Former England World Cup star forced to sell prized possessions (Image: Getty)
In the early 1990s, Neil Webb was at the heart of English football. A cultured midfielder with great passing, he was a key figure in Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United side and a regular in Bobby Robson’s England team. Thirty years on, the man who once shared a dressing room with Bryan Robson and Roy Keane reveals he still wakes up at the crack of dawn – not to train, but to deliver the mail.
The story of Neil Webb is a stark reminder of the financial gulf between icons of yesteryear and modern-day Premier League billionaires. While today’s stars make enough money in a week to last a lifetime, Webb is part of a generation that has had to carefully plan their retirement lives. The reality of Webb’s financial situation made headlines when it was revealed that he was forced to auction off his most prized professional possessions.
It was revealed in 2024 that Webb, who had already gotten rid of his 1990 FA Cup winners’ medal, his 1992 League Cup winners’ medal and some of his 26 England caps, was putting his England debut shirt and cap, which he won in 1987, up for auction for £15,000.
Auctions were not born out of a lack of emotion, but out of necessity. Webb admitted that the medal was “sitting in a drawer,” and at this stage in his life, money was more important to him than physical hardware in his retirement savings.
“I’ll be 60 years old in July, so I hope the shirt and cap go to someone who will cherish them,” he said at the time. “This will help my retirement savings. It’s on my wall at home, and if no one buys it, I’ll be happy to keep it.”
Neil Webb spent three years at Man United under Sir Alex Ferguson. (Image: Getty)
“My generation earned enough money that we could buy a nice house, a nice car, and send our children to private education,” he added. “But it’s a different world for today’s players. I always knew I had to work after playing. I can’t relate to the incredible salaries that players today receive. Even if it’s £100,000 a week, I can’t relate to that.”
For many years, Webb worked as a mail carrier in his hometown of Redding. It’s a job that requires him to be on his feet for hours on end, a far cry from the lush green grass of Wembley or Old Trafford. At one point it was reported that he was earning around £220 a week.
Webb’s former England team-mate Paul Gascoigne is the most famous and tragic example of a former player suffering financially after retiring from playing. Gaza has famously struggled with mental health and additional medical issues for decades, but unfortunately at times has fallen into a vicious cycle.
Webb won 26 caps for England, including the 1990 World Cup. (Image: Getty)
In fact, it was Webb’s injury in 1989 that ultimately paved the way for Gascoigne to earn a starting spot for England at the 1990 World Cup. As a result, the Three Lions infamously lost in the semi-finals to West Germany on penalties, ending in heartbreak and tears. “Fair play to Gazza. He’s always grateful to me for getting injured,” Webb told the Times.
Webb won 26 caps for England and scored four goals. At club level, he played for Manchester United, Nottingham Forest, Portsmouth and Reading before retiring in 1997.
“Looking back at my career, I can say I played for three of the best English managers of all time: (Brian) Clough, Sir Alex Ferguson and Sir Bobby Robson,” Webb said. “I wanted to play under Josep Guardiola. I respect the way he makes players better and shapes the team.”
