Ex-Man Utd star turned delivery man is forced to sell his first England cap
FORMER top footballer Neil Webb is selling his debut England shirt and cap for £15,000 to raise money for his retirement. The ex-Manchester United and Nottingham Forest midfielder works as a delivery driver 26 years after retiring from the game. The 59-year-old, who has also been a postman, lives with his wife of 25 years, Dawn, who works in a GP’s surgery.
Millions
Neil, who played 26 times for England, admits that he made good money during the height of his footballing career in the 1980s and 90s. But he says it was “a world away” from the millions of pounds Premier League players earn today, with Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne said to rake in £400,000 a week. Neil, who lives in Reading, Berkshire, was the 1,000th player to represent England when he came on as a 65th-minute substitute againstWest Germany in 1987. The match ended in a 3-1 defeat for the Three Lions. Neil, who sold his football medals in 2009, is auctioning the mementos from the night, including his red shirt.
The star, who played for legendary managers Brian Clough and Sir Alex Ferguson, said: “My generation earned good money and you could buy a nice house, a nice car and put your children through private education.
“But it is a different world for today’s players.” He added: “It would be good if the shirt and cap goes to someone who will appreciate them. It will boost my retirement pot.
“It has hung on the wall in our home and if nobody decides to buy it I’ll happily keep hold of it.”
David Convery, of Graham Budd Auctions, of Wellingborough, Northants said: “Neil has sold his medals over the years and the market is quite strong at the moment, so he has decided this is the right time to part with his shirt and cap.”The sale takes place on June 6.