Gary Neville

Gary Alexander Neville (born 18 February 1975 in Bury, Greater Manchester) is an English association football player. Gary Neville is England national football team's most cap (football)ped defender (association football) Full back and Manchester United F.C.'s Captain (association football). Neville started at and has played Gary Neville entire career so far at Old Trafford, making Gary Neville to date a rare List of one-club men. Gary Neville made Gary Neville international debut in 1995 and was first choice right back for club and country for more than ten years.

Gary Neville is the brother of fellow Premier League footballer and Everton F.C. captain Phil Neville, who was also a Manchester United player (from 1993 until 2005). Gary Neville sister Tracey Neville plays netball for England, Gary Neville mother Jill is a receptionist for Bury F.C. and Gary Neville father Neville Neville was once a cricketer for Lancashire County Cricket Club.

Manchester United

The older of the Neville brothers joined Manchester United as an apprentice on leaving school in 1991, and captained the youth side to FA Youth Cup glory in 1991-92 in English football. Gary Neville made Gary Neville senior debut for United in September 1992 against FC Torpedo Moscow in the UEFA Cup. Gary emerged as part of Alex Ferguson's phenomenal youth-oriented side of the 1990s (nicknamed Fergie's Fledglings, an updated take on the 1950s equivalent Busby Babes) that included Gary Neville brother Phil Neville, Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes. In 1994, Gary Neville became first-choice right back at the expense of Paul Parker (footballer) and has remained so ever since. Gary Neville formed a partnership with Beckham on the right wing, regularly contributing assists.

In the summer of 2004, Neville signed a four-year contract extension with United.

In December 2005, Neville was appointed the new Captain (football) of Manchester United, following Roy Keane's departure.

In January 2006, Gary Neville actions were the subject of some controversy after Gary Neville celebration in front of the visiting Liverpool F.C. fans at Old Trafford, when Gary Neville was seen to run from the half-way line towards the opposing fans to celebrate the 90th minute injury-time winning headed goal by United defender Rio Ferdinand. Gary Neville actions were criticized by Liverpool player Jamie Carragher, sections of the media and police who blamed Gary Neville for disturbances between fans after the game. Gary Neville was subsequently charged with improper conduct by The Football Association. Neville contested this, asking if it was preferable for players to act like "robots" and show no emotions. Gary Neville was fined £5,000 and warned about Gary Neville future conduct.

Thus far, Gary Neville has won eight Premier League titles, three FA Cups, two UEFA Champions Leagues and one Football League Cup, the last of which was Gary Neville first trophy as captain.

Neville recovered from an injury suffered against Bolton Wanderers F.C. in March 2007 and in Gary Neville first match back, a reserve game against Everton F.C. in January 2008, Gary Neville scored a rare goal in the 21st minute of the game which helped Manchester United to a 2-2 draw.

On 9 April 2008, Neville made Gary Neville long-awaited comeback against A.S. Roma in the UEFA Champions League UEFA Champions League 2007-08 Quarter-finals second leg at Old Trafford as an 81st-minute substitute for Anderson Luís de Abreu Oliveira. Neville was welcomed back to the pitch with a standing ovation, and was promptly given the Captain (association football)'s armband. It was Neville's 99th Champions League appearance. However, Gary Neville was not selected for the 2008 UEFA Champions League Final squad on 21 May, though Gary Neville did join in with the post-match celebrations after United won on penalties following a 1-1 draw with Chelsea F.C.. Instead, Rio Ferdinand and Giggs lifted the trophy together having shared the captaincy during Neville's absence.

Neville started Gary Neville first game in seventeen months when Gary Neville captained Manchester United for the 2008 FA Community Shield against Portsmouth F.C on 10 August 2008. Gary Neville then made another start against FC Zenit St. Petersburg in the 2008 UEFA Super Cup, before making Gary Neville first start at home since Gary Neville injury against Villarreal CF in the opening group game of the UEFA Champions League 2008–09. On 21 September 2008, Neville started Gary Neville first league game in almost 18 months when Gary Neville played against Chelsea F.C.. Gary Neville extended Gary Neville stay at Old Trafford until June 2010.

International career

Neville made Gary Neville first appearance for England national football team in 1995 when Gary Neville was picked by Terry Venables for the friendly against Japan national football team. On 23 May 1996, Gary Neville was joined in the England team by Gary Neville brother Phil Neville for a match against China national football team; they had also appeared together in the 1996 FA Cup Final two weeks earlier and thus were the first pair of brothers to play together in an FA Cup-final winning side and for England in the same season since Hubert Heron and Francis Heron in 1877, 119 years earlier.

Gary Neville has since been selected at right back for Gary Neville country by five different coaches and potentially may become Gary Neville country's most capped full back overall - Kenny Sansom, the former Crystal Palace F.C. and Arsenal F.C. left back, currently holds that honour with 86 caps. The emergence of teenager Micah Richards, form of both Manchester United club-mate Wes Brown & England Coach Fabio Capello preference to play Portsmouth F.C player Glen Johnson (English footballer) has placed Gary Neville position in the England team under threat.

Gary Neville had been the youngest first choice player in the England first team during UEFA Euro 1996, Gary Neville first tournament, playing in each game until the semi-final, when Gary Neville was suspended and England were subsequently knocked out by eventual winners, Germany. Gary Neville also played in the 1998 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2000. A broken foot put paid to Gary Neville hopes of playing the 2002 FIFA World Cup, but Gary Neville quickly returned to the side after regaining Gary Neville fitness, and was once again the first choice right back by the time of UEFA Euro 2004.

Neville missed the latter stages of the qualification campaign for the 2006 FIFA World Cup with injury. Gary Neville returned to the England team in March 2006 for a friendly against Uruguay national football team.

