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Football

06th Oct 2018

Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher finally took part in a foot race live on TV

Wayne Farry

Neville

Ever wondered who would win in a foot race between Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville?

Ever wondered if – during said foot race – Neville would squeal in delight, like a Victorian child who had spent his whole life up to that point in leg braces finally being allowed to frolic along his family’s vast estate?

Well wonder no more, because Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville did take part in a foot race and you better believe Neville giggled with the uncontrollable gusto of a sickly boy named Percival.

The setting? Brighton and Hove Albion’s Amex Stadium prior to the Seagulls Premier League match on Friday against West Ham United. The context? The pair were pitch side at the stadium doing a segment for Sky Sports which involved them answering questions sent into them via social media. One of the questions asked which of the two would win if they were to engage in a race of the foot.

After it was read aloud, you could see the two ex-pros juggle the thought in their minds, deciding whether or not it was the right decision, hoping against hope that the other would say “come on, let’s do it”. And so they did.

Carragher cut a calm figure, while Neville – as previously mentioned – looked like he had sneaked into the pantry and eaten all the hard candies, such was his level of pure, unadulterated glee.

They readied themselves, looked up and sprinted across the pitch. There was one casualty – the top of Neville’s Sky Sports mic – but aside from that it was a clean encounter.

Carragher won it quite comfortably, after which Neville – now slightly panting – said “that was close”. It wasn’t actually that close, but was quality television. Pundits should race against each other before every football match.