Hatters Rooney bounces back after rough 18 months

In 2012, then Swindon boss Paolo Di Canio signed the winger from Gillingham for a reported six-figure sum with the Robins then securing promotion to League One.

But Rooney’s career has been punctuated by six separate loan spells and he was released by the County Ground outfit in January this year. He ended up plying his trade for Isthmian Premier League outfit Maidstone last term before Luton came calling in March with a short term contract offer.

The London-born midfielder earned a further six month contract this summer and is now looking forward to showing Hatters fans what he can really do after a stand-out 45 minutes in Saturday’s 4-0 pre-season win over Belgium second tier side Royal Antwerp.

The 23-year-old said: “I was playing part-time football towards the end of the season, I lost my head with the game a little bit and I was nowhere near the [peak] physical shape, or mentally. I really had a rough time of it.

“I think it’s down to other clubs as well, for treating me badly, but also, looking at myself, I wasn’t really living right or how a professional should live.”

For the full interview see this week’s Luton News.