Neville gets an earful

May 02, 2006

FLASHPOINT: Gary Neville argues with fan

UNITED skipper Gary Neville has attempted to play down his post-match row with a Red Devils fan following the goalless draw with Middlesbrough.

Neville was heading into the tunnel when he was lambasted by a supporter, who was visibly unhappy with his side's efforts at Old Trafford.

The long-serving defender reacted angrily to the abuse and exchanged a few unpleasantries before he was pulled away by Rio Ferdinand, with the supporter mouthing "disgrace" in his direction.

But Neville insists he bears no bad feeling to the supporter and claimed the matter is now forgotten.

"We were both showing our passion for the club," Neville told Sky Sports.

"He had a strong opinion and we had a disagreement. Now it is finished with. Manchester United has great fans."

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GEORGE LYONS, COLLYHURST (02/05/2006 at 10:53)

Neville had the audacity to state earlier this year he hates to play in european qualifiers. Hats off to the fan who berated him - does'nt realise how lucky he is playing on that turf.

bobbydazzler, lowton (02/05/2006 at 10:55)

we are great fans and our loyalty is being severeley tested, last nights performance was an absoloute disgrace. there can be no defence from neville for nights like this and there have been many of them in the last 3 yrs. lets be realistic we are far from a good team and without rooney we are third rate

Nikolai, Norway (02/05/2006 at 11:05)

you don't deserve to be captain. If you could use your mouth on your team instead of supporters. What a shame Gary.

Manc Abroad, OT (02/05/2006 at 11:08)

The fan was right, you were all rubbish!!!!

J, Worsley (02/05/2006 at 11:13)

Whoever that fan was I agree....the performance, following the Chelski game, was a disgrace and Neville's performance as captain also. I so hope there is MAJOR redevelopments at OT during the summer. A new management team and at least two new midfeilders getting rid of the dry rot that has infested this club thanks to SAF.

red junior, Manchester (02/05/2006 at 11:27)

Nothing will change till the manager is changed. Fergie out!!!!

Little Red, West Stand Lower (02/05/2006 at 11:35)

Gary Neville hasn't been the same player since Fergie made him captain. The team were a disgrace last night and it's about time Gary Neville looked at himself before having a go at the fans. The fan who berated him deserves a pat on the back.

steve, Glossop (02/05/2006 at 11:39)

Last week ahead of the Chelski game Gary did another of his rallying calls demanding to 'show Chelski what we're made of' Well Gary I hoped you had words with your team after the last 2 performances. I hope the fan wasn't personally abusive to you but he has every right to be critical I echo bobbydazzler's points. Just as last year when 2nd place is crucial the team flop. If RVN's attitude is as bad as some are saying don't play him cos I suspect some players don't want an injury before the WC. Look around Ferguson & Carlos have to walk for the club's future get real.

Utd4Ever, UK (02/05/2006 at 11:42)

Fully justified although Neville remains one of our most committed and consistent players, albeit the fact that he is just not captain material. Nevertheless if he did in fact deserve that slating then what fate should await someone like Ferdinand, worth (or was worth) A#28M and A#110k a month, and whose performances are are bad or even worse! And he is not the only one.

Gibred, Gibraltar (02/05/2006 at 11:55)

Where is the passion? I dont see that in this team like in teams from years gone by, it pains me to say it but if you want to see desire Liverpool are the team showing it right now. Players will then moan they dont rest enough and they want to win trophies. well pull your weight then. If i could play for Man Utd i would leave my B**Ls on the pitch for the shirt. We need pride, passion and i hope for the teams sake that this was a one off and not because we are missing a so called Mr Rooney

Pablo, Dublin (02/05/2006 at 13:02)

Fair Play to the fan who confronted Neville, 2 goals (against Spurs!) in four games ain't good enough, Rio back to his usual lazy self (we should of cashed in on him long ago), Neville - captain, Fergies sense of humour shines through yet again, Evra in midfield, Rossi on the bench, thank God this season is nearing an end, will be free of the Knights excuses for at least 3 months!!

