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Manchester United legend Gary Neville reveals 'devastation' at break up of Class of '92

Manchester United via Getty Imag
Manchester United via Getty Imag

Gary Neville has revealed his "devastation" at seeing Manchester United’s legendary Class of '92 break up and lifted the lid on David Beckham’s move to Real Madrid.

Along with brother Phil, Neville was part of a famous group including Beckham, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and Ryan Giggs that all graduated from United’s academy to the first team during the nineties, winning an historic treble in the final year of the decade.

But while he, Scholes and Giggs stayed at Old Trafford for their entire careers, Beckham, Butt and the younger Neville brother would all move on.

England captain at the time, Beckham was first to leave, joining Madrid in 2003 after a spat with manager Sir Alex Ferguson. And while Neville says he could not understand his team-mate’s decision at the time, he is more sympathetic now.

“I remember David leaving; he whispered to me on the pitch at the end of a game, and the newspapers lip-read it,” Neville told Sky Sports. “I think his words were: ‘I think they want to sell me.’ At the time, Real Madrid and Barcelona were in for him.

The famous group were split up when David Beckham left for Real Madrid in 2003 (Man Utd via Getty Images)
The famous group were split up when David Beckham left for Real Madrid in 2003 (Man Utd via Getty Images)

“Obviously at first I couldn’t understand why he wanted to leave United, but then I recognised the furore around his first game at [new MLS franchise Inter] Miami – and realised that he’s played for Real Madrid, played for AC Milan, played for PSG, played in LA, and how has a club in Miami.

“His wealth of experiences are just out of this world, and if he’d stayed at United he wouldn’t have gained that.

“But at the time I was devastated because it felt like the gang were breaking up.”

Midfielder Butt was next to fly the nest, joining Newcastle United in 2004 having become frustrated at his squad player role at United.

“He wanted to go and play for Newcastle and be No 1, not a No 3 or No 4,” Neville explained. “He left that [pre-season] tour, going back to England to sign for Newcastle.

“The only feeling I’ve ever had like that in football is when Gazza, Phil and Nicky were left out of Glenn Hoddle’s England squad in 1998, when you see your team-mates leaving you, you know they’ve gone, it was extremely sad.”

Nicky Butt and Phil Neville also left, though Scholes, Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs remained at Old Trafford for their whole careers (Manchester United via Getty Images)
Nicky Butt and Phil Neville also left, though Scholes, Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs remained at Old Trafford for their whole careers (Manchester United via Getty Images)

Phil Neville stayed a year longer, but after playing only 19 league games during a trophyless season, left to join Everton in the summer of 2005.

“Phil rang me up one Sunday and told me he’d made the decision to leave,” Neville added. “I said: ‘It’s a big call, you’re playing for United and winning trophies,’ but he’d got to the same place as Nicky.

“After Phil rang me up, we actually went round to Sir Alex’s house that night, the first time we’d been round, and went and saw him, and I remember there being a few tears among the family, and even now I feel a little bit emotional, because we’d been at United since we were young kids.

“I don’t remember a lot of my football matches, but I remember David, Nicky and Phil leaving like it was yesterday.”

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