by Gary Neville
I look forward to going in there myself. I’ve become an ambassador for the club, but above all I’m a fan. I always said that when I retired I looked forward to sitting in the stands with my mates, having a drink and cheering my team.
That’s why I went on the terraces at Stamford Bridge in March. I got three tickets for me and a couple of mates and we sat in the away end, just like I’d wanted to do for years. I had a great night, but I’ve been advised that it might not be the safest thing in future.
It’s sad that it’s come to that, but as the fame and the money has grown in football, so has the hostility. There are massive rewards for players today but there’s also more intrusion, more hassle, more aggression. There’s a frightening amount of scrutiny, which I won’t miss.
The most common question you get asked as you approach the end of your career is how you want to be remembered. For me, it’s simple really: I want to be remembered for giving everything to United. That’s what my dad told me when I started as a kid: don’t look back wishing you could have done more.
I wasn’t the most skilful player around. I’ve always joked that I’ll have six out of ten on my gravestone because that’s the perception of me – a steady Eddie in a team of stars like Cantona, Robson, Beckham, Ronaldo, Scholes, Giggs. Never bad but never great either.
But that’s OK. All that matters is that you make the most of yourself. I’ve never been a pin-up but I’m not a bad example for anyone out there who wonders if they’ve quite got the skill to make it to the top. I’m proof of what can be achieved if you keep working.
I think that’s the greatest quality that can be said of all of us who came through from the class of ’92. You see how Giggsy is still going strong; Becks is still playing out in the States; Phil has just signed a new contract at Everton; and Scholesy kept going for as long as possible. We’ve all tried to squeeze every drop out of our careers. That’s the best that any footballer can do, whatever their talent level.
I couldn’t have given more, but now my time is up. I went out with the lads to celebrate our historic nineteenth title. I felt total joy to have finally moved ahead of Liverpool. It’s a phenomenal achievement. I was thrilled for the whole club and for the lads as they sang their songs and drank their pints. But as the party moved on into the night, I was also a little bit detached from it, if I’m honest.
I’d had my time. I was already retired, starting out on my new life, and the club had moved on too, winning trophies without me. What an amazing time I’d had, but as the players continued to celebrate their championship, I slipped away into the night. I wouldn’t be missed, which is just how it should be.
Epilogue
Best United XI
I’ve been lucky to play with some of the true greats of the game – so many fantastic players that I’ve always been reluctant to choose the very best. But I’ve been asked so many times to select my Manchester United XI that I’ve had to give in.
It was an agonising process, and I’ve changed my mind about twenty times. There are world-class players, United legends, who have been left out. No room for Eric? That’s how hard it is to get in this team.
Goalkeeper
How do you separate two of the greatest ever goalkeepers? Peter Schmeichel and Edwin van der Sar would grace any team. Edwin was the first goalkeeper since Peter left who mastered the position. He is a sweeper-keeper with great shot-saving ability and fantastic distribution. But, best of all, he exuded calm confidence. It’s a very hard job being a United goalkeeper but Edwin was never flustered, however big the occasion.
Edwin is a class act, but in the end I had to go with the longevity of Peter who was not just a great goalkeeper but a massive presence when I was coming into the side. He was one of those ferociously driven players who made all the young lads realise what it took to reach the top. He would slaughter me in training. He could be brutal. But that was just his raging desire to win. Peter was unarguably the best in the world for quite a few years and has to go down as one of the manager’s greatest signings.
Defence
Denis Irwin was so good you could put him at left- or right-back and he would be brilliant in either position. It’s hard to remember a mistake he made, and, on top of his reliability, he could attack and take penalties and free-kicks.
He played more as a left-back for United but he’ll have to go on the right in this team because I’m going for Patrice Evra at left-back. Patrice was not an instant hit at United, taking a little time to adjust to the physicality of the Premier League, but he proved a very quick learner and has been throwing himself into challenges ever since. And attacking-wise, there are few better full-backs in the world.
Centre-half was a massive dilemma. Steve Bruce, Gary Pallister, Jaap Stam, Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand – you could take any two of them and have a top-quality pairing. I knew I’d never get into the team at centre-half when I saw Brucey and Pallister. They were great players and fantastic people to be around when we were coming into the team.
But I’m going for the modern-day pairing of Vidic and Rio as my choice, though how I am leaving out Jaap I’ll never know. Jaap was brilliant, colossal. In his first season we won the Treble and he should have been at United for longer, as the manager has admitted.
