Manchester United and England legend Gary Neville has won just about everything there is to win. After a glittering career on the pitch, he has built a thriving business empire and become a respected broadcaster.
But he’s not shy about his mistakes either – and one well and truly stands out above the rest.
In a candid discussion at the MAD//UpNorth event at Aviva Studios on Thursday (February 27), the Bury-born footballer-turned-entrepreneur didn’t hesitate when asked about his biggest mistake.
“Valencia,” he said without missing a beat, speaking in front of a packed crowd at the Havas Factory Stage. “What I’m not good at is saying no. We all say yes to things we shouldn’t. The reality was, I didn’t have the experience (for that role).”
Neville’s ill-fated tenure as Valencia manager lasted less than four months, with the team winning just three of 16 league games under his leadership. A humiliating 7-0 Copa del Rey thrashing by Barcelona and early exits from Europe sealed his fate, and he was sacked in March 2016 with the club languishing in 14th place.
He admitted he was ‘naïve’ to accept the job in the first place, driven by a fear of letting people down. As the pressure mounted and bad results began to stack up, he reached his lowest point.
“I remember looking in the mirror and thinking, ‘What is that?’ I looked old. I was out of my depth and didn’t want to be there,” he said.
But despite the ordeal, Neville believes the experience shaped him. It forced him to develop coping mechanisms after a career that, until that point, had left him feeling ‘unbreakable.’
“I didn’t have the confidence to say no when I should have. Learning when to say no is an important lesson.”
Since then, Neville has built an impressive career off the pitch. His portfolio includes Hotel Football, Stock Exchange Hotel, Relentless Developments, Salford City FC, education disruptor UA92, and production company Buzz 16, all while maintaining his role as a Sky Sports pundit.
On the pitch, he was an instrumental figure and captain of Manchester United’s most successful era, making 602 appearances over 17 years. He was part of the historic team that staged a dramatic comeback against Bayern Munich in the 1999 Champions League final, a match often cited as proof of the importance of never giving up. He also earned 85 England caps before retiring in 2011.
Neville’s talk was part of MAD//UpNorth’s “What Sets Us Apart” series, where he joined a star-studded lineup including comedian Lucy Beaumont, Ogilvy Vice-Chair Rory Sutherland, and AO World Founder and CEO John Roberts.
