“But I think the gaffer had a vision of where he was going and I was an important part of that. I am not a shouter or bawler by any stretch of the imagination.

“I lead through my professionalism, through my training, I am always on the training field and that is what he wanted.

“He wanted to change the mentality at Everton and at the time it was really difficult for me because I wanted to be accepted as Phil Neville the player not Phil Neville the ex-Man United player.”

Neville adds: “It probably took a season for them to fully understand that I wasn’t a spy or a teacher’s pet.

“Me going out 25 minutes early onto the training ground to practice wasn’t me being teacher’s pet. That is my fabric, that is what I have done throughout my career. It took eight to 12 months for them to realise that is what I do.

“Maybe the right thing was to accept the captaincy, but looking back to gain more friends at the club at the time I could have said no. But when you want to win things you have to upset people and it was a difficult time.”

There is, however, one aspect in which Neville’s United association does linger, as revealed when asked if he would be delivering any tubthumping address moments before kick-off.

“They wouldn’t listen to the Manc!” he laughs. “I am known as the Manc. That’s just what it’s like here. There will be no need because this team is ready and has been ready for the last three or four weeks for this game.

“I will be geeing people up and rabbiting on but there will be no Winston Churchill speech.

“But I love the banter with the lads and I think that it is so important at a club like this that there is that togetherness.”