Neville: Silverware is essential

Gary Neville is determined not to become the first Manchester United captain to be left empty-handed in almost 25 years.

Not since Ray Wilkins failed to collect an honour during his single season as skipper in the early 1980s has a United captain ended his time in charge without a trophy.

Neville has only just started his reign after being installed as Roy Keane’s replacement last month and is expected to lead United into their FA Cup tie at Burton on Sunday, as well as the Carling Cup semi-final encounter with Blackburn at Ewood Park next week.

And already he is spying glory in one of the two domestic cup competitions to ensure his time in charge is remembered with fondness.

“The captaincy is a great honour, the highest I could ever be given as a Manchester United player,” Neville told the Manchester Evening News.

“But the only way I will be remembered as a captain is if I am seen lifting a trophy. If not, I will have failed and so will the team collectively.

“Manchester United captains should be seen to be collecting trophies, whoever they are.”

Neville has built an impressive career working under the likes of Steve Bruce, Eric Cantona, Peter Schmeichel and Roy Keane, but now he must find his own style as leader.

The long-serving England defender is determined to be his own man, insisting it is pointless trying to copy the styles of those he does not believe he deserves comparison with anyway.

“How do you compare Gary Neville and Eric Cantona,” he said. “I don’t even deserve to be in the same sentence.

“You can look back over the last 30-40 years and there have been some absolutely fantastic players who have captained Manchester United. All I can do is be myself and do the things that have served me well over the last 10-12 years.”