Gary O'Neil Bio Send To Friend  

Giving his all, O'Neil's commitment to the cause make him a favourite on the terraces and he has established himself as a first-team player at the Riverside.

A product of the Portsmouth Academy, he made the breakthrough into the first team in January 2000 against Barnsley as a raw 16-year-old, and became Pompey's youngest ever player. He was loaned to Walsall at the end of September 2003 after finding it hard to break into the Premiership team and on his return he was thrust into the game against Leeds United.

He then skippered the England Under-20 side at the World Youth Cup in Dubai and at the start of the 2004/05 season he progressed to the Under-21s, and he was named as the new captain.

He was loaned to Cardiff City in late September to boost his first team experience and when he returned to Fratton Park in November 2004, he became an integral part of the first team squad

2005/06 saw him named the Supporters' Player of the Year and he was a regular on the right of midfield the following season.

But with Harry Redknapp keen to bring his own players in, he was deemed surplus to requirements and was allowed to leave in August 2007.

Initially failing to settle in Middlesbrough, O'Neil has become an important part of the club's plans for the future and his tenacious style has made him a popular player.