Gary Neville: How Cricket Shaped His Man United Career | Stick to Cricket EP 20

0:00Before we get started, I'd like to thank our partners Betfair. Hit subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Enjoy the show. How are you? How are you? How are you? Good to see you. How are you? Good, very good. How are you, mate? How are you? Good to see you. I've been told to say, welcome to the best show. I feel a bit nervous, actually. I don't know why. Come on, mate. As nervous as when you were on that, oh, what's that? Have I got news for you? Oh, no. I don't know why I said yes to that. I don't know why I do a lot of things to be fair. Guys, I've got to show you this video. It's a bit long and it will get edited, but it's from you.

0:41Your batting partner. Wow. You play with him? Yeah. Greenmount, yeah? Incredible, eh? Kieran. You play with Jamie Siddons as well? Or not? He was there, Mark Taylor, yeah. Mark Taylor. Jamie Siddons. No, I didn't play with Mark. My dad played with Mark. Yeah, I did. He used to play a little bit of cricket, especially against you, Mob. and we had our fair share of success, but we also had our downers, didn't we, Gaz? But, Gaz, maybe you should stick to footy, not stick to cricket, because, mate, you are magnificent, well-respected, world-class. But, gents, you may not know that actually Gary and Phil were very good cricketers.

1:21We know. Well, we know. Well, Phil was. Phil was. Class, you are more the Mark Waugh of the cricket world. I think he's had a couple of years. I know I'm not good on technology, but even I've got the AirPods. I'm wires down. Just like your footy. You are more the Steve Waugh of the brothers. All heart. But we used to play cricket together for a beautiful little club called Greenmount Cricket Club in the Berry League in the very early 90s. I took over a friend, Chrissie Holding, and his partner at the time, Vicky. Yeah, Chris Holden. I'm still married, actually. I borrowed Chris Holden's bat in the party's bed with him.

1:59Did you? Yeah. We didn't know how good you were. I remember when we had the warm-up of the footy, Chris and I were kicking around you, and basically you and Phil just ran rings around us, but at that time you... It's a shambles! Oh, no. Who's ringing? It's Dawny. Answer it. Answer it. Say hello to her. Answer it. Yeah, you have to answer when you... Hello, Dawny. I'm just doing the show at the moment. Sorry about that, though, isn't it? Sorry, mate. I've got a C-shirt. Anyway, go on, mate. Keep going, mate. My favourite story doesn't rely on cricket because that's well-documented. Our massive partnership together at Greenmount on that little thumbprint of an oval.

2:42But my favourite memory was actually me walking down to your place, Neville and your mum's place, and every Sunday we'd have Sunday roast. And Neville and Neville had the first... of pay tv so we used to go down there watch all the footy games celebrate with yorkshire puddings and a beautiful sunday roast and just genuinely chew the fat on sport um who wouldn't no one buddy uh all these years later uh as a full circle moment we've come together on a podcast so um lots of love mate and uh hope you're celebrating you know another great season and go the aussies go you good things you know that we've got this one in the bag again Did you get?

3:23How much did you get? You got a lot. I got on 236. We got 236, but I think he got 100 and... I think he got 125, 130. I think I got 111. Oh, nice, man. But do you know something? I mean, obviously, he was massive. You've been to Green... You won't have seen Green Mountain. You'll have been there, won't you? But the boundaries were, like, on the sides were so tight. He just literally was just like... It was literally just... I mean, it blew my mind. He'd just fly into the trees, just like a little clip off his hips. Mark's fucking doing that He did it all his career mate Yeah Usually against me Just a little clip Off his hips And then When they just Six yeah I don't know how many runs He got that season He must have got 1500 maybe Maybe more He did Did he just play one season One season I think he was in the Aussie team Within 12 months Of leaving And Mark Taylor played Mark Taylor was three What Off the club Yeah Mark Taylor was the pro Three years before Hayden I think Or four years before Where's the I can't give me my glasses Oh dear What's it Say that number there in the background can you see 110 110 you got 140 140 yeah you weren't left handed no right handed why have they got in standing as a right handed I don't know it was a left hander I don't know but it was the semi final of the cup the pro for the other team were playing against Astley Bridge was Brendan McArdle yeah yeah a great lad from Victoria a school teacher so he was playing for state cricket and he played for church for years church and Ozzledwistle he played there for years church and where?

4:50Ozzeltwistle. Ozzeltwistle. I went to school in Ozzeltwistle. I went to school, yeah. You did? How many areas are you from? Ozzeltwistle. Ozzeltwistle. I remember everywhere. Every time we mentioned oil, I was there. In Lancashire, it's a bit integrated.

5:07Before we get started, I'd like to thank our partners, Betfair. So just hit subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Enjoy the show.

5:19I went on holiday in 1981 with Jack Simmons, Dickie Bird, God rest his soul. You went on holiday with Dickie Bird? Yeah, yeah. That was interesting. So last week, where'd you go? Magaluf. Yeah, me and Dickie, the club. And one of you made of it like the Baz Ballers. It reminds me a little bit of Sir Alex in terms of how he would approach a football match, throw the kitchen sink at it. I couldn't win games of cricket on my own. That wasn't my style. You did win games for England, it just took a bit long. He's the most influential football player I've ever seen. Right. He is. Ever seen. Let's be honest, Ben Stokes.

5:55Absolutely. He's exactly the same for England. Lovely. Oh! There you go. He's backlit. Yay! That'll do. That'll do. He's got the tricks. So, Brendan McArdle, their pro, we actually, I think we got 260 or something like 50 overs. they should have won and he got 150 Brendan McArdle batting the second he's a brilliant lad yeah I actually saw him he was at the full mullet full mullet full mullet that she's at Old Trafford yeah we're here ago two years yeah so he came over and he came I went to the match and he came in and we went for a drink after in Manchester and his son yeah he's a good lad he's a good school teacher do you know I mean guys you know the Bunbury Festival yeah and all won it yeah guys was picked I was North of England.

6:40Broke your thumb. I broke that. So basically, I was second slip, went to dive to catch one, and it literally bent that finger back, and it dislocated my finger. And that was me done. Stayed the whole week there, didn't you? Yeah, I did. Carried on. I was giving my arm up here in a sling. You'd have been there. I'd be there. I was like with England schools under 14s, under 15s, but I remember going to Kidderminster. You played at Kidderminster. Right. You and Phil. Yeah. And Dad had said you're going down and so on. and we were obviously lengths were looking at these two and somehow they signed for Manchester United it's fair and then Fergie Fergie said they can't play cricket it stopped them so that picture that went into the paper I was still playing I carried on playing at United so when I was 16 joined United in the summer I carried on playing cricket just didn't think anything of it you just played cricket in the summer and that picture went in the local paper it made its way into the Manchester Evening News and I'd made my debut for United at that time and I remember him calling me and saying you can't play cricket What are you doing for insurance purposes?

7:39So literally they stopped me. That was my last ever game of cricket. I remember that. So you go out with 100? Yeah. Nice. Last ever game of cricket. I mean, I played cricket literally every night of the week, as I think everyone did growing up, didn't they? You were at the cricket club. I actually played against you for Yorkshire. You scored a few runs, I think. Yeah, yeah. Where was that? What was that club? Out of Yorkshire we played. That would be under 14s or 15s. So I got in the... Up until 14, I was just run of the mill. And then I had a decent year, 14s. That's why I got in the Bunburys.

