Gary Neville claims London clubs are gaining a ‘massive advantage’ over those in the North

Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville has expressed his concerns that football in the north of England is on the brink of demise.

He suggests clubs in London and the South East are at a 'huge advantage' over their northern rivals when it comes to recruiting players and managers, making particular reference to Alan Pardew trading Newcastle for Crystal Palace. 'Newcastle, Sunderland, Leeds and Sheffield Wednesday are among those who face a mountainous climb to return to their old prominence,' Neville writes in his Daily Telegraph column. 'If you had said to me 20 years ago that Alan Pardew would leave Newcastle to go to Crystal Palace I wouldn’t have believed you. I know there were other reasons. 'Watford and Crystal Palace would now stand a good chance of taking a player off Newcastle or Sunderland, where some players feel they are doing the club a favour by being there.' Neville was writing after Newcastle lost to a Sheffield Wednesday reserve side in the third round of the League Cup, while the Magpies - along with neighbours Sunderland - sit in the bottom three in the Premier League. 'London has always been the economic and political centre of the country but Merseyside, Manchester and the north-east were the footballing hothouses. Manchester is the one that’s held its own. Elsewhere there are clear signs of distress,' he adds.