Gary Neville has been praise by Peter Jones for ‘saving him money’ during a guest stint on Dragon’s Den.
The Manchester United star and fashion guru Emma Grede will join Peter, Deborah Meaden, Touker Suleyman, Sara Davies and Steven Bartlett to cast their eyes over hopefuls’ business plans.
Speaking about his appearance on the BBC show, Gary – who works as a pundit on Sky Sports – told The Mirror: ‘The thing that really stuck out for me was the length of the pitches. It really was a test of endurance – the concentration span needed was something I’d not thought about before.
‘I think it’s becoming more and more normal particularly for the younger generation to want to change career paths and I think having that agility and flexibility in life is important. But also being bold and brave enough to do it. Being an entrepreneur by the very nature of it means that you are courageous, and you take risks.’
With millions already invested in property, and a huge following thanks to his sporting prowess and punditry stints, Gary impressed series veteran Peter.
Gary Neville has been praise by Peter Jones for ‘saving him money’ during a guest stint on Dragon’s Den
‘I quite liked Gary, he saved me some money,’ joked tech billionaire Peter, 57, who has been on the show since the first series back in 2005.
Speaking to The Sun, Deborah said: ‘You’d think he had been a Dragon his entire life. He instinctively asked the right questions.
‘He’s got a really good business brain on him. He was fantastic, I’m not kidding you, and he’s prepared to invest.’
Despite several business ventures ranging from part-owning League Two club Salford City with his former team-mates to his luxury Manchester hotels, some have questioned whether the Red Devil has what it takes to become a dragon.
Some fans could not help but make digs about Man United’s takeover woes – which Neville has been extremely vocal about himself. The unpopular Glazer family, who own Man United, were expected to sell the club but after nearly a year of discussions, it looks as though Sir Jim Ratcliffe will only acquire a 25 per cent stake.
One person on X, formerly known as Twitter , mimicked the phrase used by the dragons to reject bids, posting: ‘Like most people to do with Manchester United – I won’t be investing I’m out.’
The Manchester United star and fashion guru Emma Grede will join Peter, Deborah Meaden, Touker Suleyman, Sara Davies and Steven Bartlett to cast their eyes over hopefuls’ business plans
Long-term judge Deborah Meaden commended Neville on his first appearance, posting: ‘A first next year in @BBCDragonsden when we have some guest Dragons… first up @GNev2 who was utterly brilliant and owned that chair!!’
Neville replied to her warm tweet, writing: ‘Thank you Deborah. I loved it and can’t thank you and all the dragons enough for welcoming me.’
Since retiring from football in 2011, Gary has built a vast property development portfolio that nets him tens of millions a year.
Among his major enterprises is Hotel Football, a luxury hotel overlooking Old Trafford, and The Stock Exchange Hotel near Piccadilly Gardens, one of the top hotels in Manchester, alongside former team-mate Ryan Giggs.
It’s not all been plain-sailing for the ex-footballer though. The new restaurant inside his Stock Exchange Hotel closed just four months after opening its doors in July.
And he has also faced setbacks amid claims one of his high-end Manchester hotels lost £3.2million over the pandemic and owed ‘£10million in loans’.
Neville has also been slated in the past for advertising for workers on minimum wage to staff one of his luxury hotels – which can charge more than £800 a night for a suite.
In a teaser of Neville’s first appearance as a judge, the former United captain donned a sharp navy blue suit jacket and charcoal black trousers.
Since retiring from football in 2011, Gary has built a vast property development portfolio that nets him tens of millions a year (pictured on Sky Sports last week)
The BBC has not yet revealed when the season will air in 2024 but Meaden suggested it will be ‘early in the New Year’.
The programme, which first aired on BBC Two in 2005, gives budding entrepreneurs the chance to pitch their ideas to some of Britain’s most successful people in business.
Speaking about the opportunity, Neville said: ‘It’s a pleasure to join the Dragons as a guest for the new series and see some of the amazing pitches from budding entrepreneurs from different walks of life.
‘It was a privilege to share my knowledge and guidance with the brave entrepreneurs who entered the Den, but you’ll have to wait and see whether I committed to any investments!’
