The Other Neville

Our mate Gary has been getting a lot of press recently, It's possibly something to do with him taking over a bang average Spanish side by the name of Valencia. Who'd have seen that coming? Ok i know the owners of Valencia FC have brought a large stake in the Neville's side project - Salford City F.C - But honestly the guy is inexperienced as a manager and this could do him more harm than good! 

Anyway we've decided to focus on the other Neville... Phil. 

Phil started life at Man United along with his brother as part of the Class of 92. It took Phil noticeably     longer to break into the United team than it did his elder sibling although it's been well documented that during their school boy days, It was in fact Gary that struggled for game time. Phil would often find himself in the starting 11 for both county team and country. "Phil was always more talented as a youngster. He got in England schoolboy teams and things like that. I was struggling to even get in the county team - I was sub at times - whereas Phil was always one of the best in the country. I never got close to making England teams" Gary Neville 2003

Once Phil was established at United there was no moving him! He would go on to average between 30 / 40 games a season for the Red Devils. (386 in total) It was during this time Phil realised that he had no idea how to make a decent cup of coffee! (This embarrassing revelation came to light in Jan 2015 when Neville was asked to make a cup of coffee for a journalist visiting his home) *Keep it Tea!

After establishing himself in the United set up - International football soon followed, making his debut for the 3 lions aged 18. The Neville's had written themselves in the history books by becoming the first set of brothers to play together for the national team since the slightly less famous pair of Charltons. (Nope i've never heard of them either) Rumour has it that they we're part of the 1966 World cup winning squad! Phil went on to represent his Country 59 times, although it wasn't all singing and dancing for the younger brother.  In 1998 Neville was left out of the World cup squad - Something that still haunts him today. "It was probably the lowest point for me. I was almost sure I was going. I got right down to the wire and when I wasn’t selected it was a bitter blow." 

In 2005 Neville decided to move on from United and surprisingly enough ended up at Everton. (No United player has ever done that now have they???) The Toffee men snapped him up for a modest £3.5 Million quid! Still only 28 Neville had his best years in front of him. During his time at Everton Neville played over 300 games and in 2007 was handed the captains armband. It was also in 2007 that Phil would earn the last of his 59 England caps. 

Not one to find the net on a regular basis Phil managed to grab himself 2 league goals during 2007/08 and that proved to be his most prolific season for Everton! Many believe his best season as a pro came in the 2008/09 season. His versatility meant he played in an array of positions from right back to centre midfield. It's strange to think that Phil disagrees with this statement... Something to do with 1999 and a treble? Nope no idea either think he may of dreamt that one! 

The only thing missing from his time as a Toffee icon was silverware.  It was during his final seasons as a pro that he gained his UEFA B Licence.  

After hanging up his boots, Neville decided to join David Moyes on the coaching staff at United. The less said about that the better. (Although in fairness to Moyes, Untied haven't been hitting the heights this season either!) 

So what happened after that brief unsuccessful time a United with Moyes?? We need to rewind slightly to 2013 Shortly after the documentary came out regarding the Class of 92. The Neville brothers had this idea to buy a non league team and turn them into next big thing. After a few years of scouting different teams and persuading a couple of other ex pro's from the Class of 92 including a  certain Ryan Giggs to buy into the project they group decided to buy Salford City F.C. If you've got a spare few minutes and fancy a laugh have a google - There's some funny clips on the inter web with the likes of the Neville's acting like a Mike Bassett double act! One of the clips show's Phil pouring a hot drink for a fan.... Got a feeling it wasn't coffee! Unfortunately for Salford they just missed out this season on the FA Cup third round! But the signs are there that they will become a force within the next few years. 

*Before we forget... As if running a non league football team wasn't enough Phil can also be found on the coaching staff at Valencia! The man is a machine! 

So thats are brief history lesson on the living legend that is Gary.. Sorry i mean Phil Neville. 

FA Cup - Where's the magic gone??

April 19th 2015 - Liverpool v Villa in the second Semi final of the once prestigious FA Cup, theres no  double page pull outs in the papers, not much shouting about it on the box, and only a handful of people tweeting about it, mainly from the clubs involved. What on earth has happened to this ICON of the footballing world?

Theres more noise about this weekends Premier League games in the news than the two semi finals. Leicester City are off the Bottom - Chelsea grind out result against United thats all the back pages read, a small column in the bottom left hand corner mentions the result of the other semi final, theres no bells or whistles and no pun - Just the full time score.

