Phil Neville

Philip Neville (born Bury, England, 21st January 1977) is a English football player, who has spent his entire professional career to date at Manchester United, the team he joined as a youngster.

The younger brother of Gary Neville, Phil made his debut for the side in 1994 and has since then been a regular, although not consistent, member of the first team. A versatile player, Phil can play in defence or midfield. He has mainly played as a left back (despite being right-footed) though it's genuinely unclear where his strongest position on the pitch is.

Phil has also regularly been picked for England squads, making his debut as a 19 year old against China in 1996. He has only briefly been a regular first-choice player for the side - that was as a left back in 2000 under Kevin Keegan's management. He tends to start friendly matches, but at competitive level he more commonly appears as a substitute, or as a deputy for injured regular players (including his own brother). He has, nonetheless, once briefly captained the side in a friendly match.

Phil'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); and being 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's known that Hoddle's decision left Phil in tears, though attention was paid entirely to another player who was left out, Paul Gascoigne.

Keegan played Phil at left back in Euro 2000 but was partly responsible for England's early exit from the competition - committing a needless foul which led to a late penalty for Romania which they scored to win the match and knock England out.

Neither of the Neville brothers went to the 2002 World Cup - Phil was left out, while Gary was injured. Both were back in the squad for Euro 2004.

Phil continues to play for Manchester United and seems destined to spend his whole career there. Like his brother, arguably to a greater extent, he is much maligned by a quantity of football fans but more seasoned observers of the game see a mature, versatile and unfussy player who has proved very worthwhile as part of Manchester United's success. When Phil won his 50th England cap in 2004, however, former Nottingham Forest manager Brian Clough, in his monthly magazine column, bemoaned that such an "average" performer could win a milestone amount of caps.

As a youngster, Philip was a talented cricketer, nd came close to becoming a professional player in that sport for Lancashire County Cricket Club.

He is married with one child.