Neville Neville

Ne 2

I think it’s fair to say that I am slightly obsessed with the subject of this week’s unusual wikipedia article. Is there anyone in the world with a more stupid name? And what drugs were his parents on?

Neville Neville (born 26 September 1949) is a former league cricketer, football agent and director. He is the father of professional association football players Gary Neville and Phil Neville and netball player Tracey Neville.

Neville played cricket for Greenmount Cricket Club in the Bolton Cricket League league during the 1980s. Neville is the agent for his two sons. He has represented both during contract talks with their clubs.

Neville is a former director of club Bury of the English Football League. He was the spearhead and vice-chairman of the “save our shakers” appeal which was a bid to give financial assistance to the struggling football club after it had gone into administration. The campaign was “brilliantly orchestrated” by Neville and he was praised for tirelessly organising supporters groups, giving media interviews and working closely with the administrators to arrange a deal to secure the club’s safety. It is said that Bury owe Neville “a huge debt”.

Neville has achieved somewhat of a cult status among football fans, because of his unusual name.

His name is part of what has been called “one of the best chants in football”:

Neville Neville your future’s immense

Neville Neville you play in defence

Neville Neville you ain’t half bad

Neville Neville is the name of your dad

(Sung to the tune of David Bowie’s ‘Rebel Rebel’)

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About Author Profile: Worm

In between dealing with all things technological in the Dabbler engine room, Worm writes the weekly Wikiworm column every Saturday and our monthly Book Club newsletters.

7 thoughts on “Neville Neville

  1. davidanddonnacohen@gmail.com'
    David
    July 5, 2014 at 17:32

    I knew a Jane Jane in college.

    I, of course, immediately realized that this is yet another sign of the fall of civilization and the coming apocalypse. (Amazing how often those show up in college.)

    In fact, it was, Jane told me, a family tradition.

  2. Brit
    July 5, 2014 at 18:41

    Then of course there’s Joseph Heller’s Major Major Major, who is promoted to Major purely to avoid administrative confusion.

    • johngjobling@googlemail.com'
      malty
      July 5, 2014 at 19:46

      As an aside, a friend from the early sixties, living in Hawkhurst when the toffs weekended there, making contact with their Benenden encased sprogs, was the local postman, earning pin money. He had been a major in the engineers, mainly based in India and had, putting it mildly, been around a bit. Knocking on the Miss Marpleish door of a Kent weekend retreat he presented the occupant with a parcel Mr b…….?, “it’s captain B…… actually” oh, well, best call me major then.

      Major Tom of the GPO.

  3. wormstir@gmail.com'
    July 5, 2014 at 19:13

    Jerome (K) Jerome

    Humbert Humbert

    and who could forget

    Edward ‘Eddie the Eagle’ Edwards…

    • davidanddonnacohen@gmail.com'
      David
      July 6, 2014 at 18:15

      Jerome (K) Jerome

      It’s the K that makes it funny.

  4. jimer.smith@gmail.com'
    Jimers
    July 8, 2014 at 20:33

    Of course there’s Francis Francis from Potter’s Lipstick on Your Collar and my favourite Diana Ross calling her son Ross. Thanks mum

  5. Gaw
    July 9, 2014 at 07:04

    Ford Madox Ford – but he can’t blame his parents.

    I have an ancestor whose name was Tanchan Tanchan.

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