Wayne Rooney reveals writing poetry for Coleen is the secret to their happy marriage

In the new documentary, Wayne Rooney – The Man Behind The Goals, we discovered details of the pair’s first date, how Coleen wears the trousers in their house, and that the couple like nothing better than winding down to Oasis on the karaoke.

But first – the poetry.

Wayne said: “I used to love writing poems, even before I was with Coleen. I don’t know why, I used to like write little stories, too. So when I first got with Coleen, I used to write her lots of poems. They have died down a bit of late.”

Coleen backed up this extraordinary tale by confirming she’d received one of his rhymes on a recent holiday.

“I went to bed with the kids and when I got up the next morning there was a poem on the side, which was nice. I’ve got a collection somewhere,” she said.

The romantic footballer also divulged how the couple met, at the tender age of 12, when Wayne played football with her brothers behind the garages of her Liverpool home.

“He is shy until he gets to know you – and then he just doesn’t shut up. He used to shout things like, ‘Give us a date’,” Coleen said. “In the end, he got his way and we went to the pictures.”

He took her to see Austin Powers at the Showcase cinema in Croxteth for their first date, when Coleen was 16 and Wayne 17.

Coleen’s mum Colette divulged what happened when they decided to get engaged just a year later in 2003 and Wayne popped the question on a petrol station forecourt.

“He loved her, you could see it. He proposed at the petrol station. They were supposed to go for a meal but he couldn’t wait.

“I think he must have got the engagement ring out at the petrol station. They never went out for the meal. They came home and had corned beef hash,” she said.

The documentary was made to mark Wayne becoming England’s most prolific goal scorer, beating Sir Bobby Charlton’s 50-goal record. However, it also focused on Wayne the family man.

The couple are seen playing with their two boys, Kai, five, and Klay, two, and Coleen admitted that Wayne can be a “big kid”, allowing the boys to play football in the house.

The grounds of their £5 million mansion in Prestbury, near Manchester, have essentially been turned into a giant playground, complete with slides, climbing frames and a football pitch. Inside the kids have their own mini sweetshop and a museum filled with memorabilia.

In the rare glimpse into the life and home of the £70 million footballer, Wayne also revealed himself to be an avid collector of signed guitars – including ones from Sir Paul McCartney and Noel Gallagher – despite not being able to play himself.

The couple are karaoke fanatics, said Wayne, although Coleen “hogs the mic” when Oasis come on. Wayne’s go-to tune? Mustang Sally, he confessed.

Despite Coleen calling him the “strict” parent, Wayne said she rules the roost in their house.

“Outside of football she’s the strong one. She makes all the decisions. She’s a great mum, she’s great for the children and she’s great for me.”

The one rule they absolutely stick to is a weekly date night, which takes place every Thursday. “Don’t tell them all which day or they’ll follow us,” hissed Coleen.

Coleen is currently pregnant with their third child, which they said they’d love to be a girl.

The documentary, which saw them interviewed by Gary Lineker, also touched on the tougher parts of their marriage, such as Wayne’s well-documented visit to prostitutes behind his wife’s back early in their marriage.

“He was young and had done some stupid things, like most lads. Some things you do and you don’t do again,” Coleen said firmly.

Wayne Rooney – The Man Behind The Goals will air on BBC One on October 5 at 9pm.