Right-back where he belongs

Despite his many detractors on the terraces Gary Neville is a valuable defender for both Manchester United and England and is one of the first names on the team sheet when he manages to avoid the treatment room.

Manchester United«s brothers Phil (L) and Gary Neville celebrate while holding the Cup after winning 2-1 against Bayern Munich in the European Champion's League soccer final, at Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona late 26 May 1999. (**DIGITAL IMAGE**)

He has spent his entire career with Manchester United winning six Premier League titles with Alex Ferguson's highly successful team and the coveted Champions League trophy in their treble winning season of 1999.

He missed the last major international tournament, the 2002 World Cup, through injury and is desperate for success at Euro 2004.

He first signed with United on schoolboy forms as a 16-year-old in 1991 and after quickly progressing through the youth ranks made his first team debut in 1992 in a Uefa Cup tie against Torpedo Moscow.

Carefully guided by Ferguson and part of the gifted group of youngsters at the club that included David Beckham, Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt, he made the right-back job his own during the 1994-95 season when former England international Paul Parker went down injured.

Beckham's best man

Neville got his first taste of glory winning the League title and FA Cup in 1996, and England manager Terry Venables capped his rise by drafting him into his squad for Euro 96.

Suddenly fans and pundits alike sat up and took notice of this feisty player, who also has a long throw in his repertoire, as England reached the semi-finals, a match Neville missed through suspension as Germany won a penalty shoot-out and eventually the title.

English midfielder David Beckham (C) is congratulated by (l to r) Michael Owen, Gary Neville, Sol Campbell and Paul Scholes after he scored the second goal, 26 June at Felix Bollaert stadium in Lens, northern France, during their 1998 Soccer World Cup group G first round match against Colombia. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE) AFP PHOTO GERRY PENNY.

His United teammate and brother Phil has also gone on to become an international and the two are vital cogs in the United machine that has won the Premiership title on an impressively regular basis.

Gary was also best man at David Beckham's wedding to Victoria 'Posh Spice' Adams and the pair remain close friends despite the latter's move to Real Madrid in 2003.

At the World Cup in 1998 he was again given the right-back's job under Glenn Hoddle, but it was his mate Beckham who became the scapegoat, sent-off controversially in the second round elimination against Argentina.

The magical 1999 season for United made up for that disappointment and the trophy cabinet at Old Trafford continues to grow every season.

A broken bone in his foot meant he missed a second crack at the World Cup in 2002 but now back to full fitness, he is a major part of England's plans as coach Sven-Goran Eriksson prepares an assault on the title at Euro 2004 in Portugal.