Pitch Invaders Disrupt League Two Game In ‘gary Neville Is A Traitor’ Flag Protest

Salford’s League Two lucifer against Oldham was concisely disrupted erstwhile 2 men tried to works a emblem of St George wrong nan centre circle astatine nan Peninsula Stadium.

The men entered nan section during nan first half wearing achromatic hoodies displaying nan connection “Gary Neville is simply a traitor” earlier being removed by stewards and police.

The far-right group Britain First later claimed work for nan stunt, saying they had “teamed up pinch section Salford patriots” to protestation against nan “treachery of Gary Neville” – successful reference to nan Salford owner’s determination this period to region a national emblem from 1 of his Manchester improvement sites.

One of 2 anti-Gary Neville protestors is escorted disconnected astatine Salford’s Peninsula Stadium Photograph: Phil Oldham/Shutterstock

A time aft a deadly onslaught astatine nan Heaton Park synagogue successful Manchester, Neville posted a video online to opportunity he had removed nan emblem from his spot because it was being “used successful a antagonistic fashion”, arsenic he urged his followers to mobility what it intends to beryllium patriotic.

The erstwhile England defender turned spot developer said he believed that “we’re each being turned connected each other”, attributing overmuch of nan blasted for nan disagreement to “angry, middle-aged achromatic men … who cognize precisely what they’re doing”.

He added: “Funnily capable connected 1 of my improvement sites past week location was a national jack emblem put up and I took it down instantly. Some group mightiness beryllium watching this and thinking: ‘Gary, you’re not really patriotic.’ I’ve played for my state 85 times, I emotion my country, I emotion Manchester and I emotion England.

“The national jack emblem utilized successful a antagonistic manner is not correct and I’m a proud protagonist of England, of Great Britain, of our state and will champion it anyplace successful nan world arsenic 1 of nan top places to live.

“But I deliberation we request to cheque ourselves, cheque ourselves and commencement to deliberation astir bringing ourselves backmost to a neutral constituent because we’re being pulled correct and near and we don’t request to beryllium pulled correct and near astatine all.”

The crippled resumed aft nan transportation penetration and Salford ran retired 1-0 winners.