Gary Neville reveals stance on Mark Goldbridge after buying Man Utd superfan's YouTube channel
Gary Neville's media company The Overlap has purchased YouTube channels The United Stand and That's Football from Mark Goldbridge, marking the first step in broader expansion plans.The former Manchester United defender revealed ambitions to construct a network spanning YouTube and audio platforms. "We're looking at channels that cover clubs with large fanbases and we want to expand our community beyond where it currently is," Neville told Broadcast Sport.Goldbridge's channels boast a combined 3.7 million YouTube subscribers, with The United Stand commanding over 2.2 million followers as the platform's biggest Manchester United channel. Most subscribers are UK-based, according to Neville.TRENDINGStoriesVideosYour Say"We're set up to create the world's best Manchester United channel," he stated.The partnership represents an unlikely alliance given the pair's history of public clashes over Manchester United matters.Neville acknowledged this tension directly: "Mark has criticised me more than most, but we don't have to agree. He knows what he does and he's got to carry on criticising me. That's how the world works."The deal materialised faster than anticipated after the two were introduced last Christmas, when Goldbridge was seeking partners for his channels."It fit into our strategy and we thought we should go for it," Neville explained.Their initial conversation centred on shared live Bundesliga broadcasting rights, and negotiations progressed swiftly from that point.LATEST SPORTS NEWS:Rory McIlroy sparks backlash over awkward moment with wife Erica Stoll after Masters winMan United star should never play for the club again after dreadful display in Leeds defeatRory McIlroy 'unfair advantage' row explained after Masters triumphA substantial content expansion is planned for this summer, with two new formats confirmed for The United Stand.Stick To United will feature contributions from former players and journalists, while The Daily United will deliver daily Manchester United news coverage."It will be a three pronged attack, with content from fans, ex-players and journalists," Neville said, adding that he would not rule out appearing on the channel himself.That's Football will undergo a complete transformation into a daily news podcast channel.Neville explained that the dismissal of Ruben Amorim as Manchester United manager highlighted the need for more frequent output, as The Overlap had no recording scheduled for a fortnight when the story broke."That made it clear to me that we needed daily content," he said.Neville and co-founder Scott Melvin remain at the helm of The Overlap's expanding media operation, backed by Global, which acquired a majority stake in the company earlier this year. The Overlap's content teams are now integrated within Global's structure.Further acquisitions remain on the agenda, though Neville emphasised patience."We'll wait for the right opportunities in the next six, 12, 18 months," he said, while dismissing any notion of building "a media empire."The former defender sees YouTube and traditional broadcasting increasingly converging, noting his own YouTube work with Sky predated The Overlap. His guiding principle echoes advice from Sir Alex Ferguson: "Just play football well and the rest will come."Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter
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