Thursday 28 September 2017 10:29, UK
Gary Neville admits he was disappointed but also "relieved” for both the club and the player when David Beckham left Manchester United.
The former England captain won six Premier League titles, two FA Cups and the Champions League with United but endured a stormy relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson towards the end of his time at Old Trafford before being sold to Real Madrid in 2003.
Ferguson infamously kicked a boot into Beckham's face during one row and Neville, who played alongside the midfielder after coming through United's youth academy as part of the famed Class of '92, admitted he was always disappointed when a big name left the club.
"I knew it was coming to an end a little bit from the previous 12 months. I was aware of what was going on behind the scenes," he told Stretty News TV. "There were some public things that had happened that were pushing it a little bit.
"I was disappointed when he left but I was also disappointed when Nicky Butt left. I was disappointed when my brother left, I was disappointed when Roy Keane left and I was disappointed when Denis Irwin left. They were a massive part of our lives and our careers at United.
"It wasn't just the lads around me - David, Phil [Neville] and Nicky and such like. When a player of real magnitude left there was a void. They're a big miss. You obviously move on, you just move on. Just as when I left or when other players left, the club is big."
He added: "When David left, to be honest with you, at the time 'sad' probably wasn't the right word. I was probably relieved a little bit. For him, for the club - it could never end badly, that relationship.
"David had done so much for the club and the club had done so much for David. He loves the club and the club loves David. It could never end badly. His time had probably come at United where it was right to leave.
"There was a bit of me that was relieved that that tension, that little bit of an underlying thing that was there had gone. He was a brilliant player and I loved playing with him and knew exactly what he was going to do and he knew exactly what I was going to do."
Neville, who went on to win eight Premier League titles with United, says Beckham was always keen to take on new challenges and sample football away from England.
"He always harboured this hope of playing abroad, I think, and playing in European football," Neville said. "Looking at what he's done in his career now - playing at Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan, Manchester United, LA Galaxy, it's a great career.
"You can't look at it and think that he was wrong. He's richer for those experiences in terms of just life experiences he's had were just incredible."
