Wayne Rooney's Uncle Richie admits it's still difficult to see the former Everton starlet running around for Manchester United.
Richie told the Mirror: "As an Evertonian, I was gutted when Wayne moved to Old Trafford. I was there when he scored that winning goal against Arsenal when he was still only 16.
"That night he was round at our house on such a high that he was shaking with excitement.
"But I suppose it was inevitable he was going to leave because Everton were in a real state at the time.
"Proper Evertonians like myself understand the club couldn't afford to turn down £27million for him.
"You have to say the move has worked out well for him. He's won the European Cup and two Premier League titles already and it looks like there could be more to follow. I don't think you have to be one of his relatives to forgive him going to Manchester United - I can think of worse teams who play in red where he could have ended up!
"When he was a kid, he was always at his nan's house, kicking a ball around in the street. He always looked a bit special - at junior level, he would score five, six or sometimes 10 on his own.
"I'm just happy he's making the most of his talent, but I still find it hard to watch him when United play Everton. I could have gone to the FA Cup semi-final, but I never went because I didn't want to sit there and listen to him taking all the stick.
"As it happens, it wouldn't have mattered because Fergie left him out. But it's difficult when a member of your own family is getting all that grief off kids who don't even know why they are abusing him."