Phil Neville
Philip John "Phil" Neville (born 21 January 1977 in Bury, Greater Manchester) is an English footballer, who captains Everton and plays for England. He is the brother of Manchester United captain Gary Neville, and the twin of England netball international Tracey Neville. Neville won six Premiership titles, three FA Cups and the European Cup with his previous club, Manchester United. He can play in defence or midfield, and is often used as a full back.
Manchester United
Neville started training with the Manchester United Academy along with his brother, then later joined as a trainee, making his first-team debut in 1994. From that point he was a regular, although not consistent, member of the first team and seemed destined to spend his whole career there. Like his brother, and arguably to a greater extent, he is much maligned by some football fans and fellow players although some seasoned observers of the game see a mature, versatile and unfussy player who proved an important part of Manchester United's success.
Everton
On 4 August 2005 Neville joined Everton on a five-year contract for a fee in excess of £3.5 million. He made his debut in a UEFA Champions League qualifier against Villarreal CF of Spain, coming face-to-face with his former Manchester United colleague Diego Forlan. The following weekend, Neville made his FA Premier League debut for the Toffeemen, against Manchester United. The match marked the first time Phil and brother Gary had played for opposing teams.
Neville's attitude, work-rate and willingness to play anywhere has seen him become one of manager David Moyes' favourites. On 8 August Neville was announced as vice captain to David Weir, and - on Weir's departure to Rangers in January 2007 - he became the club captain. In the Manchester United versus Everton match on 29 November 2006, Phil and his brother Gary became the first siblings to captain their respective clubs against each other in the Premiership.
Neville scored his first goal for Everton in a 3–0 Premiership win against Newcastle United on 30 December 2006.
International career
Neville has also regularly been picked for England squads, making his debut on his 19th birthday against China in 1996. He played alongside his brother Gary in this match; 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 and Francis Heron in 1876, 120 years earlier.
He was only briefly a regular first-choice player for the side, as a left back in 2000 under Kevin Keegan's management. In recent times he has struggled to make the squad with youngsters such as Wayne Bridge being preferred as backup to Ashley Cole. He has, nonetheless, once briefly captained the side in a friendly match (a game in which England fielded four different captains [1]). Despite having been in the England squad at the 1996, 2000 and 2004 European Championships, and having 59 England caps (23 as a substitute), Neville has never been in an England World Cup squad.
Neville's England career included the honour of being the youngest member of Terry Venables' squad for Euro 96, though he never kicked a ball (his brother played in every match until the semi-finals); he was one of the players omitted at the last minute by Glenn Hoddle when he was selecting his final 22 for the 1998 World Cup. It is known that Hoddle's decision left Neville in tears, though media attention was almost entirely devoted to the exclusion of another player, Paul Gascoigne. Neville revealed himself in an interview that Gascoigne, not known for his maturity, took the younger Neville brother under his wing and consoled him.
Keegan played Neville at left back in Euro 2000; Neville received criticism and a large proportion of blame for England's exit, when he committed a late foul which led to a penalty for Romania which they scored to win the match.
Neville was again not included in Sven-Göran Eriksson's squad for the World Cup 2006 as Eriksson wanted to give youth a chance. However, he was drafted into Eriksson's stand-by group of players after Nigel Reo-Coker withdrew through injury. Neville remained in the England squad with new England manager Steve McClaren and started at right back against Andorra. Phil and his brother Gary are the only remaining players on the England squad from Euro 96. The brothers played together for England for the first time in seven years in a friendly against Spain on 7 February 2007, which England lost 1–0. They hold the record number of England appearances by a pair of brothers (142) and the most starts in the same England team by two brothers (31). Despite so many appearances, neither brother has managed to score a single international goal for England.
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