If you've followed English football for the last few decades you will of course be familiar with the name of Gary Neville. A rock solid right-back, Neville was part of the ultra successful Manchester United team of Alex Ferguson, and he also represented the England national team an impressive 85 times. After retiring from the field of play in 2011, Neville has invested heavily in property, while also maintaining his football interest by becoming a TV pundit and purchasing Salford City Football Club alongside some of his ex-Manchester United team mates. He also tried - and failed - at club management.
In recent years Neville has become increasingly outspoken on political issues, endorsing Labour - and Keir Starmer - on multiple occasions. He appeared on stage with Starmer at the 2022 party conference and appeared alongside him again in a Labour election broadcast in 2024.
It could be argued that Gary has been inspired by his name-sake, potato crisp salesman and fellow multi millionaire ex-footballing socialist Gary Lineker. However, while the latter deploys a smug, polished delivery of woke virtue signalling, the pound shop version comes across as eminently less so. He was absolutely skewered during an appearance on the Beeb's Have I Got News For You, when challenged as to how his supposedly woke progressive persona seemed to give way when Qatari Arabs were offering a fat pay cheque to commentate on the controversial 2022 World Cup.
Earlier this week Neville released a video response to the Islamist attack on a synagogue in north Manchester last week. Instead of bemoaning the divisive narrative that has been imported to the UK by both historic and ongoing mass migration, coupled with the rise of far left Palestine activism, just 18 seconds into his 'insight', he began attacking the presence of national flags placed on lamp-posts. He then refers to 'division that's being created' and says it's 'absolutely disgusting'. Then, in the very next sentence he goes on to specifically blame 'middle-aged white men' for this 'division'.
Just a reminder Gary - the man who carried out the attack on the synagogue was not a middle-aged white man, in fact he was not even British.
Pound Shop Lineker follows this up by proudly declaring that he 'instantly' tore down a Union flag that had appeared at one of his development sites. More contradictions follow as he says he 'loves his country' and played for England. Detractors have noted that when it came to the national anthem before England games, Neville tended to bow his head and not sing any lines, almost as if he was ashamed. Well, now we know. He really does hate this country and specifically the people who paid his exorbitant wages all those years, because if a football fan can be summed up in one demographic - it's a white middle-aged working class male.
Needless to say, the working class men of Greater Manchester have not reacted too kindly to Neville's absurd comments. A banner was displayed at Salford City's latest match, in which the co-owner is described as 'traitor scum'. National flags have also been placed on lamp-posts outside both his existing properties and development sites.
Oops, Gary, didn't anyone ever advise you not to bite the hand that feeds...
Last week's Labour conference meme generated 13 comments and two shares on Facebook.
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