Tuesday, 9th April, 2013
Former Everton defender Andy Hinchcliffe has lavished praise on Toffees skipper Phil Neville, adding that the former Manchester United man was "brave" to leaving Old Trafford for Goodison Park.
Neville, who recently announced his decision to leave the Merseyside club this summer, transferred to Everton from Manchester United in 2005. Since then, he has made 303 appearances for the club, netting eight goals and has serving as club captain since 2007.
"Phil’s move in the first place was a brave one”, Hinchcliffe told Everton’s official site.
“He could easily have stayed at Manchester United for a number of years, maybe not playing the amount of games he wanted to. But to leave there and go to Merseyside was a massive move.
"To actually decide to go to Everton and make the contribution that he has over the years has been absolutely fantastic", the ex-Toffees defender added.
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Hinchcliffe also hailed Neville’s impact on the club, particularly when it comes to setting standards in training.
"He’s been absolutely terrific for the club. The standards of his training, the way that he thinks about the game and the way that he performs for the Ccub will have pulled a lot of the younger players along with him as well.
"I think he was a fantastic signing for David Moyes to bring in, proving that Everton can attract players from top clubs. I’m sure fans will be disappointed that he’s now decided to leave."
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