But Vidic has to be in the team. That’s non-negotiable. How he didn’t win Player of the Year in 2010/11 is beyond me. He was easily the most consistent, influential player in the league. There’s an argument that Rio and Vidic need each other to be at their best, and that’s why, in the end, I am going for the two of them together. They are a fantastic combination, a great blend, with Rio’s wonderful all-round ability to see the game, to make interceptions and to play the ball in the tightest of spaces alongside Vidic getting in the way of everything. The bottom line is they have played in three Champions League finals together during the club’s golden period.
Midfield
The Treble-winning midfield quartet of David Beckham, Roy Keane, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs walk into the team. They are inseparable. That four had everything.
There was Giggsy’s dribbling on one side and Becks’ delivery on the other, allied to Keano’s incredible drive and tenacity and Scholesy’s laser-passing and goalscoring ability. Tenacity, passing, penetration, energy, technical quality, tackling – all of it in spades. What more could you want from a midfield?
It has become harder to play a flat four in modern football. The game has moved on. Teams work on outnumbering you in that area of the field. But I’ve not seen a four that has complemented one another so well, and I wouldn’t put it past them to have flourished today even with the tactical changes in the game.
They were all very intelligent players, had bags of skill, and they all worked like dogs. They had it all. It was a privilege to be in the same team.
Attack
Cristiano Ronaldo is a cert up front. The goals he scored for United, added to the fact that he had so much ability to frighten players, mean he is a must. For three years from around 2006 to 2009 Cristiano was the best player in the world, and that is why he has to be in.
Rooney or Cantona as his partner? This one took a lot of consideration, and I was tempted to go for Eric. He is a Messiah at this club, an all-time icon. I think back to that 1995/96 season and I know we couldn’t have won the league without him. It’s sad that he didn’t stay around to win the Champions League.
But Wayne has helped us to reach three European finals in four years and that’s why he just gets the nod. These should be his peak years now and everything’s set up for him to become an Old Trafford legend. The stage is set for him.
That leaves out Ruud van Nistelrooy, who was the greatest goalscorer I ever played with; Dwight Yorke, who set us alight in that Treble season; Mark Hughes, who was just an incredible warrior for United as well as a great striker; and Andy Cole, who overcame a difficult start at Old Trafford to become a goalscoring machine.
But if the team is weighted more to the present day,
that’s because it’s hard to ignore the phenomenal success that’s been enjoyed in reaching all those Champions League finals. This has been a special time in United’s history.
So there you have it: Schmeichel – Irwin, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra – Beckham, Keane, Scholes, Giggs – Rooney, Ronaldo.
As for me, I’ll be lucky if I make it on to the bench.
The Chantlers School Under-11 team with me (front row, second from right) and Phil (back row, far left).
On Saturdays we played for the ICE junior team, under the watchful eye of my dad.
I’m the captain in this team photo, with Phil standing (back row, far right).
We both loved cricket, and Phil certainly could have played at the very highest level.
Here we are (front row, centre and second from right) representing Lancashire.
The North of England schoolboys team featured a future England captain in Michael Vaughan (front row, third from left), but as you can just see from the sling (back row, second from left), I broke my finger slip-fielding at what was effectively the national trials.
With Phil at my dad’s last game. He scored a six to win the match.
I scored an unbeaten 110 for Greenmount against Astley Bridge in July 1992 in partnership with a young Australian called Matthew Hayden (140 not out), as the Bury Times reported, but it was football only for me from then on.
Tracey, Gary and Phil Neville: 218 caps between us.
I signed my registration form for the Manchester United Centre of Excellence in August 1987.
At the age of sixteen, in the summer of 1991, this letter came from Brian Kidd inviting me for pre-season training with United.
My first youth team match came at Sunderland on 27 November 1991.
It was a proud moment to wear the United shirt and club blazer.
The famous Manchester United youth team. I’m in the back row (second from left) with Butty (second from right); Becks and Scholesy have the balls at their feet in front of us.
We beat Crystal Palace in the final of the FA Youth Cup in 1992, bringing the trophy to Old Trafford for the first time in twenty-eight years.
(Back row, from left) Ben Thornley, Nicky Butt, Gary Neville, Simon Davies, Chris Casper, Kevin Pilkington, Keith Gillespie; (front row, from left) John O’Kane, Robert Savage, George Switzer, Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Colin McKee.
A dream come true. My first team debut came against Torpedo Moscow in the Uefa Cup on 16 September 1992.
With Becks and Butty in Red Square for the return leg of that match.
Phil and I first played together for United in a youth team game against Notts County.
Soon the media had coined the phrase ‘Fergie’s Fledglings’ for the new United generation. ‘I’m delighted with them, they are our future,’ the manager said.
