and says] 'alright Alex, it's Wayne', and I went 'oh my God … you f***ing d***’.”