8:04I think it was under 15s that we played against you after that Bunbury thing. Yeah. Dave English, Dave English. Guys, do you know with every guest that we get on the show, we get them with them. Phil, get the bat. Get the bat. Do you know something? Wear the balls. Yeah, you know my techniques a bit. Guys, get in there. You've got to face a couple. Do you know something? I was facing, I did something on Sky a year or so ago with Stuart Broad. Do you know something? It was scary because he literally, I mean, he was running in and I thought, if he wants to, he could do me. He could. He probably should have done.

8:35I know you watch the show, Gabe. Phil's our batting expert. Any tips, Phil? We'll give him one ball to start with. There we go. Lovely. Oh! Nice positive stride, nice high elbow, head over the ball. Boom, action. Now, that's the traditional stroke. We want you to play a bas ball. Good back lift. All right. The new shots. Good back lift. Yay! That'll do. That'll do. He's got the tricks. I'll tell you what, he's got a little bit Brian Lara high back lift there. Nice. It used to be, it might have been, I don't know, it was, it told me. Yeah, just get the... Yeah. Because I had a problem with going across the line, didn't I, a little bit at times.

9:14So I had to force myself to, yeah. To head up straight. Yeah. Put his back back, Phil. Oh, where is it? Don't make Phil's back. Oh, no, look. Did you, when you were growing up, guys, obviously football was your first love. It was, it always was, yeah. But I tell you what, I spent more time at the cricket club than I ever spent at football because we literally played... Under-18s was Monday, Wednesday. You played 35 overs on a Monday. Then you'd come back on the Wednesday and play the second 35 overs. Tuesday was practice. Thursday was under-15s. Friday was the only day off and then you played Saturday, Sunday.

9:49So you literally six days a week were at Greenmount. The whole family were there as well. Your mum was... It was unbelievable. And Dad would be playing and all. Dad was playing in the first team with the likes of... No quick singles for Dad. Our pros were Franklin Stevenson. Do you remember? Oh! Out the back of the hands, unbelievable. Yeah, what a struggle. Mark Taylor, obviously Matthew Aydin. Jesus. But back then, back then in the leagues, it was, I mean, Viv Richards was playing for Rishton. Was he? Alan Donald. Alan Donald. It was unbelievable. The level of professionals that were playing in league cricket.

10:21Michael Holden. Whispering death. When people say what toughened me up most, it was cricket. Because I remember playing for the first team when I was 13, 14. and there were some pros that were like, Wendell Coppin was a player. Yeah, I remember him. Remember him? Yeah. And he was quick. Yeah, he was. And do you know something? He was skidding them halfway down, up round your head, and do you know something? It wasn't for me that. No. Just at 14. And you wouldn't have been wearing helmets then. No. No, lead. Honestly, so you're there and you're thinking, this is not right. I think it was Farmworth Social or Farmworth he played for.

10:51And I thought, oh, my goodness. I mean, that ball hits you, you know, more than I do. And I was like... There doesn't sound a lot of maths, geography going on. No, there wasn't. It's about a whole family of sport, and we spent, I mean, hundreds of hours at the cricket club. Hundreds of hours. You and your brother used to play in the backyard? Yeah, in the house. Do you know that you'll have a little hall or two down we had? A little hall. Mini bat? Yeah, and you have to basically... I'm trying to get my words right here, but if you basically sort of didn't drop it down, you're out if you hit it into the walls.

11:25on the full so it's a meter you have to make sure that you're straight or just down or you know what I mean the radiator's a good fielder wouldn't it yeah brilliant radiator did you have them yeah we could have a radiator it's in Bath it's in Bath what about your t-shirt there Dave yeah hasn't seen it has he yeah I know I've seen it I just said to you whilst Hayden was speaking but you were concentrating on what Matthew was saying what a t-shirt that is isn't it great incredible who's on the back wow brilliant they're the goal scorers eh yeah Johnny Aston Johnny Aston final So that You'll know Bob Bennett Don't you?

12:00Remember Bob Bennett Was he the secretary Of Lancashire No He was chairman Chairman of Lancashire Yeah President of the Yeah He's doing these He lives in Isle of Man And that's his ticket From the game Brilliant Which is super important Big ticket Well he's super important Spoilers Bobby Charlton signed it Right Brilliant Lovely isn't it So that's the shirt They played in isn't it They played in a blue shirt Yeah, you say be open at the Benfica he would have done he did yeah good knowledge film That's a question of sport is that is someone told her yeah Yeah, yeah, you say the world I guess Phil described himself a boycott Style yeah, you was both them.

12:41Is that right? I bowled a bit and batted a bit I think it's a bit far going bit far to say both but you know something there's some unbelievable all-rounders then though I remember I was growing up. It was like him wrong in rank on Richard Hadley, Capil Dev, Malcolm Marge, Phil De Freitas arrived, Daffy was a good old random. Trish Lewis, Ian Austin, Mark Elam, Ian Austin, Bully. Remember Bully? The address of Abdul Qadir, Abdul Leggy. He's the first person I ever saw. Yeah, beautiful old. Abdul Qadir. Yeah. when we were in Australia in 1997-8 Kadir was in Melbourne and Warren is in his prime so we paid Kadir to come and bowl in the next hundred dollars right a day and he ball all the time just to get the batters right for it and Rasser of course being Nasser as you'll know from Essex he's been coming in and I said break it down you know get into a rhythm and break it into slow motion so and then build up NASA and there's a big people lot of people watching NASA get this bloke out of my net making me look a fool out of interest Dave how many hookups did Warnie get in the series in that series no he didn't because he were banned a bit because McGill played oh yes McGill played and then Warnie came in at the back end of it I think he were band for a little while, weren't he?

14:08Oh, was that the old diet tab? I think it was. That's a story. We're in Sri Lanka. Alex Hales, Muralithra turned up just to bowl, as he did because he just loved cricket. Anyway, obviously, Alex Hales, who's this joker who thinks he's Muralithra? He was. Get him out. On that, guys, in football, Muralithra, he's got the most awkward, unorthodox action. What's the equivalent in football?

14:37Equivalent in football, unorthodox? I don't know, really. What about a centre-forward who can only head and can't play with his feet? Bob Latchford. I tell you, he was unorthodox at the time. Schmeichel, when he first started goalkeeping, with his big throws, and then the throws, the long throws, instead of kicking it, that was unorthodox. Like a winger who just literally just tried to beat everything. The stupid things, yeah. I'm trying to think of who does off-the-cuff things. Chrissie Waddle. Yeah, Chris Waddle, maybe that was. He's someone who used to do the off-the-cuff thing. I mean, it's a fine line, isn't it?

15:07Because I think, like, Warn's like a genius type sort of player, so you'd be thinking sort of like, you know, your Gascoines or Messi's Ronaldo's type player with him. But with Muthurut, it was like a, it was on the edge, wasn't it? It was like a bit weird, wasn't it? What was it like facing, by the way? I remember Lathif Malinga, who used to sling him. Sling him Malinga. Yeah. Similar, wasn't he? You remember me playing against Murali? You dealt with him, didn't you? What, Graham? That was Grappanol. Yeah. Would he be the toughest to face out of all of them? Ask Dave. Ask Dave. I faced him. He played him in a charity match, didn't he?