British football is now dominated by the riches of the Premier League. Clubs would rather finish 4th than win the cup... how times have changed. In five years time no one will remember who won the FA Cup in 2015, yet they will remember who finished fourth that season! Just look at Spurs and Everton they have spent so long trying to break back into the monopoly of the top 4, yet if they had just given that extra push in the cups they would have surly won a few medals instead of having an empty trophy room!

One of the games greats - Gerrard is calling time on his Liverpool career to move over to the MLS, if you ask him right now what would he rather achieve in his final season with the club - a top four finish or a FA Cup medal, I bet he would be undecided! Yet years ago players like Gazza, Adams, Ginola, Gray, Rush would of laughed at that question, in fact that question wouldn't off even existed.

Something needs to change for the love & the future of the game! Maybe just maybe when the money dries up  the Premier League may fall from grace just like the FA Cup.

Close but no cigar.......

Today in the office we've been talking about the nearly men of football, those that didn't quite reach their initial promise, maybe hyped up too much by the media? Or took their eye off the (foot) ball during their early career? Maybe a career wrecked by injury, anyway here's a few noteworthy suggestions...

Chris Kirkland

Touted in his early career as the next great hope for English goalkeeping his potential @ Coventry was spotted by Liverpool and he made the trip to Anfield to follow in the glove prints of other keeping greats such as Ray Clemence, Bruce Grobbelaar and David James.
At the time his fee of £6 million was a record for a 'keeper, but this was a position that the Reds needed to strengthen, as consistant performances from the men between the sticks had become something of a rarity @ Anfield and it was due to some dodgy keeping from Jerzy Dudek that saw Kirkland get his chance.
But with his stick like frame and almost constant injuries the fans on The Kop could of been forgiven for thinking Kirkland was made of matchsticks, a run in the side saw him once again in the England reckoning but still that elusive cap eluded him.
It wasn't until he moved on to Wigan and almost as the forgotten man made his one and only appearance for the Three Lions coming on as a sub against Greece, winning his Dad ten grand in the process after he'd put a bet on his son as an eleven year old that he would play for England.........some cynics would suggest that the then national team boss Sven Goran Eriksson got a cut of the dosh..


Lee Sharpe

Though not coming through the youth ranks he was still considered one of 'Fergie's fledgings', the golden generation which included Beckham, Giggs, Scholes and Butt. A wide man who appeared in the side before Beckham and might have had his fame and success if he had managed himself better. Sir Alex's no nonsense approach to his starlets plus ironically the emergence of fellow fledgling Ryan Giggs soon saw Sharpe in and out of the side, this wasn't helped by growing injury concerns and was eventually shipped out to Leeds.
Still remembered fondly with the Man U faithful for performances in the Cup Winners Cup and League Cup, maybe if he had concentrated solely on the football he may have stayed around and prolonged his career.
Any player with skill and flair catch the eye upon their arrival on the scene but for Sharpe it all ended at Bradford City and after football catching the eye of Abi Tittmus on Celebrity Love Island.....

Joe Cole

Every few seasons a player comes along that is seen as the next big thing, Joe Cole had his time as that very player. With Gazza a dewy eyed distant memory much was hoped for from the pint sized midfielder from Paddington. His prodigious talent saw him raved about while still a schoolboy - scoring seven goals in an England Youth game does that sort of thing and a reported £10 million bid from Man Utd when only 16 also doesn't help with all the hype. He stayed at West Ham though and was captaining the side @ the age of 21 before childhood club Chelsea came knocking.

The Blues provided his most successful spell, but with Chelsea's revolving door policy of both managers and foreign players he didn't stand much chance in the end, although when he made his free transfer move to Liverpool he was still highly regarded, maybe a different team may have seen a different outcome but from his first appearance (that ended with a sending off) the writing was on the wall, at West Ham there had been less competition for places time out with injuries didn't help and after a loan spell @ French club Lille Cole is now looking at a new start back @ Liverpool at the age of 30.

