NEVILLE Neville – the father of football stars Gary and Phil – has died in Australia, aged 65.

Mr Neville, whose family home is in Larkfield Close, Greenmount, was on holiday with his wife Jill, who is Bury Football Club’s secretary, and suffered a major heart attack.

The couple were there to support their daughter Tracey who is leading the England team at a netball tournament.

A statement from the team said: "England Netball is saddened to announce that Neville Neville, father of head coach Tracey, passed away at hospital earlier this evening (Friday afternoon UK time) in Sydney.

"Our immediate thoughts are with Tracey and the Neville family and we please ask that the privacy of the family is respected at this time.

"Tracey has chosen to remain with the England team for the remainder of the World Cup and has the full support from everyone at England Netball."

Mr Neville leaves Tracey, former England players Gary, Phil, grandson Harvey and granddaughters Molly, Sophie and Isabella.

After hearing of their father's heart attack on Friday, Gary and Phil cancelled appointments and flew to Australia to be at his bedside.

In his younger years, Mr Neville was a keen cricketer and played for Greenmount Cricket Club in the 1980s.

When his sons became part of the so-called Class of '92 - Alex Ferguson’s fledgings that included David Beckham and Paul Scholes - Mr Neville became their agent and negotiated contracts for them when they were at Manchester United.

The veteran sports enthusiast was a former director of Bury Football Club and he helped mobilise Shakers fans when the club came close to collapse in 2002.

In response, hundreds of supporters sprang into action and raised enough money under the ‘Save Our Shakers’ banner to keep the blue and whites afloat.

A Bury Football Club statement said: "Our deepest condolences are extended to Jill, Gary, Philip and Tracey and the entire Neville family.

"Bury FC will pay tribute to Neville in due course and we ask everyone to allow the Neville family the time to grieve privately at this exceptionally sad time.

"We would like to end this statement by simply saying - 'Where would this club be without Neville?"

"Rest in Peace big Nev."

The website of Forever Bury, a fans’ group that sprang up out of those desperate times, says: “Neville tirelessly organised supporters’ groups, gave media interviews, worked closely with the administrators and finally arranged a deal which would ultimately save the Shakers from extinction. We owe him a huge debt.”

A Manchester United spokesman said: "We are sad to learn that Neville Neville, father of Gary and Phil, has passed away. Our condolences go out to his family."