15:39Me and you went out. I walked it straight through a range of all the windows. Paul Beck's window. I'll tell you a story about Willow Ritter, and I might have said it before. I keep going over it. We played him at Colombo. Colombo, and it was one of his first games. And me and Embers, decent. You know what I mean? We're doing it. And we couldn't get it above Shinai. It was that flat, red hot. Absolutely flat. All of a sudden, this boy has come out and they've got about 600, 700. Anyway, I've come out the bat like that and we're on about 250. I've pushed forward like that to what I thought was a good length ball.

16:17Hit me in the grill. Hit me in the grill. As I've gone forward, you could hear it. You heard it come down. Yeah, but proper fizzy. He did fizzy. Zzz. I was sort of... How did it go? I was sort of... Zzz. And he was... Zzz. I was like, bloody hell, I pushed forward, hit me straight in the face. I couldn't get one above Shinnoy. He did fizzy, didn't he? He was the only one who ever you could actually hear it. Yeah, first 15 balls that you faced of Moraleigh, no chance. You could get over, because you could only do it for a period. And then it went, what does your ball come out as? Ay. It went from zzz to ay after about 20 balls.

16:53But it was the first 20 balls. I guess the first 20 minutes of a football match, there were teams like Liverpool, when they underclocked, they'd just bash you, wouldn't they? Yeah, yeah. Yeah, Liverpool-Anfield was... Not doing so well, though, Liverpool. Now they're United. No. If you'd not noticed. No, no. Liverpool have dipped a bit. Liverpool have dipped a bit. Do you know something? I think they'll be all right, because I think Salah and Van Dijk at some point will... And Alisson. I think they've got a spine of people, a spine of players that I think will... Salah's not kicked a ball yet, really, for them.

17:28And when he starts to sort of go, then I think it'll start to clear. I keep hearing it, and I don't know if it was you who said it, but Salah's legs might have gone. Is that right? Or is he just having a bit of a... I don't know where they've gone. What's the equivalent in cricket? I don't know. Lost your pace. Lost your pace. Lost your zips. Yeah, but he can... I mean, Ronaldo's still scoring goals even though he's older. So I think what Salah's starting to do is just be more efficient. He's starting to sort of hang in there around that area where he scores. But you're right, he has lost a little bit.

17:58I mean, he's also like... I mean, they've just won the Premier League. They've had such a great season. At some stage, there's a little bit. You can't just constantly be unbelievable. Do you not think United will be all right? Ever. Ever? Your tone of your voice is a concern in us. If you sign Brian Umbermo and Cunha, and this big centre-forward looks all right, I think, Cesc, my worry is... Emil? My worry is, look, there's a bit... I think they've got... Emil Seske.

18:35Sesko. Sesko. Yeah, that's it. Where they are at the moment, they're on that sort of edge of it can go to like 6th or it can go to 15th quite quickly, because of the stage of the season we're in. And I don't think we can be in 13th, 14th, 15th in November. I think that would be a problem. We'd be a goner. I'm being told I'm here. I'll stay clear of saying that. Sorry, we've got to move it on because this cart will be used because... Oh, shit. We don't know when this show's going. OK, sorry. Stick to Cricket is brought to you by Betfair. Apparently the question should be, do you watch a lot of cricket these days, Gary?

19:14Do you know something? I don't watch as much as I used to. Growing up, I think of the school holidays and I think of it being on and I think of lying there on the settee at Manans watching cricket all day. Test cricket all day. And now I'm a little bit confused by it, by everything. Like the different formats, the sort of the one... I think I've said this to you before, I'm not a fan of one-day cricket or 2020 and all that stuff. I'm just not. I'm not a fan of it. I'm sure there's a place for it. People love it. They fill the crowds. It brings more money, which is great. And television are paying more for it, which I get that.

19:49But I just think... I don't know. I feel like Test cricket now almost... I don't even know when Test cricket exists. It seems to sort of slot into the one-day calendar rather than the test calendar should be, for me, the big thing. But I don't know whether that's unpopular or popular opinion, but it's how I feel about it. I've never been to a one-day match. It doesn't matter for you, does it? Is it popular or unpopular? Not really. I do unpopular quite well, to be fair. I would say that, for me, I know that people want to watch more exciting forms of what would be sport, and I get it completely.

20:18Football's coming under that spotlight as well, where people are watching highlights, packages. I just love test cricket and I always have. The endurance, the struggle, the fact that I know it would be tough to field for two days and then go out and have to bat and psychologically, and then you know you've done this all your life. Ups and downs, yeah. Ups and downs. For me, that's why I love watching. So I've never been to a one-day match in my life. Really? But I've been to a number of test matches. Bloody hell. Well, I think you're talking to the converted, are we? I'm into one-day cricket. Oh, I like it.

20:50I like it. The formats, I'd say 50 over is least. But I like 20-20 cricket. I think that's good. I like the 100. It's very entertaining. Different demograph goes to the 100. Absolutely. Families and young children. And it's full. I don't know how much they're charging, but the administrators have got to get a balance that suits everybody. T10. Do you like the T10? Well, I do if I'm working on it. There was a game a couple of weeks ago. and I was watching it. I say I don't watch it, but I flicked across and I'm sure it was... Was it a seven-over game or a nine-over game? A bit of rain. A few weeks ago.

21:27After the rain at night, South Africa, wasn't it? Was it England-South Africa? Was it a seven-over? It might have been a T20 game. It was such an Eastern Cardiff. It rained. What did he end up being in the end? Nine overs. 7.5 overs. I thought, what's going on? I can't be a game. He was unplaying. Was he? Gary's right in a way that cricket, it does have an issue. We have test cricket that we all love, but it kind of slots in here and there. We're never quite sure who's playing when. Then there's 50 over. We're kind of not sure when that happens. Then there's World Cup. Then there's T20 cricket, which kind of slots in around.

22:04Then there's franchise cricket. Then there's T10 cricket. Then there's under a ball cricket. It's like, Jesus. The IPL and all of it just seems to merge into one. And I can't feel where, I couldn't tell you what's going on. Narrative. Yeah. And to be fair, when I was growing up, you had the big sort of... What was the big 50 over? Was it this... Gillette Cup. Gillette Cup. Not West. Not West. Not West. The Benson Edges. They were the Benson Edges. And those cups, they were on television. They were the games that were on TV. You built your day around them. Like FA Cup finals in Arrows. Those games...

22:37Absolutely. You'd be like, wow, they're brilliant days. That seems to have gone. So the importance, it all merges into... Well, maybe that's happening with football a little bit as well for yourselves. You might look at it and think, there's games every 10 minutes. but that's how I feel about it in terms of test cricket feels to me to be lost a little bit but if you speak to people who don't like cricket and you'll have heard this they'll say how can you get to the end of five days and draw a match there's no winner you don't get many of them now do you that's the point some people say that don't they they're flipping hammering it the players now in five day cricket they're going after it best draw I've ever seen Cardiff England 209 Jimmy Anderson Jimmy Anderson to the biggest cheers I've ever heard for a forward defence.

