Gary recently visited Queen’s to deliver a talk to a packed room at the annual Dr Declan Kelly, Consello Leadership Lecture Series, which raised funds to build on the Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice.

Gary Neville has always had a reputation as a grafter. During his 25-year career with Manchester United, he was regarded as having immense grit. His work ethic was characterised by former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson who said: “He worked. He practised. He had an incredible determination and that has made him what he is today.”

With more than 600 appearances for Manchester United, Gary retired from the beautiful game with an enviable number of trophies, including 8 Premier League titles, 3 FA Cups and 2 UEFA Champions League titles.

Gary was part of the legendary ‘Class of '92’, a group of young players that included his brother Phil, Ryan Giggs and David Beckham. But it was his drive and commitment which set him apart from some of the other players:

“From the minute I joined at 11-years-old until the minute I left at 36, I gave everything to Manchester United. Consistency and longevity are key. Being able to work hard, perform at a high level, and turn up every single day is underrated. Spending 25 years under Sir Alex Ferguson, in that environment of excellence, and given the demands that he placed on people, was a great achievement for me, and one that I am extremely proud of.”

And it’s not just the ball that Gary regularly faced head-on: “I’ve always believed in getting up and getting there early. On the pitch I would never give in. You must give the very best that you can every single day. It’s the most important thing. Attack the day, no excuses, no shortcuts. Accountability is essential; you must take responsibility for your mistakes.”

Asked how much of his sporting success comes down to mindset versus talent, Gary says: “Resilience, robustness, and hard work, can be taught and learnt. I don’t think it’s something you’re born with. We can be influenced by our parents and exposure to great leaders, but the passion to play football, combined with a keen spirit and strong work ethic, will always beat talent. If you’ve got someone who’s fighting for every single ball like their life depends on it, they are a force to be reckoned with.”

HANGING UP THE FOOTBALL BOOTS

Turning to life off the pitch, Gary – a partner at Consello - has shown the skills and attitude that makes someone excel at sport can translate well into business: “A disciplined approach and a keen understanding of teamwork and strategy were essential for me when it came to moving into the business world.”

This is a strategy working well for his post-footballing career with Gary Neville now almost as well-known as a successful businessperson and sports pundit, hosting his own popular footballing podcast.

We asked him for his advice to someone dipping their toes into entrepreneurship: “If you’re starting out in business, remember that being entrepreneurial is a risk. It’s your responsibility to employ people, to fund it, to bring the team together, to come up with the concept – you’re responsible for everything.

“You must decide whether you’re ready for that responsibility or whether you’re someone who prefers to work within a team and take less of a leading role. I would advise people to go for it and set up a business if they can. And then, you must find a way to win.”

PLAYING FOR THE COMMUNITY

Gary’s character and his commitment to giving back to his local community came into focus during the Covid pandemic, when he opened up his hotels to NHS staff. He said: “The Stock Exchange in Manchester city centre and Hotel Football at Old Trafford were closed to the public due to the pandemic. That meant we had 176 beds available, and we thought it would be helpful if we offered them to NHS and medical staff free of charge.”

“We were delighted to have been able to come to an agreement with the health services in the Greater Manchester area, in particular the Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust. It came at a time when the whole of the industry needed to show solidarity – not just for hotel staff but also for the people who needed accommodation most during those difficult days". 

“It was the right thing to do – but it paled into insignificance in the grand scheme of things when doctors, nurses and other medical professionals were putting their lives on the line every single day by going to work.”

HERO WORSHIP

Gary laughs off the icon and legend monikers that get attached to his name, saying that real role models are the likes of his parents and grandparents: “My mum’s dad was the perfect role model. He died, aged 81, having worked every day – right up until four weeks before he passed away.

“Despite having shrapnel scars from being wounded twice during World War II, he never complained. When I was going through tough moments at Manchester United, he inspired me to keep going. I would tell myself: ‘This isn’t difficult compared to what Grandad has been through’.”

Another major inspiration for Gary was Irish footballing legend Roy Keane and he let the Queen’s audience into a little-known fact about his time as United’s captain:

“I became captain after Roy Keane left United, and I wish I never had the armband. He was the greatest captain Manchester United ever had." 

He also described how Roy Keane ran the dressing room: “He wasn’t strong in harmony and collaboration, but he was a leader.”

PASSING THE TORCH

During his visit to Queen’s, Gary’s support for young people shone through when he invited two students to join him on stage to talk about the drive and determination they both have for sport and business.

Rachel McCann, a PhD Pharmacy student, took part in the Paris Olympics and impressed Gary with her determination to juggle her studies alongside her elite athleticism.

And final year student Rory McLaughlan was also invited up. Rory is the brains behind the Mystery Shirt in a Box ecommerce business which was developed as part of InQUBate, a Queen’s-led programme that supports entrepreneurial students and graduates. Rory presented Gary with a mystery football shirt on stage (which thankfully wasn’t a Liverpool one!).

Rory describes the experience: “It was surreal to meet Gary, one of the world’s best-known players, and have the opportunity to chat to him, get his advice and hear his insights around leadership in sport and business. This is something of particular interest to me as someone running a company that combines their passion for football with entrepreneurship.”

“I thought if I just got a chance to present Gary that would be a success. I didn't expect him to be so enthusiastic about the brand and the product. The invite up on stage was the cherry on top, and then he publicly promised to wear it on his podcast!!

“I’m excited to apply his advice and grow my business further, with support of course from Queen’s.

“He was really complimentary and that's given me more confidence to kick on and keep growing the business." 

Gary even ended up name-dropping Rory and his business on his podcast which reaches millions of listeners. Back of the net, Rory.

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