About Gary Neville

Bio:

Gary Neville joined Manchester United as an apprentice in 1991 at the age of 16 and went on to Captain the youth side that won the 1992 FA Youth Cup. He was therefore a part of the now famous ‘Class of ‘92' that were later nicknamed ‘Fergie's Fledglings', which was a collection of young players brought through the United youth teams at the same time under the manager Sir Alex Ferguson. The class of '92 included many of Neville's future teammates in the United first team; such as Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt, best friend David Beckham and younger brother Phil Neville.

Neville made his first-team debut for Manchester United in the 1993-94 season, but only became an established member of the United first team in the 1994-95 and 1995-96 seasons, cementing his place as a consistent and reliable right back defender, which he has remained as for his entire career.

Neville won his first league title with United at the end of the 1995-96 season, and made a late substitute appearance in the 1996 FA Cup Final against Liverpool, which United won, winning his first FA Cup. Neville went on to win the league title for a second time with United at the end of the 1996-97 season.

Neville was also gaining a first team place in the England side. He made his international debut for England in a friendly in 1995 and has remained a first-choice right back for his country for well over ten years; being selected by five different coaches in total. At 21, Neville was the youngest first choice player in the England first team during Euro 96, his first international tournament, where he played every game of the competition until the semi-final.

With United, Neville went on to become an important part of the team that won an unprecedented treble of Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in the remarkable 1998-99 season; winning his third league title, second FA Cup and first Champions League, where he played the full Champions League final. He went on to have more success with United into the 2000s, winning the league again in the 1999-00 and 2000-01 seasons, taking his total up to five league titles won, all by the age of just 26.

Neville also continued to be selected for the England squad, and played for England in the 1998 World Cup and in Euro 2000. A broken foot meant he could not participate in the 2002 World Cup, but he was once again first choice right back by the time of Euro 2004. He was selected for the 2006 World Cup and made his 81st cap for England in the quarter-final against Portugal, taking him to ninth in the all-time list of players with the most amount of England caps.

With United, Neville went on to win the league title again at the end of the 2002-03 season and the FA Cup again in 2004, bringing his total up to six league titles and three FA Cups won. With the departure of Roy Keane in December 2005, Neville's leadership qualities, loyalty to United and position as a player younger players look up to led to him being appointed as Captain of Manchester United by Ferguson, a position he has held ever since.

Neville collected his first silverware as captain when he led the team to the Carling Cup win in 2006, and then went on to win the league with United again in the 2006-07 season, his seventh title win. Unfortunately for Neville, injury plagued his 2007-08 season, and he was forced to not participate in a single game for the entire season due to a combination of ankle and calf injuries. It was still a successful season for United, who went on to win the League and Champions League double.

Neville returned to contribute to the team in the 2008-09 season, where he struggled returning to form after such a long injury layoff and thus his performances dipped and he came in for criticism from some sections of the United fanbase, who thought he shouldn't necessarily be given an automatic first team place. However, the season was still a successful one for United and Neville he captained the team to another league title win, his eighth overall.

Gary Neville has spent the entirety of his club career at Manchester United, the club he supported as a boy, and is extremely loyal to the club. He and seen as something of a cult figure for many United supporters due to his willingness to speak out on behalf of all his teammates and their welfare as well as his vocal and famous dislike for United's bitter rivals Liverpool FC. He has had a highly successful career for United, with a trophy haul that includes eight League titles, three FA Cups, a League Cup and a Champions League triumph, and has represented England at many international tournaments.