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Cape Town - Wayne Rooney might actually have to score two more goals to become Manchester United's top goalscorer, if historian Tony Park's assessment is correct.
Rooney scored his 250th goal for the club against Stoke City on Saturday, but Park - an Old Trafford season-ticket holder and avid follower of the club's history - said that Bobby Charlton in fact netted 251 goals for United.
Charlton is credited with 249 goals for Manchester United on the club's website.
"There is still a question mark. For some reason, the club have ignored Bobby Charlton's two goals in the Anglo-Italian Cup in his last-ever game for United," Park said.
"In '72-'73 they entered the Anglo-Italian Cup and Bobby played his last game in Verona, where we won 4-1 and he scored two goals. That would take his total to 251."
The 1973 Anglo-Italian Cup was won on June 3 by Newcastle United, who defeated Fiorentina 2-1. Manchester United did not make it past the group stage, despite recording two wins and two draws.
Online sources list Charlton's final club appearance as being against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on April 28, 1973, and his final goal a month earlier against Southampton.
Park said he hopes Rooney makes the issue irrelevant.
"I hope that it all becomes very academic and in the next few games, next couple of months, or whatever, Wayne scores two goals, puts it all to bed and quite rightly sits at the top of the table in terms of number of goals scored."
