Phil Neville: Why I owe Peter Schmeichel

Phil, you’re a bit younger than these guys, so what was your senior debut like?
I honestly thought I was just turning up to help the kit man to be honest with you! 

Did it take a bit of time to feel like you belonged in the first team?
Yeah it did. You don’t actually realise you’re a regular in the team and you’re always trying to better yourself, and improve, because this club was always buying good players. In my position we had two or three really good, international quality players and every summer the boss would bring more players in, so you never felt settled to be honest. It always kept you on your toes.

What was a typical matchday like and did you have any superstitions?
We all have our routines and superstitions – maybe a certain place in the dressing room where you would sit, a favourite boot that you would wear, or a position in the tunnel that you would like to line up in when you went out. Even the moments before kick-off, where you like going to a certain area of the pitch to warm up. I used to get a lift with Gary every day and we’d go the same route to Old Trafford every time, because that was our route that we used to always win with. We left at the same time every week. They were just routines that made you feel comfortable.

What is it like being a pundit who has to talk about Manchester United?
It’s not nice being a pundit on United because you dread the fact that, if United lose, you’ve got to go on the television and speak as a neutral about a team you don’t want to criticise sometimes. Like when they got beat by Huddersfield Town. Jose questioned the desire and attitude, and you’ve got to back that up and criticise some of the team. So I always try to stay clear of Manchester United games as a pundit because you feel as if you can’t be a neutral. Because ultimately: I love this football club. Being a pundit, I don’t enjoy watching United because it puts you in a position where you have to talk badly about a player in your team.

What would you say if your favourite memory as a player?
Mine’s actually an individual moment when Peter Schmeichel saved that penalty against Arsenal in 1999, because I’d just given the penalty away! I honestly thought my Manchester United career was over. It was the last minute, and I was tired. I’d actually played really well in the game as well! I literally just collapsed on the floor, brought down Ray Parlour and thought ‘that’s it – it’s been a good career’. And then Peter saved it, and I owe him everything for that.