Tracey Neville is a former England netball player, top coach, sports leader, and TV expert. She is also known as the sister of former Manchester United star Gary Neville. Her twin brother, Phil Neville, also played football for England and Manchester United.

Tracey built a strong career of her own. She played netball for England, won major medals, and later became the national team coach. Her biggest coaching win came at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, where England won gold.

In 2026, she moved into women’s football. She became Managing Director of Stockport County Women. Her job now is to help the club grow, improve its structure, and build a clear path for young players.

Quick Bio

Early Life of Tracey Neville

Tracey Neville was born on 21 January 1977 in Bury, Greater Manchester. She grew up in a home where sport was part of daily life. Football and netball were always close to the family.

Her father, Neville Neville, had strong links with Bury Football Club. Her mother, Jill Neville, also worked at the club. Jill served as club secretary for many years.

Tracey had two brothers. Gary Neville became a famous defender for Manchester United and England. Her twin brother, Phil Neville, also played for Manchester United and England.

The three children followed different paths in sport. Gary and Phil chose football. Tracey chose netball and soon showed that she could compete at a high level.

How Did Tracey Neville Start Playing Netball?

Tracey began playing netball when she was young. She later played senior club netball for YWCA Bury. Her talent soon helped her move into higher levels of the game.

She also played for Northern Thunder, which later became Manchester Thunder. At times, she played in attacking roles such as goal attack and wing attack. These roles needed speed, skill, and calm play.

Her career also took her to Australia. She spent time playing there and gained useful experience in a country where netball has a strong following. That helped her learn more about the game at elite level.

Her club years helped prepare her for international netball. She soon became part of the England setup and started a long career with the national team.

England Netball Playing Career

Tracey Neville made her senior England debut in 1996. She went on to earn 81 caps for the national team. That made her an important part of England netball for many years.

She played mainly in attacking positions. Her role often asked her to create chances, move the ball fast, and support the shooters. She became known as a hard working and smart player.

One of her biggest medals came at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur. England won bronze at the event. It was also the first Commonwealth Games to include netball.

She was also part of the England team that won bronze at the 1999 World Netball Championships. Those results gave her key experience on the world stage.

Injury and the Move Into Coaching

Injuries affected the later years of her playing career. A serious knee problem made life harder as an elite player. But it did not end her place in sport.

Instead, she moved into coaching. This gave her a new way to use her knowledge of the game. She could now guide players instead of being on court herself.

She took charge of Team Northumbria in 2011. The role helped her build her coaching skills. It also gave her more experience in team planning and player growth.

Soon after, she joined Manchester Thunder. This became one of the most important steps in her early coaching career.

Tracey Neville and Manchester Thunder

At Manchester Thunder, Tracey showed that she could build a winning team. She worked with players at one of the top clubs in English netball. Her focus was clear, simple, and based on strong team play.

Thunder won the Netball Super League title in 2012. It was a major success for the club and for Tracey as a coach. It also raised her profile in the sport.

The team won the league again in 2014. Two league titles showed that the first success was not a one off result. Her teams could perform under pressure.

Her work at Manchester Thunder helped open the door to the England job. By 2015, she had become one of the leading coaches in English netball.

Why Was Tracey Neville Chosen as England Coach?

In March 2015, Tracey Neville became interim head coach of the England netball team. She took the job before the 2015 Netball World Cup in Sydney. It was a major test early in her time with the team.

England performed well at the World Cup. They beat Jamaica and won the bronze medal. Her work at the event helped her earn the role on a full time basis.

She then started to build a team that could challenge the best sides in the world. Australia and New Zealand had ruled world netball for years. England wanted to close that gap.

Tracey pushed the players to believe they could win major games. That work reached its peak three years later.

The Historic 2018 Commonwealth Games Gold

The biggest moment of Tracey Neville’s coaching career came at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. The event took place on the Gold Coast in Australia. England reached the final against the home team.

Australia had long been one of the strongest netball teams in the world. England entered the match knowing they faced a huge test. The final stayed close until the last seconds.

Helen Housby scored the winning goal at the end of the game. England won 52 to 51. The players and staff celebrated one of the greatest results in England netball history.

It was England’s first major global netball title. The win also gave the sport much more attention in Britain. Tracey became widely known outside the usual netball audience.

2019 Netball World Cup and England Exit

England entered the 2019 Netball World Cup with high hopes. The event took place in Liverpool. The team had strong support from the home crowd.

England reached the semifinal but lost to New Zealand. That ended their chance of winning the world title. They still had one more match to play.

The Roses beat South Africa 58 to 42 in the bronze medal match. That gave England another major medal under Tracey’s leadership.

The game was her final match as England head coach. She stepped away after four years in charge. Her time included World Cup medals and the famous Commonwealth Games gold.

MBE and Major Recognition

Tracey Neville received an MBE in the 2016 New Year Honours. The award was given for her services to netball. It came after years of work as both a player and coach.

