Gary Neville Factfile
Info from: http://www.evans.mcmail.com/o1u/o1u.html and http://www.manutd.com
Full Name: Gary Alexander Neville
Position(s): Right / Central Defender
Date of Birth: 18 February 1975
Place of Birth: Bury, England
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 12st 7lb
Signed Professional: 23rd January 1993
League Debut: 8th May 1994 v Coventry City (H)
Fee: Promoted from Youth Team
Caps: 32 for England, no goals
Picture from: http://members.xoom.com/heathens/gallery/menu.htmlStats
modified from: http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Track/7768/gneville.htm and http://www.manutd.com
Season League Goals FA Cup Goals League Cup Goals Europe Goals Total Apps. Total Goals 1992-93 0 0 0 0 0 0 0(1) 0 0(1) 0 1993-94 1 0 0 0 0 0 0(1) 0 1(1) 0 1994-95 16(2) 0 4 0 2(1) 0 2(1) 0 24(4) 0 1995-96 31(1) 0 5(1) 0 1 0 1 0 38(2) 0 1996-97 30(1) 1 3 0 1 0 10 0 44(1) 1 1997-98 35 0 2(1) 0 0 0 8 0 45(1) 0 1998-99 34 1 7 0 0 0 13 0 54 1 TOTAL 147(4) 2 21(2) 0 4(1) 0 34(3) 0 206(10) 2
Gary Neville makes up the older half of the formidable Manchester United and England defender siblings. Born and bred in Bury, Gary comes from a family of athletes. His brother Phillip is his United sidekick, while sister Tracey plays netball for England. His parents are very much involved in Bury FC - his father is the commercial manager while his mother is the club secretary.
He is just 24 years old, but many see him as the future captain of Manchester United and England. The task is not new to him - he was captain of the Manchester United Youth Team that won the FA Youth Cup in 1992 - the very team that produced the core of today's stars such as David Beckham, Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt. United manager Alex Ferguson has, on occasion, handed him the captain's armband - a remarkable feat for a player yet to hit 25. Gary cool, calm confidence also makes him a prime candidate for a managerial position in the future. He himself refuses to let his mind wander all that far ahead, but many a player and pundit see him behind the manager's desk.
His meteoric rise as a defender began after Paul Parker, the former right back that was part of the team that won the first Premiership in 26 years, left United. However, he made his first team debut in Europe, covering right back against Torpedo Moscow when United was hit with an injury crisis. After a few shaky starts, he gained the confidence of the Old Trafford faithful, making confident challenges and clearances despite his rather slight frame.
Perhaps one of the things Gary is most famous for is his throw-ins - he is the designated United throw-in taker, and many a time his far reaching throws have helped create goals. He is also often seen running down the right flank and providing lethal crosses to the United and England attack. He is not known for scoring the goals though - to date his tally remains at two goals.
Gary's international career was launched when he played in the Umbro Cup tournament in 1995, followed by a successful outing at Le Tournoi de France, which saw England win the quadrangular tournament that boasted teams like Italy and France. He was also part of the England team that crashed out to the cheating Argentina team in the second round of the 1998 World Cup. While being a part of the squad was a major high for him, it left him with mixed feelings as brother Phil was not included in the final squad.
For a young man, Gary's list of honours beats some of that of many footballing veterans. To date, the only domestic honour he does not possess is a League Cup medal - the only Cup United have not won in their recent surge of success. One does not see him in possession of one very soon, though, as United rank the League Cup as a low priority competition.
While his best friend David Beckham is perpetually in the limelight, Gary prefers to stay in the background. For how long that will be, no one really knows. Now that Brian McClair is no longer at Old Trafford, young Gary acts as the spokeman for the other players. But perhaps that's just as much limelight that he prefers. All he wants to do, it seems, is to let his football do the talking.