Mark, Belfast (02/05/2006 at 13:10)

Unfortunately the recent run of wins lulled many people into a sense of misplaced optimism. Sadly we have gradually gone further and further backwards since the high point of 99. Within a year of the Treble SAF decided that we needed to change tactics in Europe - where has it got us? Progressively worse, that's where! And the same for the Premiership. What happened to the high tempo, High pressing of other teams that brought us so much success? Now we have this languid approach which sees us sit back when other teams have the ball, and this obsession with the 'pateint' European style approach. It seems as if SAF has forgotten just HOW he helped make United great, and is now either too stubborn or too blinkered to see that a change of tactics as well as a change of personnel is required. Criticism of the boss is not treason, it's someting that is needed if it is justified. That doesn't mean we forget what he's done, but our progressive decline has to be addressed and we can't simply blame the payers alone, as there have been many comings and goings each summer in the time that this decline has taken place. Much change is needed - players, approach and tactics; and possiby the manager if things continue as they are. let's not stick our heads in the sand and call it loyalty.

Reality Man, Manchester (02/05/2006 at 13:21)

Booing at half-time and full-time........

We're back to 1989!

The wheel has come full circle......

Ron, Eccles (02/05/2006 at 13:21)

News fascists!

redpete, salford (02/05/2006 at 13:31)

The answers simple, the same as the last ten years get the cheque book out just like the champs have done ... Fergie his and always will be, a cheque book manager, no ability at all.

dennis liew, malaysia (02/05/2006 at 13:31)

you do not win championship with star quality alone.you need team players,players who plays with pride,passion,high desire and a 'never say die' altitude to win championship.
sadly,this manu team lacks all the above astribute.
it is time for a wholesale change.
maybe it is time to introduce feggie's flegling 2.
bring in the reserve gang:
steele
piquet
bradley
spector
david jones
rossi
the only senior players worth retaining are:
vds
nev
brown
vidic
heinze
ronaldo
park
gigg
scholes
smith
fletcher
rodney
make heinze captain
flog the death horses namely:
howard
rio
evra
oshea
richardson
fortune
saha
rudd
silvestre
buy the following:
shay given
kompany
nolan
riquelmi
simao
duff
torres
martin
the starting line-up who will play with fire are:
shay given/vds
neville/bradley
brown/piquet
vidic/kompany
heinze/spector
ronaldo/park
nolan/smith
riquelmi/scholes
simao/duff
rodney/rossi
torres/martin

come on feggie.it is time to be ruthless and do a complete overhaul.we need players with fire in their belly.

Ian, manchester (02/05/2006 at 13:34)

For those fans who pay 30 to 50 quid a game, not including the parking fees the program the petrol the time spent, players have to take stick especially considering the millions they earn in salary each season. It was the worst performance of the season.

paul, sale (02/05/2006 at 13:42)

To all those who have posted so far, why don't you all get lost? Neville is the best right back in Europe, and if you don't agree then tell me who is. He DOES have passion. And as for the fan, HE is the disgrace. I've said it before, but these so-called supporters turn on their team faster than ice turns to water in Bermuda. Hell, we won a cup and finished second in the league to a team whose benefactor can waste 23 million on a player who doesn't get in the 16 , simply so that one of that club's major rivals don't get him. And as for L'pool, I would rather watch paint dry. Benitez is building the same team he had at Valencia - for John Carew (lamppost) substitute another lamppost, and re-watch Wimbledon of the 80's. Where were you people when we were relegated????

Django, Hampshire (02/05/2006 at 14:07)

I can understand the concern because the future looks grim. Decline is well set in and all the core quality players, except Rooney and Ronaldo,are much closer to the end of their careers than the beginning.
Only the " not good enoughs" average the right sort of age.
Add in the fact that the Academy isn't producing and our elderly chequebook manager can no longer find value or quality in the market,and you get to the stage of thinking that this season, despite all the disappointments, will probably be our best for some time.

ian, liverpool (02/05/2006 at 14:28)

hey "paul, sale
02/05/2006 at 13:42",
you talkin rubbish! Gary Neville the best Right Back in Europe? That just goes to show how naive and stupid of you to come up with a comment like that! Somehow, whenever someone from the English league plays well, out of a sudden he's the worlds /europes best midfielder, striker, defender, Right Back, left back, etc. Thats why we've won the World Cup only once right?
Give me a break, as for "decent" right back in Europe which have been consistent for sometime, you get the likes of Cafu, and for the English league, Steve Finnan of Liverpool have been equally consistent.
Aha, based on your other fellow fans, looks like you've watched a different game my friend. I trust the majority have a better judgement than a single dreamer.
With a "lamp-post" or not, I'm not going to come and say Benitez is the best manager in the world because thats just being stupidly egoistic but as a fan of Liverpool, I've been impressed with the progress and 1 CL, reach the League Cup Final, 1 SuperCup, reaching the World Club Finals and now reaching the FA Cup Finals in 2 seasons speaks for itself.
If I was you, I'd rather look at my team before discrediting other teams around.