By then, she had already played 81 times for England. She had also won medals as a player and led Manchester Thunder to league titles.

The 2018 Commonwealth Games win brought even more praise. England’s netball team later received major awards at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year event.

That success helped bring new fans to netball. It also showed that England could beat the best teams in the sport.

Coaching the Melbourne Mavericks

After leaving the England job, Tracey later returned to elite coaching in Australia. In 2023, she worked with the Adelaide Thunderbirds. The club won the Suncorp Super Netball title that season.

She was then named the first head coach of the new Melbourne Mavericks. The team entered Suncorp Super Netball in 2024.

Starting a new team came with many tasks. She had to help build the squad, set standards, and create a strong team culture. The Mavericks finished fifth in their first season.

She stayed for the 2025 season. In August 2025, the club said she would not seek a new contract for 2026. She left after helping build the team’s first two seasons.

Why Did Tracey Neville Move Into Football?

In February 2026, Tracey Neville made a major career change. She became Managing Director of Stockport County Women. The move took her from elite netball into football management.

Her role is not about coaching the football team. Instead, she works on the wider structure around the club. This includes growth, player paths, club standards, and long term plans.

Stockport County Women play in the fourth tier of English women’s football. The club wants to grow and move higher over time. It also wants to build a stronger local base.

Tracey’s past work fits that task. She has built teams, worked with elite players, and led groups through high pressure events.

Role at Stockport County Women

At Stockport County Women, Tracey is helping shape the club’s future. She works on the systems needed for long term progress. The goal is to create a clear and strong setup.

The club also wants better paths for girls in the local area. Young players need a clear route from community football into higher levels of the game. This is one area where her sports background can help.

The women’s team also gained a new home base at Park Road, home of Cheadle Town FC. The move gives the club a stronger base for matches and player growth.

Tracey has spoken about building a club that can rise through the women’s football system. The aim is to improve step by step and create solid roots first.

Why Does Tracey Neville Ask Her Mother for Football Advice?

Many people may think she would turn first to Gary Neville or Phil Neville for football advice. Both brothers have years of experience in the sport. However, Tracey has said she often asks her mother for help.

Jill Neville spent many years working as secretary at Bury Football Club. She understands how a football club works away from the pitch.

That knowledge is useful in Tracey’s current job. Her role deals with club systems, planning, staff, and long term growth. These areas are close to Jill’s past experience.

This also shows how strong the sporting link is across the Neville family. Each member has worked in a different part of professional sport.

Sky Sports and Off The Court

Tracey Neville has also built a media career. She works as a netball expert for Sky Sports. Her long playing and coaching career gives her a clear view of the game.

She also co hosts Off The Court with Tamsin Greenway. The show covers major netball news, teams, players, tactics, and big matches.

Her media work keeps her close to netball even though her main executive role is now in football. She can still share her knowledge with fans.

This work also connects different parts of her career. She brings the views of a former player, coach, leader, and sports executive.

Personal Life and Family

Tracey’s partner is Michael Timmins. The couple welcomed a son in 2020. She has spoken in interviews about being a mother while also working in elite sport.

She has also spoken publicly about suffering a miscarriage in 2018. She shared the story in 2019 after leaving the England role. She spoke about the loss because she wanted to be open about what had happened.

Family has remained an important part of her life. She has often spoken about the support and strong sporting culture inside the Neville family.

Her own career has still been very different from those of her brothers. She built her name in netball before moving into football leadership.

Tracey Neville’s Place in British Sport

It is easy to call her Gary Neville’s sister, but that only tells one part of the story. Her own career includes 81 England caps, major medals, league titles, and one of the biggest wins in English netball.

As a coach, she helped England change its place in the world game. The 2018 Commonwealth Games gold proved that the Roses could beat Australia in a major final.

She then took her skills to Australia and helped launch the Melbourne Mavericks. In 2026, she began another new chapter with Stockport County Women.

Her career now covers playing, coaching, media, and sports management. Few British sports figures have worked across so many areas at a high level.

FAQs

Who is Tracey Neville?

Tracey Neville is a former England netball player, coach, sports executive, and TV expert. She earned 81 England caps and later coached the national team to gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. She is now Managing Director of Stockport County Women.

Is Tracey Neville Gary Neville’s sister?

Yes. She is the younger sister of former Manchester United and England defender Gary Neville. She is also the twin sister of former footballer and coach Phil Neville.

What did Tracey Neville win with England?

As England head coach, she won gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. She also led England to bronze medals at the 2015 and 2019 Netball World Cups.

How many times did Tracey Neville play for England?

She won 81 senior caps for the England netball team. She played mainly in attacking roles and also won bronze at the 1998 Commonwealth Games.

What does Tracey Neville do now?

She is Managing Director of Stockport County Women. She helps lead the club’s growth, player path, structure, and future plans. She also works as a netball expert with Sky Sports.