If you plan on sending dim-witted and unnecessary comments to Phil Neville, or perhaps a more welcome offering of support, make sure they’re sent to @fizzer18 and not @philneville.
That’s because @philneville is the property of radiator salesman Phil Neville (60), who has spoken of the torrent of Twitter abuse he has received in the wake of his namesake’s dreadful commentary debut during the England-Italy game last Saturday night.
The more low-profile Neville, from Hadleigh in Suffolk, told the BBC that he had received a lot of abusive language but the whole ordeal might actually be good for business in the long run. One would hope so, with the good weather about lately it’s hardly prime season for the old radiator-selling.
“Some were very abusive,” he said. “One person said ‘I hope you die’.”
“Working in the sales industry, my name has been a benefit – people do remember me.
“With Twitter there are some real positives, but there are downsides – particularly if you’re famous.
“Some comments were comical and I’ve seen the funny side, but there are some sad people out there.”
For us, the funniest thing about the whole sorry tale is the fact that radiator salesman would be an extremely apt career for the more famous Phil Neville to have followed had he not been snapped up by the Red Devils way back when. That and the fact he snapped up @philneville a full 11 months before the footballer joined in April 2011.
It’s not the first time he’s been mistaken for the footballer thanks to his no-nonsense handle, even if he has just 363 followers and a profile picture of himself with a family member.
He seems like a pretty good sport, actually, even before the misdirected abuse reached unprecedented levels.
The radiator salesman from Suffolk is available to commentate on the Uruguay game on Thursday should the BBC require a replacement for Phil
— Phil Neville (@philneville) June 16, 2014
Off to Old Trafford tomorrow for the contract
— Phil Neville (@philneville) May 8, 2013
And a bit of a pundit, too.
Torres -£50m Well spent
— Phil Neville (@philneville) April 24, 2012
What an idiot Terry is
— Phil Neville (@philneville) April 24, 2012
We won’t give the abusive tweets the publicity here. Instead, take a look at a day in the life of Phil Neville the coach.