Ray Morgan, Collyhurst (02/05/2006 at 14:35)

The fan who had a pop at Gary was one of many who had the same opinion of this motley crew masquerading as Man.United players,he was in the fortunate position to be somewhere he could be heard on the pitch and if Neville et al think this is an isolated opinion they have not got a clue about reality.According to SAF we are a couple of players away from having a great squad again,well I'm sorry but I just don't see it.We were missing our one man team last night and boy did it show.Rooney is a special footballer but he also has a high work rate,passion,and pride in all he does.This was collectively in short supply last night with the exception of Ronaldo when he replaced Evra?? Another master class in tactics from Fergoz and ANOTHER poor choice from our scoutmaster in the transfer market.Can anyone tell me what Evra is all about or why we bought him.Ferguson cannot lay claim to having the makings of a great squad as long as the usual suspects,O?shea,Richardson,Fletcher,Howard,Evra,Giggs,and I'll stop there because we are probably all sick of seeing the usual names and we could all add more to that list not least RIO and RVN.So,where exactly are we? The answer is in decline at a rapid rate of knots and when we had the run of unbeaten games I warned that it was a false dawn which would not last under pressure.Do the maths and see how many home points we have dropped this season and who to,then check our away record with goals conceded and who to and that will tell you all you need to know about the brave new world promised by our leader.I was,like all supporters, living in false hope of nicking the title, mainly so Ferguson could get his coat and leave with his pride intact.That hasn't happened and in those circumstances he and he alone is responsible for our present state so he either should go,or if he wants another go at it, at least have the bottle to have a massive cull on the dead wood and, as has been suggested,go with some younger ones who will at least have a go and play with pride.That clear out should also take place among the back room staff and should start with the main man.He is hardly likely to do that but he has to be seen to be doing SOMETHING instead of him and the senior mouthpieces coming out with the same old spiel every year.I'm glad Gary thinks United supporters are great.I can assure him that they do not reciprocate with their opinion of this present manager,assistant manager,SQUAD?,backroom staff,scouting system,ever rising prices and sanitised franchise that was used to be known as Manchester United and whose teams used to have visitors beat before they kicked off.Not anymore.Taxi for Fergie....before its too late!!

The Dewayne, Toronto (02/05/2006 at 14:35)

Paul, Sale...we haven't finished second yet, there is one more game for our beloved slackers to mess it up yet. I personally like those fans who give the players stick because it means that they CARE about how the club is doing, those of you who clamour on about this twisted "loyalty" are pathetic. SAF must go, thanks for the treble and all, but you turned your back on the club when you changed your decision to retire to satisfy your own ego and you have lost the plot. Go ahead, try to spend your way out of it this summer when you have a second coming of the class of '92 right under your nose. No excuses anymore. For the record, I was in the womb the last time we were relegated, but that does not make me any less (or more) of a fan than anyone else.

Gorton Blue, Gorton (02/05/2006 at 14:40)

Ian, Liverpool. Don't be annoyed by their comments you should no how fickle united supporters are and this site is no differen't - full of glory hunters and people who couldn;t even tell you united's starting 11 from last night. look back 3 weeks ago they were going to win the league !!!

paul, sale (02/05/2006 at 15:28)

Ian, Liverpool, what are you doing on this site?? Cafu?? He doesn't even make the Milan team!!!!! Steve Finnan?? I LOVE Liverpool humour! Back to the TV screen for you my friend - the paint is still a little damp...

Jonny F, Chorlton (02/05/2006 at 15:40)

Gorton Blue , Gorton
02/05/2006 at 14:40 Thats 'know', not 'no', not saying that all blues are dumb but.. Correct your grammer then talk football, oh sorry, you're a bitter aren't you, worst premiership team in the northwest.......

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