Neville fears for future

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Earlier this week, Portsmouth centre-back Sol Campbell claimed the abuse has "gone too far", in the wake of the reception he was given by Tottenham fans last weekend, and Neville fears for the future and that one shout of abuse on any given day could result in a serious incident.

"There comes a time when enough's enough," Neville said on BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek programme. "The level of abuse - not even criticism - players are receiving these days is bordering on frightening. It's only a matter of time before a really serious incident takes place."

Neville and his brother Gary have often been the targets of fearsome abuse in the past.

Yet he also conceded footballers "do not help themselves", primarily because of the vitriol they are seen handing out to referees.

He added: "It's not as if it's been happening just this season, it's been building up for the last 10 years.

"It's fine chanting abuse about myself or my brother when we are out there, but now fans are shouting abuse about your mother, father, daughter.

"It will probably take a few more footballers and the authorities to get on board for it to be clamped down on.

"At the end of the day, they can shout as much abuse as possible, but if we do the slightest thing back, it's us who are arrested by the police, questioned and fined.

"Yet nothing seems to be done about those shouting the abuse."