23:20In Monty Palace. Yeah. But 205 Ashes at Old Trafford, I went to two days. I think I did it. Yeah, yeah. It was a draw, yeah. And that's probably one of the best games of cricket you'll ever see. Yeah, it's fabulous. Yeah, Glenn McGraw. Yeah. Glenn McGraw, what did he do? He blocked the last four, didn't he? He blocked the last ball off of Harmy, didn't he? He did, didn't he? I did, yeah. Do you know who was at short leg? Do you know who was at short leg? You. Me. Is that the best bowling attack of all time? Was it Gillespie McGrath Brett Lee and Warne? I think the West Indies will have a question in the 80s Andy Roberts Malcolm Marshall Michael Holden Joel Garner To be fair Cummings Hazelwood Stark and Larton probably got a game will be out there taking the most wickets and that's what Stuart Brose described as the worst Australian team since 2010 They've got four world beaters with the ball in hand.

24:14Why do you? So you don't think it's that attack of Lee Gillespie? Not for Brown. They were excellent. I mean, you put Warnie into that attack and he makes it just gold dust when they're in the pump. You may have been there in 1981. It's been every game that everyone describes. So I went on holiday in 1981 with Jack Simmons, Dickie Bird, God rest his soul. You went on holiday with Dickie Bird? Yeah, yeah. That was interesting. So last week when he... Where'd you go? Magaluf? Yeah, me and Dickie, the club. So it's a long... So 81, I'm in Barbados, Jack Simmons, Dickie Bird. My dad's run Jack Simmons' testimonial.

24:58Yes. My dad basically... And then Jack got my dad a job at Burnley as a commercial manager and then he moved to Bury. Yeah. So Jack Simmons knew my dad really well and him and another guy ran Jack's testimonial. Murray? Murray. Murray Burnie. And as a present, basically, my dad got a holiday off Jack to Barbados and I was at the game where the other famous over, I was there. Well, the holding over, I was there. No way! What, when the pole went out? I was there. I was at a test match. I was at a test match. Yeah. What, in one of those little stands? Yeah. The little wooden stands. Unbelievable.

25:32Just something, all I remember, the fizzy orange was the best fizzy orange I've ever had in my life. I remember going down to the concession store, just getting physio. What was Dickie Bird on? Was he on the run? I feel like you may not have been there. No, I wouldn't have been there. Flat Jack used to own the bowls club. Yes, he did. He's a great man. Bowlers. Bowlers, that's it. It used to be bowls of all sorts, and cricket, indoor, bowling. Now it's a nightclub. Well, Jack turned it into a rave. A rave, yeah. Rave, rave. A rave, a rave. You're the only person who says rave like me. So they had to have an official at this rave and they're on all night and Jack had to turn up.

26:19They were on all sorts and falling down people in there and ambulances and all sorts. Getting shut of them and Jack were upset about that. But they were making money. Yeah, they were. Ballers. A quid, yeah. That's a line, isn't it? Went on holiday with Dickie Bird. On holiday with Dickie Bird. I've got pictures with it doesn't sound great does it in a pair of speedos I should have brought those pictures I'm going to get them I'm going to get you these pictures off for holiday mum's still got them and do you know something we'd go to events after and Joel Garner's there with my mum and dad all of them there Viv Richards it was like a because they used to play in the Lancashire League the Bolton League it was like a it was still accessible where you just feel like you can go out after and it was incredible really it's funny that it's accessible So when I were playing at Lanks and Old Trafford and Old Trafford and next to each other, Best Law Charlton, myself, David Hughes, Frank Hayes, who were United fans, we'd go across.

27:16We'd be in the dressing room. Dave Sexton was manager at that time after Matt Busby, then Wilf McGuinness, Dave Sexton come in. And we'd go across. So George Ordon would be playing, Gordon McQueen. So Gordon McQueen's dad, Tommy, was goalkeeper for Accrington Stanley. So, Gordon, we're at Uncourt. That's just outside Accrington. How many football teams do you support? Is Accrington the capital of England? That's a good question. Who do you support? Right, well, I'm a Man United fan, and I'll tell you why. From 1958, the Munich air disaster, my hero all-time was Duncan Edwards. And I cried my eyes out when Duncan died.

27:59And I've been a United fan since. and I played a bit of golf with Bob Charlton, used to do a bit with Dennis Law, so I've always had that affinity with United. Accrington is my hometown, so that's a club. I live in York, I go and watch York City. So you've got three. No, it's simple. I go and watch York City National League. I'm a season ticket holder. 12 minutes from our house. Grand. Brilliant. Amazing. Stick to Cricket is brought to you by Betfair. Who were your cricket and heroes? So the England team that I was watching was Gooch, Gatting, Lamb, Gower. Yeah. Smith. Yeah, you. Phil. Really?

28:39Bob Willis. Gladstone Small. Yeah. Gladstone Small. Who else would have been playing? Jack Russell. Both of them. Jack Russell. Yeah. In that era of Greenwich and Haynes and Duke John. Robin Smith. Yeah. Robin Smith. Brilliant, yeah. Yeah. Judgy. Was Robin Smith the first South African to play for England? Was he? In Lammy. Alan Lamb Alan Lamb Alan Lamb was brilliant there was a one day series it was the first time I ever watched night cricket from Australia and they won over in Australia I can't remember what year it was but I remember watching the actual do you remember the VHS recorder there was a tape came out and it was England winning a one day series in Australia it was like a world series it was at Sydney it was unbelievable when he went 6-2-6 that's when he changed the bat he swapped the bat he said that honestly it was unbelievable and the footage of it and just watching night cricket with the white ball and these blue shirts on it was unbelievable watching that back then sexy stuff it was big baggy shirts yeah it was 86, 87 wasn't it yeah and then we had them shirts we did Tetley Bater on there was a great sign that came out after Lambie done that he did it to Bruce Reid the left arm that's him that's right it said can Alan Lamb please call Bruce Reid on 616 6-4-2.

30:01But you'd grow up actually impersonating the actions of the bowlers, wouldn't you? That's what we used to do, you know what I mean? My cousin, me, you know, Derek Pringle's action, where you're all that little... Derek Pringle! Derek Pringle's doing that, didn't he? It's like that. It is, it's floating, wasn't it? And then Glaston's just... You know what I mean? Just put your shoulders up. Yeah, you should. That World Cup finally had me and dad elbow. The big sort of... Yeah, he missed that. He's like a whipping horse, isn't he? Bob, when you used to come in, just like... Bob was horrified when he saw himself on TV because he thought he had a pure action like Fred Truman.

30:35He thought he got up in you. Hands all over. Yeah. The Ashes this winter. You'll be watching. No, I'm not. I wanted to go. So I've never been to an Ashes series. I've dreamed to go to an Ashes series. I'm 50 this year and it was on my bucket list. But I think there's a mountain of games at Christmas, so I'm not going. but that is my dream to go to the Melbourne Test and the Sydney Test in Australia I've never been you'll keep a close eye on it I will it's the only England Australia at cricket in a Test match I'll get up early for it I get up early anyway but I'd be getting up at like 2, 3 in the morning to sort of like I'd be up and watching that regularly and what have you made of like the Baz Ballers this new this new star that England have produced over the last four years I like disruption I like people who are brave I like people It reminds me a little bit of Sir Alex in terms of how he would approach a football match, throw the kitchen sink at it, expression, freedom, but you have to win.