Paul Gascoigne

Maybe not an obvious choice, but Gazza really did have the world @ his feet. Arguably the greatest talent to come out of the British Isles since George Best, Gascoigne had the advantage of playing for England. Meaning a place on the world stage eventually beckoned and it was @ Italia '90 that he came of age, with him England's dreaming almost became a reality, close but no cigar. But it was in his failure and resulting tears for souvenirs that Gazzamania was truly launched, scenes reminiscent of a boy band concert at White Hart Lane the following season were witnessed and he was everywhere from chat shows to Top of The Pops.
From the streets of Newcastle - and eventually starring for his boyhood team, he played the game with the same schoolboy enthusiasm throughout his career moving on the Tottenham after being scouted by the legendary Bill Nicholson.
From then on, we all know how it ended. Though his career briefly peaked with a trip North of the Border with Rangers and proving to be the Scots undoing with that goal @ Euro '96 he really wasn't the same player after his - some would say self inflicted injury during the '91 FA Cup Final. With his demons off the pitch that we couldn't possibly try to go into or solve on this blog, we see him now as a shadow of his former self with a tinge of regret of what might have been



Anyone other than Giggs

It's over 20 years now since the first ball in the Premiership was kicked, and during that time we've had players move left right and centre, from Jurgen the German to Kung Fu Eric, it's rare to find a true one club man. Normally players are only more than happy to do a cheeky bosman to their local rivals *Sol Campbell springs to mind, what a c**t! Even the most modest of men can't help but follow one last big pay packet, just ask Liverpool fans what they think of one time hero Owen.......

So at the latest It's a football thing gathering down the local, we decided that we would take a look at our top 5 premiership one club wonders. *Due to terms and conditions we will not be including Ryan Giggs in this count down........

5 (FIVE) In @ number five Is Tony Adams otherwise know as 'Donkey' Now if he had played more games during the Premiership era he would of been higher up on the list, i mean what a cracking player, one of the greatest defenders England have ever produced and it's Big Tony who holds the record of most appearances by a single player @ Wembley. He was solid in the tackle and would pop up with the odd goal, and in 98 against Everton, Big Tony scored a screamer, beating the offside trap like a vintage centre forward before smashing the ball past the keeper into the net and everyone inside Highbury was going radio rental! Oh that may also have something to do with the fact they had just won their first Premiership title. A proper old school type of player!

4 (FOUR) Fourth choice on our list will please the blue & white side of North London as it's Ledley 'Ledders' King! The most complete central defender of the modern era that England hardly ever had, loyal with a capital 'L' rose through the youth system @ Spurs and went on to inspire the likes of Michael Dawson and Anthony Gardner! Born with no knees, his positioning and reading of the game meant he would slot straight into the side even though he hadn't trained for the week! If it wasn't for his injury problems he would have gone on to become the black Bobby Moore for the national side and who knows possibly have lifted that elusive World Cup trophy we've strived years to recapture.

3 (THREE) Up @ numero three we see Matt Le Tissier! If ever there was a BIG fish in a small pond Le Tiss was that Chub! Spurned the advances of amongst (ironically) Spurs, he stayed on the coast and languidly kept The Saints marching on. If ever there was a one man team it was Southampton with his solo efforts against Blackburn Rovers & Newcastle ranked up with the best seen in The Premiership. Probably England's most talented midfielder since Glen Hoddle it was England manager 'God' himself who scuppered his international career.
Could still perform at the top level even today........after all he didn't really do much running!

2 (TWO) How hard? Gerrard! This man is a modern day great a leader amongst men. In years to come people will be talking about Gerrard just like they do about Mark Lawrenson..... i mean King Kenny! Nothing is a lost cause in this mans eyes, time and time again he has pulled Liverpool back from the brink, and was outstanding during Liverpools Champions League winning season in 2005. A pleasure to watch (not in that way) and an icon to many of my generation, its just a shame he has been unable to repeat his club form for England, although there is still time! just think he hasn't even hit his mid 30's yet!


It's a pain that Ryan Giggs copyright agreement along with his image rights have meant we can't mention him in our top 5 without having to pay upwards of £100,000 pounds! What a shame! So who have we got sat at the top of the tree as our all time one club wonder? Could it be Gary Neville???????? of cause it aint!

1. (ONE) The ginger ninja, the pocket rocket it's Paul Scholes of course! The greatest comeback since Lazarus has seen Mr Scholes walk back into the Man Utd team after half a season of retirement and only an appearance for his kids school Dad's team as way of a warm up! Even on the verge of an International return if only someone had bothered asking him, our best tough tackling goal scoring midfielder since Bryan Robson. Always able to pop up with that crucial long range goal to save the day, along with the odd two footed challenge to see him off for an early bath! One of Fergie's fledglings that managed to keep his feet on the ground and let his football do the talking.Will go down as one of United's greatest ever players and a Premiership legend too boot!