Former England defender Gary Neville has criticised the 'negative' display of the St George's flag and ordered the removal of one from a building site he invests in. The Salford City co-owner's actions came amid a growing debate over the use of national flags in England.
Neville's intervention followed an incident at Salford City's League Two fixture against Oldham Athletic, where two pitch invaders attempted to place a St George's flag inside the centre circle. Far-right group Britain First claimed responsibility, saying they protested against the 'treachery of Gary Neville'.
Former England manager Sir Gareth Southgate expressed concern about unity in the flag debate. He told BBC Breakfast: 'I worry about unity. I've seen what we did with the team to unify every community. I do think there's more that bonds us all than separates us.'
Southgate, who led England for eight years, acknowledged underlying disunity, saying: 'At any time in history there will always be some disunity under the surface. Life is economically tough for a lot of people so I understand why people are disaffected.'
