Gary Neville carved out a reputation for being a feisty footballer. But before he became one of the legends of Manchester United’s Class of ’92, the defender had earned a name for being a gutsy cricketer, Australian legend Matthew Hayden shared in a recent show.
Hayden was 21 years old and before he made his international debut, he travelled to England in the summer of 1992 during the off-season in Australia. He joined the Greenmount Cricket Club. Neville was already a part of Manchester United’s youth team set up but occasionally, he swapped his football studs for cricket spikes, maintaining his affection for the game.
Hayden recalled a match they played together in the Bolton League’s Hammers Cup back then in a recent episode of the All Over the Bar Cricket show. Playing against Astley Bridge, Hayden and Neville recorded a century partnership.
“There was these two young kids, Philip Neville and Gary Neville, that were also very, very good cricketers, that played for Greenmount Cricket Club… But Gary was actually, like his football, he was a gutsy little player. We got a big century partnership together in a semi-final,” Hayden said.
While he described Gary as a gutsy batsman, Hayden described the other Neville, Phil, who also went on to enjoy an illustrious career as a footballer, as ‘all class’. “He was all touch, all class with the bat,” Hayden said.
The Australian great went on to reminisce about the off-the-field moments he enjoyed with the Neville brothers and their family during his stay there. “And our Sundays were always to walk from Greenmount down to Berry through this beautiful old village trail. Because in those times, 92, Sky television wasn’t really, pay television wasn’t really a thing. But at the Nevilles’ house, Sky television was everything,” Hayden said.
He added: “So the mum used to make this beautiful big traditional Sunday roast with the gravy and the Yorkshire puddings. And we used to sit and just absorb ourselves in the football and watch every game of football on the Sunday that was played. And then, you know, cast forward all those years and, you know, those two guys, and at the time, you know, they were part of that kind of young Manchester United football academy. But they went on to have stellar careers and we’re still in touch as great mates.”
