Gary Neville's huge net worth, failed £8m Teletubbies house and rarely-seen wife

Whether it’s for his football opinions or outspoken political views, Gary Neville is one of the most polarising and well-known pundits in the UK. But since hanging up his boots in February 2011, the former Manchester United defender has had a lot more going in his life than just offering up football analysis.

Neville began and finished his career with United, where he made 602 appearances on his way to winning eight Premier League titles, three FA Cups and two Champions League trophies. The now 49-year-old also managed 85 England caps, while his former Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson hailed him as the “best right-back of his generation”.

Today, Neville is a household name thanks to a successful punditry career on television. But with an impressive net worth, a portfolio of business interests and a wife who stays away from the spotlight, The Express takes an in-depth look into the unique life of the former footballer-turned-businessman.

Net worth

Neville has been anything but idle in his post-football career, keeping extremely busy with all kinds of ventures since retiring. While his 19-year stint at one of the world’s biggest clubs earned him significant money, there are many other avenues from which he has accrued his gigantic wealth – which reports estimate at £70million.

Today, the entrepreneur from Bury is the majority owner of Salford City FC. Along with other ‘Class of 92’ alumni, he purchased the club in 2014 and has since overseen their ascent to League Two. Beyond football, he has built a vast business empire, delving into property development in his early 20s and now owning a string of hotels and townhouses.

They include Hotel Football, which overlooks Old Trafford, as well as the Stock Exchange Hotel near Piccadilly Gardens. He is also involved in the St Michael’s Project, which aims to build apartments, hotels, offices and a high-end restaurant in Manchester’s city centre.

In 2015, he established investment firm Relentless, specialising in projects across the Manchester area. Not content with these ventures alone, he also operates Zerum, a property and construction consultancy firm.

Neville is also a senior investor in E3 Creative, a digital creative agency which focuses on online marketing and corporate strategy. The ex-defender also invested in the hospitality sector with GG Hospitality and the higher education institution University Academy 92, which opened in September 2019 and offers “broader courses than traditional degrees” to the 400 students registered there as of 2022.

While many of his interests lie outside the public eye, he is most recognised for his long-standing role as a football pundit for Sky Sports and ITV. In January 2024, he joined BBC show Dragon’s Den as an investor in its 21st series.

Neville’s hotel business alone has amassed £20m in assets, according to Companies House, while his property development company boasts assets of £10.5m. His remaining businesses have combined assets of £40m. All the while, he reportedly earns over £1m annually for his role on Sky.

Rarely seen wife

Gary met his wife Emma Hadfield, from Middleton, Greater Manchester, in 2004 when she was working as a shop assistant in the city. They married three years later in a luxury ceremony.

The couple are parents to teenage daughters Molly and Sophie, and lived in a mansion in Bolton before relocating to Manchester city centre four years ago. During their early relationship, Emma studied holistic therapy and is now a qualified counsellor and accredited ‘Menopause Coach’.

The philanthropist launched her new support network online at the end of last year, where she teaches women about the menopause and gives advice and support to others on how best to navigate it. In a candid post and video, the mum-of-two shared that she had been diagnosed with early menopause soon after her most recent birthday – sending her on a course of education and self-discovery.

She now aims to share her wisdom with other women after qualifying as a counsellor in 2019. Gary, who has been in support of her latest project, wrote: “So proud of my wife Emma with the launch of her new community for women.”

Teletubbies house

In contrast to some of his peers who sought to take a breather or delve into management after retiring, Neville came up with an ambitious plan to build a futuristic carbon-neutral mansion in 2010, likened to the home seen in the children’s TV show Teletubbies.

His futuristic Bolton-based project faced a barrage of objections from neighbours but finally got the nod of approval in 2012 after Neville scrapped plans for a towering 130ft wind turbine. Neville was intent on building his dream home for himself, Emma and their two daughters.

The house was going to be built into the ground and set over two floors – but was never completed. The land sat empty for several years before the ex-England international abandoned building work in 2017.

He originally put the plot up for sale in 2020 for £650,000, with the 8,000 square foot site still including Neville’s eco-friendly plans. Neville eventually had to reduce his asking price for the five bedroom property to £500,000.