Rooney played for Celtic as a youth and was a contemporary of the group of players who would form the core of their Lisbon Lions team, but was unable to break into the team in the face of such stiff competition for a place, and after being loaned out to the junior leagues and to Dumbarton, he was allowed to sign for Dundee United on a free transfer in 1963.
[1] Rooney was the club's captain during their UEFA Cup run of 1971–72, when they defeated Hamburg and Vasas Budapest.
As a key member of the Ormond era, Rooney has a place in St Johnstone history and will always be well remembered by the fans.
[8][1] Rooney left Morton in 1983, and went on to manage Partick Thistle and Albion Rovers, before returning to his first club Celtic briefly as a coach.
His son Kevin is an actor,[1][10] whilst his father, Bob, had been physiotherapist at Celtic in the successful Jock Stein managerial era at the club.