Gary Neville broke strict Sir Alex Ferguson rule to launch side business with ex-Man Utd teammate during playing days

Gary Neville has opened up about his "double life" and how he broke a strict Sir Alex Ferguson rule while playing for Manchester United.

Neville spent his entire career at United, coming through the ranks as a youth player before making 607 appearances and winning eight Premier League titles in his tenure.

Known as a consummate professional who got as far as he did by working harder than everything else, Neville captained United and was a solid, reliable player for Ferguson.

Neville was so focused on the task at the hand that he even ignored his own brother Phil when lining up in the tunnel ahead of a clash between United and Everton.

However, he has revealed that he did have another project going on during his playing career - keeping his passion for property under wraps.

Neville first dabbled when he was 21, purchasing 12,000-square-foot barn in Bolton. He would bring architect's drawings to look at on the plane home after games while Dwight Yorke and Teddy Sheringham were playing poker.

Neville would begin a business partnership with Paul Devine, a friend and former United trainee and they oversaw the development of a further 25 houses.

"For 10 to 12 years, I had this almost like double life," Neville said in an interview with the Daily Mail.

"I did it under the radar, purely because I knew that it would be deemed as a distraction.

"Under Sir Alex, distraction was absolutely illegal, you know that. But I knew that my football career would come to an end, and I knew that I had to plan for it, I knew that I had to do something different and I loved it.

"The meetings, the thrill of the interior design, the selling part of it, the finding the land, the planning."

Gary Neville runs a number of businesses. Image: Getty

As well as being a pundit and co-commentator for Sky Sports, Neville owns a football club in Salford City, six buildings in Manchester, a university and a production company which brings shows like 'Stick to Football'.

Nicknamed 'Busy', Neville employs 700 members of staff and starts his day at 5.15am. He's been told to take a step back but is still ambitious as ever as he prepares to turn 50 next week.

"I said that when I was 50 I wanted to settle into being more laser-focused and have a more singular role," Neville said, regarding future plans.

"'I’m probably four years behind. It needs to be something that's important.

"I don't think it can be politics now. I thought about it at a certain point. I'd get I'd get stuck in the mud and I can't get stuck in the mud.

"It would have to be something that's connected to sport, business, that in some way puts me into a position whereby I can put the experiences of the last 30, 40 years of football, media and business together and bring value to someone or something."