Gary Neville opens up on England boycott plan over Rio Ferdinand scandal
Gary Neville and Rio Ferdinand have spoken for the first time about the time England's players voted to go on strike
Gary Neville has opened up on how close the England players were to going on strike back in 2003. There was controversy 13 years ago when Neville urged his England teammates to go on strike in support of Rio Ferdinand.
The former centre-back was handed an eight-month ban in December 2003 for a failed drugs test. He would miss Euro 2004 as a result and was also handed a £50,000 fine.
However, Neville was left furious after Ferdinand had been suspended and banned by the FA before his hearing had even taken place. So angered by the decision, he was one of the ringleaders involved in calling for England players to go on strike before their qualifier with Turkey in Istanbul in 2003.
The entire England squad at the time received ballot papers and were asked whether they were willing to strike if Ferdinand wasn't reinstated. And Neville, speaking about the strike threat for the first time with Ferdinand, has revealed the response was a unanimous 'yes'.
“England suspended you and banned you before the actual hearing, which was post-tournament,” the current Sky Sports pundit said on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast. “I went to see (David Beckeham) Becks, who was the captain, and I said we need to get all the players together because I feel quite strongly about it.
“We got all the players together. We had an anonymous vote, and it was unanimous. There are a couple of players who have come out since and said they voted against it, but they are lying. It was unanimous that we would all go on strike. It didn’t help you in the end.”
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While Ferdinand said: “I have never said thanks, but thanks for that. It didn’t get me anywhere, but it was a big risk for a player to do that. I really appreciate it.”
The England players did eventually board the plane to Turkey that week and despite a missed penalty from Beckham, Sven-Goran Eriksson's team got the 0-0 they needed to reach Euro 2004. The Three Lions would go on to be beaten by host nation Portugal on penalties in the quarter-finals.
In regards to the ban imposed on his team-mate, Neville told MUTV at the time: "I couldn't believe the sentence and it sickened me, to be honest. All you ask for, whether you are at school or at work, is to be treated like the next guy.
"But that hasn't happened with Rio and I think he was compromised after The FA left him out of the England squad. People make mistakes and he has done wrong, but he has our full support."