31:35That's the catch. You have to win. Because ultimately, what do you all think of it? I like it. I like it, but you're right. But you're right. You have to win. If you don't win, you're trying to... We haven't won a five-match series since 2017. That's a problem. Yeah. But they've drawn two all against the Indy. they've drawn two all against Australia twice in the UK. So this is, like you talk about Sir Alex, you know you get a moment, I mean you won forever, lots of years. You feel that this England side have had three or four years of this to build to this. It's their moment, isn't it? This is a sign.

32:09Just go quickly on Fergie, I've never... Do you ever fall out with him? You fell out with him momentarily, not fall out with him, but he would rip me to shreds. a moment in the season there'd be times where he'd rip you to shreds two or three times Is that just to make sure you just kept on the standards as high as they could be or was that just his Either that or something just had got to him it was usually in big matches you know anything that was a mistake or lack of concentration he used to hate lack of concentration the idea of defenders lack of concentration focus

32:41he would fall out with you momentarily but he'd pick it up quite quickly A genius Yeah I think he simplified everything to a point whereby by, do you know when your manager gives you the comfort that don't worry about your talent because I've picked you and I know I'm good at what I do. He believed in himself. So that idea that you went out there believing in yourself and you were confident all the time and that you had to win and so there was no other sort of result. We knew we had to win and it simplified everything. I don't think management's quite like that now. I suspect it's the same in cricket.

33:13I suspect the design in every outcome, scenario testing, in every sort of what would be the planning a lot, I would imagine, in terms of analytics and where someone bowls. It wasn't like that. We were sort of the last probably team that played in an era where analytics and sort of data and video was just coming in. Let's play what's in front of them. I would actually say, Gary, this England team probably do it more that way. How that, yeah. I think Baz and Ben take away a lot of the... Yeah, that sort of data and stuff. I won't call it nonsense. The robotic nature. Yeah, they are very much about managing the people and almost giving the power to the player.

33:47We back you, we believe. This is the style of play. If you play our style, we'll be happy with you. You've got to play our style. It's very un-English, do you not think? What I like about it is I'd expect the West Indies or the Australians to come up with something like that. Calypso cricket. Yeah, and in football I'd expect the Spanish or the Portuguese or the Brazilians to come up with something. In England, I think we've got an identity problem with our... We've done brilliantly in the last few years, but what is the English style of play? It's actually coming back in a little bit now, the more direct play with the long throw-ins and the sort of kicking it forward.

34:18That has been historically our style of play, getting crosses into the box, making sure you're sort of aggressive in the way in which you go about it. So for England, in any sport, to define a way of playing that's unique to its game, that's unusual. I'm trying to think of English teams that have defined a way of playing that's been admired globally for setting a trend. I'm actually sure it's admired. the rest of the world are kind of I think they are changing the way that Test cricket is played but that's the biggest compliment you can have you've got to have the players to do it man and you've got to win you played at the MCG?

34:54no no I didn't go in 99 to that tour no? no but United were there United were there yeah they went over to Australia once when I was there but I was injured after the end of the 99 season what did they have to knock about the MCG? growing up watching cricket for me it was occupying the crease that was the message English way English way that was the under 13 14 15s you know he used to play wear them down yeah occupy the crease there he is there he is how do you feel about it because your style of play was more of a traditional you can't say boring it's fine no traditional to be fair you would basically stay there as an anchor to building innings we got him in our team didn't we I had him in my team I think the best teams have the best teams have just a mixture of players As you know, you can't have someone at number four or five without someone.

35:45You've got to have someone who can change games at four and five. Peterson, Brooke, you name. Cantona. You can't have a Cantona. I'll tell you what we're going to do. Kieran, where are you? They can't work without that. Kieran, Phil, you're all going to get the pen. Get the whiteboard here. Get the pen. Do you think, will we ever see your type again in terms of... You'll see like Edamson, but now if you're going... Roundup on almost. Not really, it's just if you're a young... No, but if you're a young cricket announcer, 13, 14, 14. I think your style of play at the minute in this era in England, I think it is found upon, which is absolutely wrong.

36:18I just think it's like you're not going to get a 14-year-old coming to an academy without being able to play all the shots. Because they're not going to pick a one-formatted player. Yeah, I think it's similar to Carragher once said, no-one wants to grow up and be a Gary Neville. He's right in the sense that if you're... That was hard. But if you're a 13-year-old football player now and you've watched Trent Alexander-Arnold or you've watched these sort of unbelievable full-backs who are going forward and doing these... Well, you used to do. Yeah, but you're not going to look at how I played the game and think, I'm going to copy that.

36:50You're going to look at the more expressive players that play. It's like ours described, my foot was a poor man's Nicky Butt. I mean, that's, yeah, like, just past sides. But Nicky Butt was a great player. Great player. Yeah. As in, like, but again, you... And he was rock hard. I'm just saying, like, you don't set out to be those players, do you? Yeah, I wouldn't call you a Nicky Buck. For me, I'd call you... That was my football. Think of a Ray Wilkins in midfield. Oh, lovely, right. He was a brilliant player, but he was almost great. Sideways. Yeah, but he'd keep the rhythm in the game. Michael Carrick.

37:19Yeah, Michael Carrick. Seamus Keneally. Seamus Keneally. Seamus Keneally. Stanley's midfieldman. What, now or back then? Is he good? He's just been downgraded slightly. I was going high level, you know what I mean? I don't know. We've gone for a Man United legend. You're saying he's more into an Accrington Stanley legend. Yeah, he just milks it, yeah. Pushes it around. Reason. Becker Bauer. Opening the batting is the most difficult job, I think, in cricket. I mean, let's be clear, what you're doing, you're going in there, I think, I'd probably do you a disservice saying, sitting in midfield and safe.

37:54No, no, no. I was actually describing my football. But you can't have, you have to have, great sides have such balance. A blend. A blend, you do. I couldn't win games of cricket on my own. That wasn't my style. Harry Brook can win Zach Crawley, Kevin Pearson. In 2010, you've got 711 runs. How many runs did you end up at the end of your career? 12 ,500. 12 ,500. What's your average? 45. So, I mean, if you remember, above 40, he did win games. I didn't win games. You did. I didn't. But that's like Sid. But then I couldn't, that series, or at times I was vaguely any good, it was like I needed someone else to dominate the game.

38:38No, no, no, it's the opposite. They needed you. Well, possibly. They need you as the glue. You did win games for England, it just took a bit longer.

38:50We like the three-day game. It took us to the fifth. Also, if people say to me, I'd say, you know, Cantona won us the league in 96. There you go. Right, I'll say that Ronaldo won us the league in 2006-2007 in that sort of first time we won it back after Chelsea and Arsenal won it. But they didn't win it on their own. I mean, you can't win at Scholes and Giggs and all the other players that were around them and Keane and all those that wouldn't title it. So your statement that you're not a Flintoff or a... Peterson. A Peterson, someone's going to get that glory, that centre-forward that gets the glory and they get...

39:23Yeah. I always say try and win without someone like him It's impossible No I think to be fair You're the rock really I think in a football team How did you get Roy Keane Back into the mix of things Because he'd been out hadn't he He'd been manager He's doing the television a bit though He's doing a little bit And then he comes on to stick to football I think people see the real him on there Which is to be fair More of the real him He's a compelling storyteller, funny, loyal, great morals, family man, everything that you would want, but fiercely competitive. And, yeah, I don't know the comparable in cricket terms, but...

