Stories of the Faithful: Manchester United legend Gary Neville

Few have done as much for their club as Gary Neville. The English former footballer has been supremely loyal to his employer throughout his career, and his love for the club continues even in football retirement. Let’s take a look at the career of one of the best defenders of his time.

Gary Neville was born on 18 February 1975 in the town of Bury in the north of England. Bury is only 13 kilometres away from Manchester, so it is no surprise that the footballer’s career is linked to this club.

After leaving school in 1991, Neville headed to Manchester United, where he played in the youth team. He made his debut for the A team a year later in a UEFA Cup match against Torpedo Moscow. That match ended in a goalless draw.

A big chance came for the young Neville in 1994 after an injury to right-back Paul Parker, and Neville made the most of the opportunity and convinced the club’s management of his qualities.

From the following season he was a cornerstone of Manchester’s starting line-up, in addition to winning a league and League Cup double with the club. He was even selected in the ideal line-up of the season by the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA).

Neville’s importance at the club rose significantly until he became the club’s captain in 2005. However, in the following years, the English defender suffered several injuries, which resulted in his gradual disappearance from the squad. Manchester United fans, however, did not let up on him even after that and always welcomed him on the pitch to loud applause.

Gary Neville ended his football career in 2011. During that time, he managed to collect eight league titles and was successful with the club on the European stage. The main success came in 1999, when he dominated the Champions League with the club.

However, Neville has not had nearly as much success with England on the international stage. He did finish third in the 1996 European Championship, but after that England never finished on the podium with Neville.

After the end of his career, Neville moved into a coaching position, having tasted the role of assistant coach with the England national team and the role of head coach with Valencia. In addition, he is currently co-owner of English club Salford City or frequently appears as an expert on Sky Sports. Even today, football is still his daily routine.

Source: Livesport, Manchester United, Wikipedia