“I won’t take a role…” Gary Neville breaks silence over Man United task force

Gary Neville has been added to a Manchester United task force that has been formed to assess the feasibility of building a new Old Trafford stadium.

As part of the new ‘Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force’, Gary Neville will work alongside those such as Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, Sara Todd, Chief Executive of Trafford Council, and Lord Sebastian Coe, who will chair the committee.

Fans have been discussing building a new stadium for the last few seasons, and with Sir Jim Ratcliffe‘s INEOS team securing 27.7% of Manchester United, these talks have quickly accelerated with the new minority owner pushing for a new stadium on the same grounds.

Read More: Why Manchester United’s new Old Trafford is bigger than just football

Gary Neville, speaking recently to Sky Sports, has clarified his role in the task force regarding Manchester United, confirming that he won’t take a direct role in the club.

“What’s quite clear is that I won’t take a role at Manchester United. I’ve been very critical of the ownership over the last couple of years, and I have not been offered a role at Manchester United,” Neville said (via Manchester Evening News).

“But, what I have always been incredibly passionate about is the surroundings. It doesn’t make me cry, but it’s sad.

“I have a hotel within that acreage that Manchester United own, and every time I look across that industrial wasteland and look across at the east of Manchester and see what is being built, one of the best indoor musicales in the world, one of the best women’s and youth stadiums, one of the best training grounds, one of the most fantastic health and education centres.”

Speaking further, he explained just how important a new or improved Old Trafford would be to United and the developing area for more generalised economic growth.

He added: “I think there has been no development at all for 15 (to) 20 years around Old Trafford. You have got to win on the football pitch as a football club, but you have to win off the pitch and you have got to generate something around your ground that inspires the local community and inspires millions of people who come to Old Trafford every single year.

“There are jobs to be created and there’s houses to build, there’s commercial buildings to be worked in, there’s education and health and there’s all those things that can happen like a world of Manchester United I have always called it.

“I am not saying they are some of the things that will exist in this master plan, but I was asked to form and be part of a group that would regenerate Old Trafford and I do feel like that is where I feel most passionate about.

“It’s what I do in my non-football week, I love property and developing stuff because I have done it for 25 (to) 30 years of my life. I also love the idea of creating a place, and building things that are really important to not only people who live in Manchester, but also people who come to Manchester and visit Manchester every single year.

“I am proud to be part of it, it is the only area I would be part of and could bring real benefit to the club, and we will see what happens in the next sort of months and years. There is a lot of work to do and a lot of questions to answer.”