Filed under: Manchester United, Premier League, Football
Gary Neville lined up alongside some stellar names in a 20-year Manchester United playing career that has come to an end with the announcement that the former England defender has decided to hang up his boots. Eric Cantona, David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney to name but a few.If they were the virtuoso performers in the Old Trafford orchestra, then, to continue the analogy, Neville was the bloke in the background who shifted the piano around for them.
For every high-profile headline-grabber in their side, the Manchester Uniteds of this world need a Neville, a Mr Dependable. Not so much a matchwinner, as the hard-headed professional who, just as importantly, makes sure you don't lose many.
To liken the 35-year-old's appeal to Marmite simply doesn't do justice to the way he has polarised public opinion among football supporters in a career that brought him over 600 appearances for United, in addition to 85 England caps.
He's set to move into the world of football punditry, where his presence for Sky will no doubt provide an injection of some much-needed verbal jousting into an increasingly tired format in dire need of change.
Let's just hope he refuses to pull his punches when passing judgement on future United performances just as he no doubt will in discussing the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool, whose fans simply love to hate him.
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