A prime example of when hard work and dedication pays off

For Neville himself, it was a dream come true. He’d been at the club 20 years and had seen captains come and go – Robson, Bruce, Cantona, Keane, and now he would carry the mantle. The red of Manchester United courses through his body. He is steeped in everything that the club stands for. It has been a long journey since those first formative days at Old Trafford. From the unsure but dedicated youngster he has made it to the top of his profession both domestically and internationally. Outspoken at times, and sometimes brash, but always one to put the club, and the players first. He has never been one to hide his feelings and he wears his heart on his sleeve. Like all the United captains before him, he has an influential presence about him and is the figurehead in the dressing room. His career is now over and he wasn’t been helped by niggling injuries. Over the years there has been many pretenders to his position, and it says much for him that not one was ever able to keep him out of the team except when injury happened. Even now, the right full back position has never been claimed from him. So what now?

‘When I stop playing, I’d love just to travel round Europe watching United with my mates. What’s better than watching your team play football and having a few drinks and something to eat after? Criticising them if they lose, jumping around hysterically if they win. I saw men screaming, with the veins coming out of their neck, on Deansgate the day after we won the European Cup. Nothing in their life made them do that before, nothing in their life made them do it since. You can spend 30 quid on nothing these days, on absolute rubbish. Or you can get the buzz of your life out of watching United.

I’m not naive enough to think there is only Man United. Barcelona, Real Madrid, Juventus, Milan and Bayern Munich have more than got enough right to suggest they’re at the very top of the game, with United and Liverpool. Those clubs are the ones with the real tradition and history and power. They have the immense following. Others can try, but nobody breaks into that. And they never will.

The biggest clubs can have bad seasons, bad decades even, but they will never be abandoned or forgotten. That might be seen as me having a go at others, but it’s the reality. I know because I’ve seen United climb back up from the depths. I didn’t grow up watching United win championships, but that didn’t stop me loving the club or feeling it.

I always say this to the fans when they talk about who owns the club or who the directors are or who the chairman is: ‘when you first walked into that ground at the age of five or 10, you didn’t walk up the steps from the refreshment bar and think, who’s that sat over there in the directors’ box? You fell in love with that team running out in that red shirt, in that great ground, on that green pitch. That was what drew you to the club and made you think, ‘wow, that’s got me’. And it’s an addiction you have for life.

Managers are important, so are directors and players, but we all come and go. It was walking into the stadium, that’s what gripped me, the size of it ? I was in awe of the whole place. I just love everything; the badge, the history.

Of course we appreciate what the fans spend to watch the club, but I honestly believe you get your money’s worth when you consider the rewards you get. You could spend the same on 10 beers or a family night out at the cinema, and I can’t believe you’ll get the feelings that come from watching United.

If you were watching in the ‘99 season, whatever you spent following us around, believe me, you were still well in credit. You have memories that will last you a lifetime. It has given you feelings that made you shiver.

People talk about the crowds changing, especially at United, and maybe it has, but there are still those moments when it is incredibly raw. And you can still sense that passion when you go to the pubs in Salford and you see the MUFC tattoos on the knuckles. This club can enthrall you. That’s what Manchester United does, it grips you and gets you if you really want it.

You can fall in love with a player but, deep down, you know he’ll leave one day. That’s why I always say that the people within the club are just there to serve it. It’s the club and the badge that matters so much. The players are just adding their little bit to a massive depth of history.’

Another wonderful piece from Tom Clare who will be hosting his annual United dinner on May 7th at Novotel Manchester West. The dinner will be held in aid of The Stroke Association and Lee Sharpe will be attending as a guest speaker. If you are interested in attending drop me a line at TheBusbyWay@Snack-Media.com and I will pass on any enquiries to Tom.