HONOURS
FA Youth Cup - 1992
Premier League Champions - 1995/96, 1996/97, 1998/99
FA Cup - 1995/96, 1998/99
European Cup Champions - 1998/99
Phil Neville Factfile
Info from:http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Track/7768/pneville.htm and http://www.manutd.com
Full Name: Philip John Neville
Position(s): Full-Back
Date Of Birth: 21.1.77
Place Of Birth: Bury
Date Signed: 1.6.94
Height: 5' 11"
Weight : 12st 0lb
League Debut :11/2/95 Manchester City (A)
Fee: Promoted from Youth Team
Caps: 15 for England, no goals
Picture from: http://members.xoom.com/heathens/gallery/menu.htmlStats
Modified from:http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Track/7768/pneville.htm
Season League Goals FA Cup Goals League Cup Goals Europe Goals Total Apps. Total Goals 1994-95 1(1) 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2(1) 0 1995-96 21(3) 0 6(1) 0 1(1) 0 1 0 29(5) 0 1996-97 15(3) 0 0 0 1 0 2(2) 0 18(5) 0 1997-98 24(6) 1 3 0 1 0 6(2) 0 34(8) 1 1998-99 19(9) 0 4(3) 0 2 0 4(2) 1 29(14) 1 TOTAL 80(22) 1 14(4) 5(1) 13(6) 1 112(33) 2
Having an older brother in the same life of business that you're in may be a boon or a bane - depending on the situation. It certainly has been a mixed blessing for Phil Neville, the other half of only the second sibling pair to play together for England (the other pair were Jack and Bobby Charlton). Not only does his brother play for the same team, they also tussle for the same position. Talk about reasons for sibling rivalry!
But Phil is a brilliant player in his own right. He possesses a valuable asset millions of football players would kill for - the ability to play with both feet. This led to comparisons with another brilliant United full-back whose throne Phil would inevitably succeed - Denis Irwin. While his first and favourite position is as a defender (in many guises), he has been, on occasion, pushed forward into a midfield role. And in the times he has played there, not many people have found a reason to complain - he has actually scored a rare Neville goal as a result!
Ironically, it was Gary who gave Phil his first taste of league football. The older Neville was suspended for two matches, paving the way for the younger Neville to strut his stuff. His league debut was a baptism of fire - thrown into the cauldron against Manchester City at Maine Road - a rare feat for league debutantes these days given that the Blue side of Manchester is nowhere to be seen in the Premiership. It wasn't long before many began to realise that perhaps the Neville footballing genius really was genetic, and there was a time when Phil actually kept Gary out of the first team.
Of course, what came next was international honours. He was given his England debut only after playing 17 senior games. But of course, a player of his calibre does not need too many games to prove his worth. To date Phil has played for England 15 times - quite impressive for a 22 year old.
But his ups has been met with some downs. In the beginning of the 1996/97 season, he contracted glandular fever which effectively kept him out of the side for three months - a long time in a team with many talented young defenders just waiting on the fringes of the first team. But he bounced back, playing some 18 games and helped United win yet another Premiership trophy.
Still, his most profound setback was when he was dropped from the England World Cup 98 squad .The move made by Glenn Hoddle that was met with some disbelief in the football ranks, Phil having played in the warm-up matches prior to the tournament. While Phil still quotes missing out on the World Cup as his greatest disappointment, he has come back a stronger player and more confident in his role. He has even scored again at Brondy in the European Cup tournament, which many remember for his Jesper-Blomqvist like hands-in-my- sleeves' celebration.
Phil has been and will continue to be an integral part of the Manchester United squad. His versatility - being able to play on both sides of the pitch, as well as in defence and midfield - is an asset to the club that is aspiring to reach even more heights than ever before. It won't be long before Kevin Keegan recalls him back to the England squad, where Phil will show the world what Glenn Hoddle was missing in his France 98 team.
HONOURS
FA Youth Cup - 1995
Premier League Champions - 1995/96, 1996/97, 1998/99
FA Cup - 1995/96, 1998/99
European Cup Champions - 1998/99