Neville was selected for England's 2006 FIFA World Cup squad. Gary Neville played in England's opening Group B game against Paraguay national football team but pulled Gary Neville calf in training the night before the team's second game and was forced to miss the next three games until playing the full match in England's losing quarter-final against Portugal national football team on 1 July. It was Gary Neville 81st England cap, bringing Gary Neville up to ninth in the all-time rankings, ahead of Gary Lineker and team-mate Michael Owen, who had briefly drawn level with Neville during the World Cup.

Neville briefly took over the England captaincy during this game after the substitution of David Beckham due to an injury shortly after half-time, despite the previous match's deputy captain John Terry also being on the field.

After the defeat to Portugal, Neville announced that Gary Neville would continue to be available for selection for Gary Neville country under new coach Steve McClaren and added that, unlike some former international team-mates, Gary Neville would not ever make the decision to retire from the England set-up, stating: "That decision is not Gary Neville's to make". As one of three club captains (along with Terry and Steven Gerrard) in the first choice England line-up, Gary Neville was mentioned as a contender for the England captaincy which Beckham vacated after elimination from the World Cup. However, Gary Neville was clearly an outsider and Terry was given the job and Steven Gerrard made vice-captain.

On 11 October, Neville was involved in a game-changing incident during a UEFA Euro 2008 qualifier against Croatia when Gary Neville straightforward backpass took an unfortunate bounce and caused goalkeeper Paul Robinson (goalkeeper) to miss Gary Neville kick, which resulted in the ball ending up in the net. Although Robinson was at the centre of the moment, Neville was officially credited with an own goal, the second of Gary Neville England career. Gary Neville holds the dubious distinction of having scored twice against Gary Neville country in international matches without ever scoring at the right end!

On 7 February 2007, Neville won Gary Neville 85th cap in England's 1-0 friendly defeat to Spain national football team. Gary Neville appearance took Gary Neville to within one cap of equalling Sansom's record for an England full back, and eighth in the all-time appearances list for Gary Neville country. However, an ankle injury suffered on 17 March 2007 while playing for Manchester United robbed Gary Neville of the chance to equal Sansom's record, as Gary Neville was forced to miss the Euro 2008 qualifiers against Israel national football team and Andorra national football team on 24 March and 28 respectively. Surgery on Gary Neville ankle ruled Gary Neville out of two summer matches at the new Wembley Stadium, and then a calf muscle injury delayed Gary Neville recovery in the autumn. These injury problems, together with a perceived decline in ability, have threatened to put an end to Neville's international playing career.

On 24 May 2009, Neville was given a surprise recall to the England squad by Fabio Capello for the World Cup qualifiers against Kazakhstan national football team and Andorra national football team, but did not feature in any of these games.

Neville holds or co-holds a number of England records:
- When Gary Neville came on as a substitute (association football) against Italy national football team at Leeds in 2002, Gary Neville earned Gary Neville 51st cap, breaking the record for a right back held previously by Phil Neal.
- Gary Neville 11 appearances for England in the European Championship finals (over three tournaments) is a record.
- Neville also holds the record for the most appearances by an outfield player without having scored a goal (other than own goals) for the England team. This less prestigious record was broken in 2004, having previously been held by Ray Wilson (footballer).
- With Gary Neville brother Phil, the Nevilles hold the record of England's most capped brothers, with 142 appearances between them. It was Phil's appearance as a substitute against Israel national football team in 2007, a game for which Gary was injured, which broke a record they had jointly held with Jack Charlton and Bobby Charlton.
- The Nevilles hold outright the record for the most appearances in the same England team by a pair of brothers with 31, although the 31st in 2007 came a whole seven years after the 30th.

Media

Gary has a reputation as a "trade union" figure within the England camp — Gary Neville was allegedly the ringleader of an idea to boycott an important Euro 2004 qualifier away to Turkey national football team in support of teammate Rio Ferdinand who had been issued with a ban for missing a drug test. The strike never occurred and the match went ahead. Gary Neville was believed to be behind a similar player protest in support of Alan Smith (footballer born 1980) after the striker was dropped from the England squad because of Gary Neville arrest related to an alleged off-the-field indiscretion, later proven to be untrue. Gary was also thought to be the chief instigator of the England players' snub of the British press and media after a match. The public perception of these incidents has led to Gary being lampooned in the media, for example Gary Neville dubbing by the often-irreverent website Football365, as "Citizen Neville" (after Citizen Smith), while another cited nickname is "Red Nev". Neville's face has since frequently been superimposed onto the iconic image of Che Guevara in a range of contexts, including a humorous t-shirt. While reviled by many England national team supporters, Neville is a cult figure among the Manchester United support, who see Neville (a life long United fan) as one of their own.

In 2005, Gary prompted another debate in the aftermath of an England game against Holland national football team, which had been used to promote the "Let's kick racism out of football" campaign. Gary questioned whether certain corporate sponsor (commercial)s involved in the match believed in the cause enough to justify the publicity they received.

Gary has a long standing relationship with the Mediterranean island of Malta, Gary Neville has been an official tourism ambassador since 2001 and works with Air Malta to promote the country which Gary Neville has regularly visited since childhood. In return, the Malta Tourism Authority and Air Malta sponsor the Gary Neville Soccer School on the island, which Gary tutors at every summer.

Gary Neville is currently on the Management Committee of the Professional Footballers' Association.

Personal life

Neville married Emma Hadfield on 16 June 2007 and their first child, daughter Molly, was born on 11 January 2009.

In July 2009, Gary Neville was awarded an honorary degree from the University of Bolton for Gary Neville outstanding contributions to football.