England star turned postman had to sell memorabilia for retirement pot | Football | Sport

In the early 1990s, Neil Webb was at the epicentre of English football. A cultured midfielder with an eye for a pass, he was a key figure for Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United and a regular in Bobby Robson’s England side. Fast forward three decades and the man who once shared a dressing room with Bryan Robson and Roy Keane revealed that he was still getting 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 chasm between the icons of yesteryear and the multi-millionaires of the modern Premier League. While today’s stars earn enough in a week to last a lifetime, Webb is part of a generation who had to plan their post-retirement life prudently. The reality of Webb’s financial situation hit the headlines when it was revealed he was forced to auction off his most prized professional possessions.

Having already put his 1990 FA Cup winner’s medal, his 1992 League Cup winner’s medal and several of his 26 England caps under the hammer, it emerged in 2024 that Webb was auctioning off his debut England shirt and cap, that he earned in 1987, for £15,000.

The auction was not born out of a lack of sentiment but out of necessity. Webb admitted that the medals were “sitting in a drawer,” and at this stage of his life, the money was more important for his retirement fund than the physical hardware.

“I’m turning 60 in July and it would be good if the shirt and cap goes to someone who will appreciate them,” he said at the time. “It will boost my retirement pot. It has hung on the wall in our home and if nobody decides to buy it I’ll happily keep hold of it.

“My generation earned good money and you could buy a nice house, a nice car and put your children through private education,” he added. “But it is a different world for today’s players. I always knew I would have to work after I played. I can’t relate to the incredulous wages players get today. Even £100,000 a week – I can’t relate to that.”

For years, Webb has worked as a postman in his hometown of Reading. It’s a job that required him to be on his feet for hours, a far cry from the lush turf of Wembley and Old Trafford. At one point, it was reported he was earning around £220 a week.

Webb’s former England team-mate, Paul Gascoigne, is the most prominent and tragic example of players from a bygone era struggling financially after hanging up their boots. ‘Gazza’ has famously battled mental health and and additions problems for decades – and on some occasions has unfortunately spiralled.

It was Webb’s injury in 1989, in fact, that ultimately opened the door for Gascoigne to earn a starting spot in England’s team at the 1990 World Cup, which infamously ended in heartbreak and tears when the Three Lions lost on penalties to West Germany in the semi-finals. “Fair play to Gazza. He always thanks me for getting injured,” Webb told The Times.

Webb earned 26 caps for England, scoring four goals. At club level, he played for Manchester United, Nottingham Forest, Portsmouth and Reading, before hanging up his boots in 1997.

“When I look back on my career I can say I played under Mr [Brian] Clough, Sir Alex Ferguson and Sir Bobby Robson, three of the best ever British managers,” Webb said. “I would have loved to play for Pep Guardiola. I admire the way he makes players better and moulds his teams.”