Pitch invaders storm football match in 'Gary Neville is a traitor' protest

Saturday's game between Salford City and Oldham Athletic was briefly interrupted by fans storming the pitch in a protest against Gary Neville. Two members of the crowd ran onto the playing surface, brandishing England flags and wearing hoodies with a message describing Neville as a 'traitor'. The former Manchester United defender part-owns Salford alongside fellow Red Devils icon David Beckham.

Both sets of players looked bewildered as the fans raced onto the pitch and waved their England flags around. They were quickly grabbed by security and marched off the field of play. Far-right group Britain First said they were behind the protest in a statement on social media, explaining how they 'teamed up with local Salford patriots to protest the treachery of Gary Neville'.

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It comes after Neville sparked a backlash by claiming that 'angry middle-aged white men' were responsible for fuelling divisions, accusing them of using the national flag in a 'negative fashion'.

He said: "I love my country, I love Manchester, I love England, but I’ve been building in this city for 15, 20 years and nobody has put a Union Jack flag up, so why do you need to put one up now?

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"Quite clearly, it’s sending a message to everybody that there’s something you don’t like. I just kept thinking as I was driving home that we’re all being turned on each other.

"And the division that’s being created is absolutely disgusting, mainly created by angry, middle-aged white men who know exactly what they’re doing."

Neville was later criticised by Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who said: "I think that that's just disgraceful. The flags are the things that bring us together. I love the Union flag.

"Everybody should be able to feel that the flag represents their home country. There's nothing to be ashamed of about it. It shouldn't be taken down, but that's Gary Neville."

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Reform leader Nigel Farage even called for Neville to be axed by Sky Sports, saying: "He's blaming middle-aged, white men, the people that actually pay for Sky Sports and pay his salary.

"He's blaming them for all the division, not some evil, crazed, mad Islamist that went out to kill innocent people.

"I tell you what, this Gary Neville is so detached from reality, so detached from the average football fan, it is not true. I’m amazed that Sky Sports keep him on."

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