Salford Game Disrupted by Pitch Invaders with England Flags in Protest to Gary Neville
Salford, Greater Manchester - A League Two match between Salford City and Oldham Athletic was temporarily halted on Saturday, October 18, 2025, after a group of pitch invaders stormed the field in protest against Salford City co-owner Gary Neville. The incident occurred midway through the first half at the Peninsula Stadium.
The protesters, at least two in number, ran onto the pitch brandishing England flags. They wore white hoodies with the message "Gary Neville is a Traitor" emblazoned on the back. One of the invaders attempted to plant a flag in the center circle before being tackled by security. Stewards quickly apprehended the individuals and escorted them off the field, allowing the game to resume after a brief interruption. At the time play was stopped, Salford City was leading 1-0.
The far-right group Britain First claimed responsibility for the stunt, stating they had collaborated with "local Salford patriots" to demonstrate against what they called Neville's "treachery". A video of the incident was posted on X (formerly Twitter) by Britain First, captioned "'Gary Neville is a traitor!' Britain First and Salford patriots invade pitch at Salford FC to protest Gary Neville". In the background of the video, a man can be heard saying, "Get on or you're not getting paid".
The protest appears to be a response to recent comments made by Neville regarding the use of the British flag. On October 3, 2025, Neville posted a video on LinkedIn where he discussed his decision to remove a Union Jack flag from one of his development sites. He explained that he felt the flag was being used in a "negative fashion" and accused "angry, middle-aged white men" of using it to create division within communities.
Neville, a former Manchester United defender and England international, stated, "Funnily enough, on one of my development sites last week, there was a Union Jack flag put up, and I took it down instantly... Some people might be watching this and thinking 'well, Gary you're not very patriotic'. I played for my country 85 times. I love my country". He added, "I've been building in this city for 15, 20 years and nobody has put a Union Jack flag up, so why do you need to put one up now? Quite clearly, it's sending a message to everybody that there's something you don't like".
Neville's remarks sparked considerable backlash, particularly from those who felt he was conflating patriotism with divisiveness. Some Salford City fans were heard chanting "Neville is a w***er" during the pitch invasion. One Salford City fan, Hugh Wright, stated he was "disgusted" and "offended" by Neville's remarks, arguing that they wrongly linked flag displays to a synagogue attack in Heaton Park.
Neither Salford City nor Oldham Athletic have officially commented on the disruption through their social media channels. The game continued after the protesters were removed.
