Gary Neville swapped the pitchside for the bright lights on Saturday night, joining The Reytons on stage, armed with a bass guitar in hand and a bounce in his step. This moment came after months of fan speculation about whether the former Manchester United and England defender would appear with his new bandmates, following the release of a viral video in September announcing the band’s tour.
The video showcased an audition for a new bassist, due to an apparent injury sustained by Lee Holland. The band subsequently announced Neville as the temporary replacement, adding fuel to the fire of fan excitement.
After much anticipation—“Will he or won’t he?”—Gary Neville seized the opportunity. As he entered the stage for high-energy hit “Low Life,” both Neville and the band were met with an explosive reaction from the crowd. Fans and performers alike were caught up in a chaotic frenzy, throwing themselves around as guitar riffs blared and pyrotechnics soared through the air.
After the performance, frontman Jonny Yerrell took a moment to thank Neville for his support. “He is honestly one of the most down-to-earth and nicest people we’ve ever had the pleasure of working with,” Yerrell said. The singer went on to explain why these qualities are so important to the band, highlighting their Grassroots Foundation initiative. “Last year, we launched our foundation and provided full football kits to 50 grassroots teams. We’re planning to do even more this year!”
Yerrell also spotlighted the strength of The Reytons’ community, sharing how the band and their fans have rallied behind young 22-year-old Rotherham mum Sophie White, who is battling a brain tumour. Some days prior, the band raffled off the stage sign from their flagship Clifton Park performance, teaming up with Crowdfunder. With Sophie in attendance, Jonny announced that over £10,000 had been raised in just two days. The funds will allow Sophie to undergo potentially life-saving treatment in Germany starting Monday, March 10th.
Following the success of their 2023 number-one album ‘What’s Rock and Roll?’, the independent Rotherham-based quartet has been making waves in the UK music scene, despite having no label backing. Last July, they delivered a sold-out headline show at their hometown’s Clifton Park, drawing 20,000 fans and, with two top-five albums in 2024, the band shows no signs of slowing down.
The Reytons have returned to the stage in 2025 with an adrenaline-fueled live show, hitting major venues across the UK, including the newly reopened O2 Academy Brixton in London and Manchester’s Aviva Studios—both with 5,000-capacity crowds. All shows sold out in record time, with tickets becoming a rare commodity as the tour progressed.
With the UK leg of the tour now behind them, The Reytons are gearing up for their European tour at the end of March, before heading back to familiar ground to headline Saturday night at Tramlines Festival in July. Will Gary be joining them? Who knows…
