35-year-old veteran Gary Neville has been given a 'lucrative' one-year contract extension by Sir Alex for his recent consistent performances. The captain has played 27 games at right-back for The Reds this season, in the process assisting quite a few goals ! - The skipper himself and club staff are also planning a testimonial... 

Neville has made close to 600 appearances for The Red Devils, sitting below Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes - both of whom have already signed new contracts, bringing them into their 19th season at the club !

Neville had planned to invite Rangers as the opposition at his testimonial, however Greater Manchester Police have spoil-sported this - disallowing Rangers back into the city, after their fans' reckless hooliganism, when they lost 2-0 against Zenit St. Petersburg in the 2008 UEFA Cup Final at Eastlands. However, the club is still looking at the plans.

"We've agreed a contract with Gary Neville for another year," Sir Alex confirmed on Friday morning. "We've been working on it for a couple of weeks now. We're delighted with that. We think he deserves it because his contribution to the club has been fantastic. As I've said time and again about certain players, they make a career out of their will and determination to do it. Gary is one of those players."

The skipper completed an 'astonishing' comeback from 18 months out with a series of injury problems, and the gaffer duly recognised that: "The amazing thing he has achieved is coming back from a year-and-a-half out in his thirties, to get to the level he is playing at today is astonishing."
 
He added: "You could keep a player with great experience and not play him. I don't think Gary would enjoy that, I don't think Scholes, Giggs or Van Der Sar would either. They want to play, nobody more than Gary."