My First England call-up came for an Under-18 international against Switzerland at Port Vale.
In July 1993, we won the European Championships, beating Turkey in the final with a penalty from Darren Caskey after Julian Joachim was brought down.
Along with the United contingent of Scholesy, Butty, Casp and me, Sol Campbell (back row, fourth from right) and Robbie Fowler (front row, third from right) were also in that victorious team...
My England debut came against Japan in the Umbro Cup at Wembley on 3 June 1995. (Back row, from left) Shearer, Batty, Collymore, Flowers, Scales, Anderton; (front row, from left) Neville, Beardsley, Platt (capt), Pearce, Unsworth.
Teddy Sheringham and I celebrate Gazza’s goal against Scotland at Euro 96.
With Becks after his last-minute free-kick against Greece at Old Trafford in 2001 saw England qualify for the World Cup finals.
First-team regulars – although I often had to battle my own brother for a place in the starting line-up.
With Becks at Wembley for the FA Cup Final; Eric Cantona gave us a famous victory against Liverpool in 1996.
Celebrating the 1996 double with Brian Kidd, the manager and Phil.
Here are a few legends in this photo.
Never let the opposition get to you.
Beating Juventus in Turin in the 1999 Champions League semi-finals was one of our greatest single triumphs...
...but the Treble in Barcelona was unbelievable.
You’ll win nothing with kids... Fergie’s Fledglings (and Teddy) with the Champions League trophy.
Wazza’s two goals in Cardiff signalled the start of a new era of success.
The manager and I parade the Carling Cup in 2006 – my first trophy as United captain.
Saving the best till last. With Edwin van der Sar, Scholesy and Giggsy after securing another Premier League trophy in 2009.
I was still recovering from injury when we won the Champions League trophy...
...for a second time in Moscow in 2008...
...but that didn’t stop me celebrating.
A proud day: I walk out for my testimonial at Old Trafford on 24 May 2011 with my girls Molly and Sophie.
Becks says goodbye, for now.
We’d come a long way together.
Picture Acknowledgements
Unless otherwise stated, all pictures are personally provided courtesy of the author, with thanks to Manchester United FC, the Bury Times, the Manchester Evening News and the photographers who have followed his life and career over the years. Every effort has been made to obtain the necessary permissions with reference to illustrative copyright material. We apologise for any omissions in this respect and will be pleased to make the appropriate acknowledgements in any future edition.
Second section: Gascoigne and Beckham goal celebrations; Turin celebrations; Rooney in Moscow all © Press Association Images.
Second section: Neville brothers in Barcelona; Carling Cup and Premier League celebrations; lifting Champions League trophy in Moscow and celebrating with Ronaldo; testimonial photographs all © Getty Images.
Acknowledgements
My thanks to Matt Dickinson for helping to put this book together.
Index
The page references in this index correspond to the printed edition from which this ebook was created. To find a specific word or phrase from the index, please use the search feature of your ebook reader.
Abramovich, Roman 212
Adams, Tony 81, 82, 111, 128, 129, 156
adidas 104
agents 267–8
Albiston, Arthur 8
Aldridge, John 9
Amblehurst Hotel (Sale) 70
Ancelotti, Carlo 276, 277, 293
Anderton, Darren 81, 83, 231
Anelka, Nicolas 99
Argentina 111–13
Arsenal 97–9, 100, 119, 126–8, 129, 131, 137, 141, 173, 202–4, 206, 253
Arsenal Invincibles 99, 201–8
Asprilla, Faustino 64
Aston Villa 61
Baggio, Roberto 124
Ballack, Michael 240
Barcelona 120, 248–9, 272–3, 284–5
Bardsley, Phil 42
Baresi, Franco 104
Barmby, Nick 81, 83
Barnes, John 9, 77
Barry, Gareth 261
Barthez, Fabien 140, 214
Barton, Warren 77, 78
Batistuta, Gabriel 138
Batty, David 113, 150, 198
Bayer Leverkusen 166
Bayern Munich 132–6
Beardsley, Peter 9, 153
Beattie, James 189
Beckham, David 62–3, 124, 131, 210, 257, 295, 298
apprenticeship and youth player at United 24, 28, 34
captaincy of England 168
career after United 178–9
departure from United 176–7
dropping of from England squad by McClaren 262
and Euro 2004 197
and fame 103–4, 178–9
first sighting of Victoria 103
footballing skills and attributes 60, 67, 178
friendship with Neville 34–5, 177–8
marriage to Victoria 145�
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quits captaincy of England 234–5
scores goal in World Cup qualifier vs Greece 168
tensions between Ferguson and 146–7, 174