40:10It must have been, you know, you just talked about Fergie. There must have been some interesting things with them too. But do you know something? For me, he was the Sir Alex on the pitch. if you've got the coach that's basically unbelievable you still need a player on the pitch that's going to replicate that I think about how important you were as a captain on the pitch and you're massively influential he was massively influential to us I mean without him I always used to think without him we were half the team he was that important he's the most influential football player I've ever seen he is ever seen in terms of in my career at United he's the most influential football player that I've ever seen in terms of the impact he had on everybody in that dressing room.

40:52So Brian Robson before that? I was with Brian for the last couple of years at the end of his career. So my debut for United was Brian's last game. So I witnessed Brian for a couple of years in the youth team and he was a huge influence. But I didn't get Brian at his absolute peak. But Roy is the biggest influence I've ever seen on a football team. Let's be honest, Ben Stokes. Absolutely. It's exactly the same for England. England with Ben Stokes can beat everyone. England without Ben Stokes can lose to everyone he's that important when one person has that level of influence it's unique yes Stick to Cricket is brought to you by Betfair Gary what we're going to do Phil get your pen out we'll pick our 11 for the first test in Perth so we'll pick so number one Duckett Crawley two so what we want you to do we want you to pick the equivalent so we'll describe Ben Duckett short chap, nuggety he can be flamboyant you've got to pick the equivalent footballer this could be fun I've done my spacing you've got me Ben Duckett number one just put Ducky D-U I'm not very good at spelling C-K-Y that'll do you What did Matty's average was 50 plus, wasn't it, at the end, Matty Aedem?

42:18Yeah. Quality, yeah. That's ridiculous, that. What was Taylor's? Pope. What was Mark's? Yeah, 40 odd. 40 odd, yeah, 41. Root's now 50 plus, isn't he? Root. He'll beat the record. He'll beat Satchin's record of the most runs ever. Pope. There he is. Root two years' time. What's happened? How are you going to draw a Root? What was yours, Michael? 41. You were at 50 at one point, weren't you? Yeah, yeah. At a certain point. I still look at test averages of batters, mate. And I think, what's your test average? Anything above 40 is unbelievable. But there's like a series of batters now that are getting 50 plus.

42:51Steve Smith, I think he's 57. Yeah, why? How are they getting this? Kumar Sangakara, 58. NG, 57. 58, 57. Storks. But how are they getting to this? Brilliant. They've just got a bare game for all conditions. I always think, they'll say he was one of our mentally toughest, but what did he do better than anyone? Concentrate. it's the art of concentration day in day out minute after minute how do you put down if you think about it why is it's the same same as happening in football with goals per season you know your Salahs and your Ronaldo are just going 40-50 goals a season which is just ridiculous the top pickers now are getting 50-55 yeah yeah how has that how has that changed because you're the best of your day I also think what's deemed possible now so I genuinely say I keep going a little bit about KP, but if KP had Rooty now, Rooty averaged 50 in both.

43:46And KP averaged high 40s in both. Big E. Now it's like, he's never seen an Englishman to average 50. And I just think, and also like, for me, the football thing is like people can do it, can't they? They can do it time and time again. Once it's been done once, people go, OK, that's possible. Absolutely. Right, Gary. Is that a question mark over in playing? No, it's an ear. It's an ear. It's an ear. That's a fist So he's got the Pope He's got the Pope He's got Root He's got Ducky Oh Ducky Of course So let's start with Ben Duckett So Bumble How are we describing He's a short chap Left hand Flamboyant Flamboyant Lies to get on the front foot And be positive Square to the wicket You want a football Football equivalent And it can be It's got to be a little guy It can be It doesn't have to be an English player Anyone that you've played with Messi I'm thinking Scholes though I'm thinking Scholes in here somewhere yeah because I'm thinking someone who's the governor who's the smallest player you've ever played with smallest player Patrice Evra Archie Gemma Patrice was competitive and a brilliant footballer flamboyant yeah he's flamboyant yeah man you know Patrice Patrice Evra number one Patrice coming in in Perth Evra alright alright All right, yeah.

45:09You put one by his name, Phil. Yeah. Thanks. All right, that way. Crawley's a big chap, was he? Six foot four? Very, very tall. Very wealthy. Very rich. Got loads of brass. Why's he got loads of money? His dad were in the city and... I don't think... Edge funds. You don't get edge funds footballers. Or from Akerson. And he's a scratch golfer. Oh, is he? He's a scratch golfer. Yeah, he is a brilliant golfer. He's like your impact player. He's not got a massive average. So he's not consistent. Comes off the bench. Yeah, but when it comes, it's good. Super sub. Yeah, he's like... If you give him ten innings, he's probably going to fail in seven.

45:50Yeah. But he's going to impact in three. Yeah, he's going to get you two hat-tricks. So he's a frustrating player, so someone that frustrated you. Yeah. But could have that spark. John Aldridge. John Aldridge scored a lot of goals, didn't he? Yeah, but he was an impact, wasn't he? he'd come off the back not a great goal scorer but a scorer of great goals something like that Teddy Sheringham someone in the air in the air in the air score of course Teddy Sheringham he was a quality player Oli or Teddy I was thinking for us but then I'm trying to think of someone more for England Solskor I'm trying to think of someone for England I can't think of that spell that Michael Owen Michael Owen no he was a bit more consistent he was more yeah more consistent Alan Doolwin someone who's an impact Oli's the biggest Oli Oli's the biggest sub that's a great opening partnership that Debra and Oli Oli Oli Ollie Ollie S Ollie S That'll do number two That's Ollie That'll do Put number two Who's the most religious Who's the most religious football You've played with If you've got the Pope

46:56Is the one called Jesus Jesus Put Jesus He's got to be next to the Pope. Has he? Yeah. Yeah. I don't think Gary played with Jesus. Oh, has he had to play with him? Yeah, he's got to have played with him. Well, Popey, how do you describe Popey? Well, it... A little bit fidgety. Yeah, a bit nervy. A bit nervy to start, but when he gets into his stride, can get a big score. Vice-captain, he was the vice-captain for a while. He's had that take. Utility player, bats three, can bat six. Wicked King. Yeah, he does a little bit of everything. Sounds like my brother. Plays golf. That's Phil. That's Phil.

47:32Put Phil in. Phil Neville, yeah. You know what I mean? Phil played right back, left back, centre midfield. A little bit like... Goalie. Yeah. Yeah. Phil. There you go, he's in. Phil's in. Root. We've got Root, haven't we? We've got Scolzi's Root. Scolzi. Yeah. We haven't Scolzi's Root. Wait, wait, you can't. Because this is a committee meeting. Gary's just said Scolz. Is he a big leader? Or is he more of a quiet... Quiet. I think Scolz. Scolzi. Quiet sort of like, but just... Genius. He just looks, he skulls for me. S-C-H. O-L-E-S. Well done. Schools that. Yeah. Joking. Right, Harry Brooks, he's got a bit of genius.

