In the build up to this week’s FIFA World Cup 2014 qualifying fixtures England team sponsor Vauxhall ran a Twitter Takeover led by England coach Gary Neville.
The Twitter takeover for @VauxhallEngland saw Neville answer live fan questions through the social media platform. Using the hashtag #askGary, the former Manchester United captain answered questions which ranged from his England career playing experiences to technicalities relating to his current role as part of England manager Roy Hodgson’s coaching staff.
Questions included:
@alexrichards94: “What is the best goal you ever seen whilst you was playing football?”
Gary Neville: “I’ll go for the David Beckham free kick v Greece to get us to the World Cup! Or the Gascoigne goal v Scotland!”
@cakewood: “What was your highest score on bleep test!!”
Gary Neville: “I’m not sure, I believe I was getting in the 14s!”
@J_Atkinson_WHU: “Most enjoyable England game?”
Gary Neville: “Whilst being part of coaching set up the recent win vs Brazil was fantastic to watch & see the lads do so well.”
@Telv1s: “Who in your opinion is the best full back to ever represent England?”
Gary Neville: “I’d have to say Stuart Pearce and Ashley Cole, I find it very difficult to separate them, both outstanding performers!”
@RushyGRFC: “Who do you think is the player to watch in the England youth set up?”
@Benalistash: “who do you think has been the best English striker this season in the PL?”
Gary Neville: “I’d say Defoe for the first six months of season until he got injured & Welbeck & Rooney in last few months”
@NinaDominique_: “Which is more interesting being with England squad and help them at training or commentary of the matches?”
Gary Neville: “I really enjoy both and it’s hard to compare like for like but nothing replicates being on the training pitch!”
@Alfie_Perry: “Who do you think is the most promising young senior team talent?”
Gary Neville: “Hard to pick 1. We’re lucky to have the likes of Chamberlain, Cleverley, Walker, Wilshere, Sterling, Welbeck.”
@JeweyCUFC: “Best moment in an England shirt?”
Gary Neville: “Best home memory: Euro 96 v Holland. Best away: 5-1 v Germany!”
Following the automotive brand’s digital initiative, the Sky Sports analyst (and Soccerex Ambassador) then led a training session for Vauxhall’s ‘Big Pitch’ winners at England’s new St George’s Park training headquarters.
The aim of the initiative was to provide the 30 competition winners with a chance to experience a slice of the professional life an England footballer – this spanned both training at St George’s and a run out at Wembley Stadium itself.
The session with Neville was at the heart of the two-day training experience, which also included sampling the training centre’s other facilities: including sampling its hydrotherapy pool and staying at the England team hotel.
This was followed by a trip on the England team bus to Wembley where they played a match on the hallowed turf (with the two teams on the day captained by Graeme Le Saux and Steve Claridge, managed by Stuart Pearce and Ray Wilkins and refereed by World Cup final ref Howard Webb).
The winners had all taken part in the nationwide Big Pitch competition which ran across multiple platforms – including Vauxhall’s own dedicated football website.
Vauxhall Head of Sponsorship, Chris Hornbuckle said: ‘To fulfil the childhood dreams of England fans is something we are very proud of and we are planning more competitions and activities to bring the fans closer to the England team.’
Comment
This is the third year of the Big Pitch initiative, just one of the many strands of Vauxhall’s England partnership activation.
Indeed, this week also sees the return of Vauxhall’s ‘Home Nations Football Media Bulletins’ which are focused on providing fans and the media with the latest news, statistics and facts.
The car brand is also running a ‘Home Nations Football Managers Signed Shirts’ competition, offering fans of all four home nations the chance to win an international shirt signed by the home nations managers Roy Hodgson, Michael O’Neill, Gordon Strachan and Chris Coleman.
To enter fans simply need to answer a question via the Vauxhall Football website.
Other recent Vauxhall England-led initiatives include the auto manufacturer releasing a webfilm congratulating Ashley Cole on winning his 100th Cap
Vauxhall Motors replaced Nationwide as the England team’s lead partner in early 2011. It is one of seven key England sponsors – the others are Budweiser Mars, Nike, McDonald’s, Tesco and William Hill – and its three-and-a-half year deal runs until the end of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Links
Neville Twitter takeover
http://www.vauxhallfootball.co.uk/news/article/gary-neville-twitter-takeover
Vauxhall England Twitter
https://twitter.com/VauxhallEngland
Vauxhall Home Nations Signed Shiret Competition Website
http://www.vauxhallfootball.co.uk/competitions-and-games
The FA Website
