PNev: I cried my eyes out when I left United

In an interview with The Guardian, Phil reflects on the day Sir Alex Ferguson invited him round to his house to tell him that it was time for him to move on.

Of course, the manager was right, with Phil thriving at Everton and becoming captain, but that didn’t change how disappointed he was to be leaving the club he loved.

“Inside – and this is the weird thing – it was probably one of the most magical moments of my career,” Neville says. “We were in his front room, having a cup of tea and he was plotting my next career move, where I was going, how I would play, everything. I went outside and my wife was in tears. But it wasn’t done in a cold office. It was done with warmth, like going round to your Mum and Dad’s for some advice.” He pauses. “But don’t get me wrong, I went home and cried my eyes out for 24 hours.”