| England skipper Kevin Keegan's back injury meant that Greenwood was without an experienced skipper on the park, even allowing for the presence of Liverpool's Phil Thompson, who had lifted the European Cup the year before but had since had the armband taken from him and given to Graeme Souness. Greenwood therefore felt compelled to make room for Mills, and as a result Neal was dropped from the team which began England's campaign with a stylish 3-1 win over France, although he did make is World Cup finals debut as a last minute substitute for Kenny Sansom. Such a fine performance naturally prompted no changes for the next game against Czechoslovakia which England won 1-0, and only with qualification for the second phase assured could Greenwood feel safe to rest some players. Neal made his first World Cup start in England's third and final group game in Bilbao, a 1-0 win over Kuwait, but when the second phase got underway in Madrid, Mills was back in the team, wearing the armband as England drew 0-0 with West Germany and then again with Spain, eliminating them undefeated from the tournament. Greenwood's successor Bobby Robson kept Neal in the squad afterwards, and his first game in charge was Phil's 40th appearance as England's campaign to reach the 1984 European Championships ended in a 2-2 draw with Denmark in Copenhagen. Robson, for all his experimentation and need to replace ageing players from the last World Cup campaign, was very loyal to Neal over the next 12 months, and he played in eight of the next ten internationals. Phil scored in the outrageous 9-0 win in a qualifier against Luxembourg in December 1982 and then put away a penalty two months later as England beat Wales 2-1 in the Home Internationals (the photo above is during the 2-0 win against Scotland, also in the Home Championships.). The 50th cap of his England career - he was by now his country's most capped right back - came as Denmark made their return visit to Wembley in a now crucial qualifier a day short of one year from that 2-2 draw. England were shockingly cautious and devoid of ideas, the defence was stretched and tired, and Denmark won a smash-and-grab game thanks to a first half penalty. A livid and pressured Robson rang the changes and Neal, although still at the top of the domestic game with Liverpool, was told he would not feature for England again. Robson took a long look at Mike Duxbury and gave the ever-patient Anderson some caps before settling on the precocious Everton defender Gary Stevens in time for the campaign to qualify for the 1986 World Cup. Neal won numerous more honours in two more years with Liverpool but the calls to have him restored to the England team fell on deaf ears. It would take more than 15 years before his record for a right back was broken by Gary Neville, while Neal himself became more infamous with the England team when he was portrayed, thanks to unfavourable editing, by a Channel 4 documentary as a 'yes man' coach to Graham Taylor during his reign in charge in the early 90s. History should be kinder to Neal, in that he was his generation's best right back, and anyone who doubts him should be shown the cupboard which contains his caps and medals, as few English players have ever won more in the game. (Matthew Rudd) |