48:13Yeah. A bit of genius. Like flamboyant, aggressive. Rooney? Oh, yeah. Antonin. Now I'd love to meet him. No, because, no, look. It's when he said aggressive. It's when he said aggressive. Not aggressive as in, but just aggressive with his play. Oh, yeah, that's Rooney. That's a great show. Yeah, that's Rooney. Rooney coming in at five. Have you met Wayne Rooney? Yes. Have you? He looks a great lad. Yeah. Is he a nice lad? Wayne Rooney. He is a good lad. Great lad. Yeah, he's a good lad. The skipper, Stokesy. Now, you've got a bit of deliberation here. You can do everything, can't you? Yeah. It is Roy Keane.

48:48Not Eric? No, I think it's Roy Keane because Roy was the best defender in the team and could be the best attacker. He could head it, run, tackle, pass, everything. Keenor. Keenor. We've got to have Canton are in there somewhere. We've got to get, well, Eric might have to be on the bench. Yeah. Perth, innit? I don't think Eric will suit the bounce. Up here, he said he only turns up three and ten, didn't you, yeah? Crawls, yeah? Yeah. That's not Eric. No.

49:17Smith. Jamie Smith, keeper. Again, he's come out of the traps in the last, what, 18 months? Yeah. Is he a small keeper, big keeper? No, big keeper. No, it's quite big. Big keeper. Good all round, a brilliant batter. And again, he can go. He can take the opposition down. So do I need to think of a goalkeeper here? As in, someone who... It would be a Schmeichel. Bartes. Bartes. Yeah, I think you need a goalkeeper. A goalkeeper? Yeah, you need a goalie. I'm trying to think of a Seaman I played with in England. Bartes. Bartes. Yeah. Is he a bit... Because Bartes was a bit of a character, personality.

49:53No, no, no. He's quiet. Is he quiet? Quiet, lad, yeah. I'd say Edwin. Ed van der Sar. Ed van der Sar. Consistent, he's consistent. I think he'll cope with the bounces at all. BDS. Get over the top of the ball. BDS. Ed. I want you to keep it a bit daft. Like in football. No, in football, goalkeepers are always a bit daft. Mad. Yeah, goalkeepers are now standing up. They're all a little bit different. I would say, he's quite a normal kid, isn't he? Yes. He's not a... Jack Drussell was mad. Yeah, yeah. Atkinson. No. No, Atkinson Smith. Oh, Smith. Atkinson. Yeah, nice left. Atkinson. Who's the Aussie wicketkeeper?

50:31Why are you putting the K there? Atkinson. Atkinson. Atkinson. Atkinson, that's good. Who's the Aussie wicketkeeper before Gilchrist? Healy. Ian Healy. Haddon. Brad Haddon. After. Brad Haddon. Oh, shit. Why, after he was... Right, Gus Atkinson, all rounder. All rounder. Quiet lad. Steady, Eddie. Quiet. Unbelievable. Gets a wicket. Gets a wicket like that. And it just goes... Efficient. High performer. Yes. Efficient, quiet, no nonsense. Very high performer. I'm thinking Giggs was a quiet but high performer. I'll have Giggs in there. He's very much a high performer. Get Giggs in there, number eight.

51:12He's not talented enough for... No, he's got 10 for 100. OK, Giggs in there. Giggs in comes in at eight for Gussie, at Kingston. Mark Wood, number nine. Crazy. Injury prone. T-total. T-Tortle fastest player who's the quickest quickest yeah I'm thinking more of a strong I'm thinking Haaland that type of player Erling Haaland but he's not an injury pro in Haaland but he's rapid who's fast I think who we played with that was like tall and I mean I played with Shearer yeah no but Woody's a little bit a bit of a live wire in the dressing room yeah yeah the fun and the jokes are around him in the dressing room yeah okay right let me think of that T-Tortle Gazza No, a tea-talker.

51:58Well, I'm just saying, Gazza was injury-prone. Yeah. Fun and games in the dressing room with Gazza. Forget that. All right, but massive talent, because Gazza was a genius. Yeah, he's still played with. Oh, Gazza's unbelievable. Yeah, we've got to have Gazza in. Gazza. G-A. Gazza with wood? Yeah. Go on. Go on, Gazza. We've got to have Gazza in. Double Z it is. Yeah, thanks, man. Gazza's a genius. Do you think he'll cope with the heat in Perth? Who, Gazza? Gazza, yeah. No. Right, we've got two to go. Where's the hottest place? Where would it be the hottest test match? Perth could be hot. What would that be?

52:3242. Played at 42. At least you get a breeze in Perth. You get the breeze. Not anymore. Only on the new stadium. Is it like with football where they would cope with that better than we would? Because English players in heat, football-wise, it's a struggle for some parts. Historically. Yeah. You'd say that. Historically. It's more the bounce. So Perth, it used to be the whacker. It's the hard. It's the same pitch at this new stadium. Right. And he mentioned that it's called the Fremantle Doctor, isn't it? the wind that comes across. It doesn't really hit the stadium because it's just a concrete jungle.

52:58So it doesn't quite come in, but the pitch is like this floor. It's rock hard, yeah. It'll just be the bounce. Is that better for a batter? It can be, but you've got to get in. That's my concern about their preparation, that they're not going to be playing on a bouncy pitch in prep. Where are they playing there? Playing at Lilac Hill. Your toes would have started at Lilac Hill, Phil, wouldn't it? Yeah, yeah. Lost every single one of them. Yeah, we did. Every game. We'd just stepped off an aeroplane and go and play Lilac Hill. We'd all flown there in cattle class, down the back. Angus Fraser took him two weeks to straighten himself out.

53:33Were you all having a drink on the way over as well, I suspect? Occasionally. It took us a couple of days to get there, we got thirsty. It was... I can't believe it was now there. David Boone. Boone. 58 cans. 58 cans, yeah. 58 cans, never been broken. I don't think it'll be beat. I don't think it will get beat, will it? With only those small cans. It wasn't the long ones The stellar long ones Right, Joffre Archer Talent He could be Eric Overseas, you're right I'm up with that Eric Cantona Special A bit special I'm up with that Special talent Gary, you've got to be in this team No, I don't think so You could be show him you could be showing little offy little offy comes in plays nicely gets his wickets yeah who's that sound like not me is it don't play nicely I'm thinking more someone who's it's one of the he's one of those selections that it's like he might not play he might play he's not a guarantee but when he's come in he's always done a pretty decent job but for the first week in Perth it'll be a great debate of whether he'll play or not but if you said the players that basically weren't always playing at United but when they came in they did a great job I'm thinking of say Darren Fletcher Jason Park your players who came in and did unbelievable jobs almost like players players where you just think they'd never let you down like 7 out of 10 come in never complain when they're left out always deliver when they play reliable so is that yeah that's not far off I think of who did that with England really do you want to get Carragher in?

55:23Oh, I'm not sure. Where would he fit into a cricket team? Scorer. Scorer. Cricket. Fucking cricket. Oh, actually, I think he likes cricket a little bit. He does. He likes cricket, actually. Does he? Yeah, he does. Yeah. Yeah, he does like cricket. First of all, Northern. Eh? Northern. Yeah. He goes where? Team Northern. He does. He likes the cricket. Not or me, though, is he? He's not an or me, are they? He does like cricket, actually. Cricket's one of the sports... You don't like other sports, basically, but cricket's the one sport that I think he eats up. He doesn't like golf, he doesn't like any of the other stuff.

