We all knew it was coming, but that doesn’t mean it comes as any less of a shock. Gary Neville has today announced his retirement from football with immediate effect.
Shortly after Ryan Giggs had first broken into the first team, there were plenty of young players vying for a chance to join him on Manchester United—Chris Casper and Robbie Savage are two names that stick out from that crowd. But there were five who truly made the grade at United.
Between them, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and the Neville brothers amassed well over 1,700 appearances for Manchester United, and 364 England caps (and, in the case of David Beckham, counting).
They were regulars on the team throughout the runaway successes of the late 90s and early 00s, and while Gary Neville has fallen away from the first team of late, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs are still very much part of the first team picture.
They form an integral part of my football world. Football has never existed for me without these players, and I can’t imagine it without them.
I remember David Beckham first breaking through, seeing a goal he scored while on loan at Preston on the evening news.
I remember Paul Scholes making his England debut against South Africa, and cementing his place as a first choice with his two goals against Scotland.
Ryan Giggs has always been there, and although he has become less devastating and more cultured over the years, he is just as effective as he used to be.
Phil Neville is Everton captain, and a constant feature of Match of the Day. Even Nicky Butt still plies his trade in Hong Kong.
This is why the loss of Gary Neville is a milestone to myself, and a generation of Manchester United fans. He is the first bird to fly the nest.
And in many ways, he is the first player whose career I have followed from the first game to the last. I don’t quite remember Alan Shearer’s first seasons at Southampton. I don’t remember Tony Adams as a donkey, just an experienced leader at the back. Even Robbie Fowler, very recently departed, seemed established when I first started taking an interest in football.
Maybe it’s just that I didn’t follow their clubs. And after all, we’ve seen players retire before, but it finally hits home that nothing in this game lasts forever when you see it from the beginning to the end.
Gary is one of the least spectacular players that I have ever seen. He is steady, reliable and an example of professionalism. If you’re looking for highlights of his career beyond his Scouse rants, you’d do well to find one.
However, his influence on the club cannot be underestimated. With Neville’s presence at right back, that’s one position the club didn’t need to consider filling for 15 years. Behind the scenes, Ferguson trusted him with new and potential signings, and will no doubt want him to form a part of the backroom staff.
Sky Sports seems a more likely destination, with a job available given Andy Gray’s enforced departure. The media, at first glance, doesn’t seem like the most likely destination for Neville.
However, how much of his outspoken nature that has been masked by professionalism will only really be revealed when his book comes out which, now that he has retired, is presumably imminent.
Whatever is next for G Nev, we will never forget the values he espoused, and has passed on to the latest generation of United players: hard work, integrity and utter, undying loyalty to the badge.
Not loyalty shown by kissing it, or waxing lyrical about it to the paper.
By serving it for 19 years.
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