55:56Yeah, Carragher was... I think with England, he was like a bit of a player that would be that reliable. Yeah, good lad. Just a good lad. I'd say he was like that for United in England, Owen Hargreaves. Yeah. Got him. Got him. Yeah, got him. He's a very good player as well, by the way. Yeah, absolutely. Hargreaves. Went to Germany. 2006. 2006. Why don't you slow that down? Germany. Owen. Right, that's the team. Oh, no, I agree. What was up here? It's a bend-duck it. This is the personality. Small. Flamboyant. God, it'll be Everest box office when he comes on the telly. We'll keep him in. Ducky's a nice lad, isn't he?

56:37He's a bit daft. You've got Eleven next to his name, Phil. What's the most important thing for them to do? I'm not quite sure about Olly and Crawley. Yeah, that's the one I was sort of questioning. Right, get rid of Olly. Sorry, Alec, ring him up. Ooh, I've got Oli in. Yeah, ring him up. Cheers, mate. What was the... He said he turns up seven... Because Oli's more consistent than Oli. Yeah, he is. But he's got something special in it. Who frustrated you as a player than you thought? Because you were the most dedicated, disciplined... I think the one who frustrated me, to be fair, was Nani. But he could win you games.

57:12Nani. What's Nani? But do you know, look back now, and I think of him, do you know something? It's just because Giggs and Ronaldo were the first-choice wingers. So if Nani comes in, Nani would be in any team in the Premier League now. He won the European Championship in Portugal. It was an incredible play, Nani. But because he had Ronaldo and Giggs in front of him, you never really appreciated him because he was a bit more erratic than them two. He's got to be in now. Do you need to ring Oli? Can you ring him? Ring Oli. Ring him up. Oli. Hello, mate. How are you? All good. I'm just here with Gary and having a nice time.

57:48Sorry, mate, you didn't make it. well not to worry good lad cheers he took it well he took it so well like some of those cricketers you were in no what do they have to do to win in Australia that's a stupid question but if you're going to if you're going to win a league or if you're going to win a what do they have to do to win what do they have to do I think every one of those players and actually have to play they're the best they need something special when you win away into special tours like in the biggest games you need you just need four or five of them just to do something special the only time that England have done anything in Australia in my time was this team in 10-11 they got out the first test having not lost if you lose the first test I think you've got no chance because the Aussie public media everything India got bowled off a 40 in that first test match and still won that series yeah they did but I just think this Australian side England will have to get ahead they will I can't see England coming back.

58:49If they go 1-0 down in Perth. Very simply, Gaz. That's not how you spell nanny. I think it's going to be dead close. England will have to catch. Gary. Catch. Gary, is that how you spell nanny? Not quite. He's not spelled like that. I used to like me, nanny. Well, I like your team. It's a good team, that. Good team, there we go. I might have to rejig the batting line-up, but it's a good team. Yeah, great team. Gaz, we're going to finish with a couple of community questions. Excellent. Cheers for that, Kieran. Can you get someone who writes better than me next time? Yeah, we'll do that next time.

59:26Stick to Cricket is brought to you by Betfair. What are your memories of playing with and against Andrew Flintoff? So it was Phil that played with him, right? Yeah. So none. None. Next question. I watched him as a kid, but he was... Phil was... Flintoff's a year younger than Phil. He's three years younger than me, but he played up a level. So Phil played with Flintoff a lot. Phil got offered a contract by Lancashire at the same time he got offered a contract by United. It wasn't a long decision. It didn't take a lot of time. No, because at the time I joined United and he'd watched me play for the youth team, so it was actually a slam dunk for him to make the decision to join.

1:00:07But Lancashire offered him a contract. and I wish not from a point of view of not wanting to see him play football but it would have been amazing to watch him play cricket for Lancashire and see how he would have gone and how he would have he was doing all the right things at the age that he was beating Crawley's records he was beating Atherton's records he beat both their records at 13s, 14s, 15s and then left hand yeah where does he know he's in Portland managing Portland they're actually in the playoffs they've made the playoffs so they've got them in the next couple of weeks I'm actually trying to think of going over, but I'm not sure.

1:00:40Portland? Portland. A little bit tricky at the moment. I know, yeah. There's a lot going on over there. There's a lot going on over here for me. Right, got me safer in Portland. Wrang these sporting occasions. The Ashes Grand National Ryder Cup. I mean, I go Ashes, then I go Rat. But the Ryder Cup, we had this debate on here a few weeks ago where it wasn't the Ashes. Oh, well, Ashes was in it, I think. I'm going to go ashes from a personal perspective, but the Ryder Cup, I think, would be the one that could go over it. Grand National. F1 was in, was it? Yeah, maybe, yeah, F1. Third, third's the Grand National.

1:01:18Right, we're going to finish on this one. Did you hear Geoffrey Boycott's advice to Reuben Ameren? I watched it, yeah. Right, he said that they need the spine of the team to be stronger, centre-back needs to be, obviously, solid, they need a centre midfielder and they need a striker, so the spine of the side has to be a lot better. Your team, basically. Yes. Do you agree with Geoffrey? That's why I think Liverpool are good because they've got Alisson, Van Dijk, got McAllister and Graven Burscher midfield and then they've got, obviously, the centre-forwards that they've got, I think your spine's critical.

1:01:52When I first came into United, our spine was Schmeichel, Bruce Pallister, Keane and Cantona. And so we were all scattered around it. You know, the young lads, basically. You know, Giggs, he was to the left, I was right back. Bex was here, Scholes was next to Keane, Nicky Buck was in there. So we literally were able to be cushioned by this unbelievably strong spine that delivered reliably every single week. I think Maguire and De Ligt should be doing a lot better than they are. You can get the experience that those two have got. De Ligt's played a mountain of games at different levels, the highest level.

1:02:26Harry's played so many times for England. You've got in midfield, Casemiro and Bruno have got massive experience. Up front, they haven't got the experience. But to me, that spine of Bruno and Casemiro and Maguire and De Ligt, it's ageing, but should be doing a lot better at holding it all together than they do. Well, if you don't have a strong spine, you go wobbly, don't you? Yeah. Yeah, you do. So was Geoffrey right? He's right because you've not got a foundation to build from. If you haven't got a foundation, you're done. It's like, I suppose in some ways, it's what you provided for England as a foundation in terms of staying in there and getting some runs.

1:03:00That just provides everybody with comfort. It settles everybody down. if your opening baths are getting out early, I suspect your dressing rooms are all of a sudden in chaos. What did you provide? What did I provide? I was... Entertainment's manager. So how many Test Match wickets did you get? 121. It's incredible, that, eh? It's a lot of wickets. 42 tests. 42 positive. Gary, bring them on. Guys, thanks. Thank you so much. By the way, are you our boss? I don't think so. It never works like that for me. But just a minute, it's a brilliant programme, by the way. Are you enjoying it? Yeah, I've had a great time.

1:03:41Have a great time. Have a good time. Good, good fun. Cheers, guys. Great to see you all. Thanks, mate. Well done. Nice to see you. Cheers, boss. Really well done. Good to see you.

1:04:12Thanks for listening and thanks to our partners Betfair. You can subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and you won't miss an episode. And if you want to support the show, please leave us a five-star review and help others find it too. See you next time.