Julie Neville

Talking to Julie Neville
by Tony Randall/5/12013

It's exciting times for Julie the wife of Everton captain Phil Neville with her company Win Naturally having just opened it's first stores in Manchester and London within Selfridges. You would think life is all glamour for Julie and her family. But its far from that as Julie talks openly of her heartache of not only the children's illness but her health problems as well.
How does husband Phil react when Everton lose a game and what is he like around the home?

TR: The day you was told not only your daughter but yourself were fighting life threatening illnesses was obviously a tough time for all in the Neville household, how did you as a family come to terms with this?

JN: It was all very sudden that Isabella and i were both unwell. Isabella was born three months premature and there was several complications. Our son Harvey was only one year old at the time. I was in hospital for one month and Isabella for over two months, there for i don't think we came to terms with it all- we simply survived at the time. It was about six months later that it actually hit me as to what we had been through.

TR: Something that came out of this stressful time for the family was that you decided to look in to alternative natural options for medicine which could give people a better quality of life, you then set up your own company called Win Naturally, tell me about that.

JN: I was very unwell for a couple of years after Isabella was born and both our children seemed to go from one illness to another and spent every single month on antibiotics. I was on prescribed medicine's that i was told i would require for the rest of my life. The side effects were terrible and i felt so unwell. I decided to look into alternative medicine and educate myself on food and diet, nutrition and how our bodies and immune systems work.
It really was an eye opener to see how harmful many chemicals that we put in our body on an everyday basis can be, not to mention drugs and medicines. I started to make huge changes, i removed as many chemicals from our home and lives as possible- even changing to natural cleaning products, toothpastes, shampoo and conditioners and bath and baby products.
The results were immense and i was soon able to come off all the prescribed medicine's. Neither myself or the children have had any antibiotics for over five year, and as a family we have never felt fitter, stronger or healthier. I wanted to share the knowledge that i had gained over the past five years and the amazing products that i have sourced along the way with others hence the launch of our company www.winnaturally.com

TR: As you know i suffer from depression and take about four different types of pills a day as well as counselling, do you think alternative medicines for illnesses such as depression can be more affective than conventional medicine?

JN: For me, a natural lifestyle and the right supplements was far more effective than any prescribed medicines that i had taken in the previous two years. However, I would not advise anyone to stop taking any medicine with out discussing it with their doctor. Many people feel that their only option is to take a prescribed drug when this is not always the case. For me this would be the lats resort.

TR: What has the reaction been to this form of medicine?

JN: I think a more natural way of life is becoming more and more popular and is more widely understood and accepted. Yes, Win Naturally also supplies many premiership football clubs and athletes and we actually work closely with many health practitioners as it becoming more apparent that conventional medicine is not infallible and very often not as effective as what natural medicine can be.

TR: Do you find it strange that your called a WAG and people still think you couldn't run a successful company?

JN: I think that the term " WAG" is simply a word and reputation invented by the media and which does not really apply to the majority of footballers wives that i know and whom are my friends. Unfortunately, many people believe what is portrayed in the media and when they meet me are surprised to find out that I'm an extremely hands on mother, looking after my family and running my own business as well. I have had a few people say to me with a surprised expression "wow, your are actually quite clever" I obviously don't look it ha!! I'm used to it now so it does not bother me.

TR: What is life like being married to a high profile footballer? Is it as glamorous as it seems?

Julie with husband, Everton captain Phil Neville       








JN: There are many privilege's being married to a premiership footballer- the obvious financial security, the perks of always being able to get into the best restaurants,go to the best events and get the latest clothes/handbags etc. " HOWEVER" all  this does not make up the large part of my life, nor is it what is important. What is important to me is my husband and my children, we are actually a quiet and private family who do normal things like everybody else.
If Phil gets a day off we generally spend it at home, just the four of us, or invite family or close friends round. Like every job there are also downsides, Phil is away an awful lot including Christmas Day, New Years Eve, Birthdays etc. There is an intrusion of the media and also the general public- a simple shopping trip to the supermarket often turns into chaos if Phil comes along ( and that's the excuse he always uses to never come along )
We receive threats and abuse on a regular basis, as do our children. The positives definitely outweigh the negatives. Phil's profile has most definitely helped us in our charity work and also raising the profile of my new company, and I'm most grateful for that.

Julie and Phil with their children raising money for charity








TR: How does Phil react after Everton lose a game?

JN: Phil is EXTREMELY grumpy if Everton lose a match and he will spend the whole evening on the phone to the assistant manager going over and over everything. Then he will watch the match again ad make notes on what went wrong and how to improve. H definitely takes a defeat to heart and dwells on it- but i love that about him, to see such passion for the game and his team and that it hurts when they lose. Phil always strives to be better both personally and as a team, he is the ultimate professional and he lives for his football.

TR: If you sat down with Phil and looked back at all the heartbreaking times you've gone through, what is the secret how you have come through all this and made you stronger?

JN: It is still difficult to look back at the really tough times, I find it emotional when i go back to the neo natal intensive care unit at the hospital. I often say that i don't know how we got through it, and i honestly don't. Phil and i handled Isabella's birth and her eventual diagnosis of brain damage and cerebral palsy very differently, but it definitely made us stronger. Having said that there were times when i didn't know how i was going to cope or see my children again.

TR: Lets end by telling me about Phil's bad habits, does he cook for you?

JN: Phil's bad habits,that's a tough one, he does not cook, in fact he does not even know how to turn the ovens on, Phil's can not even make a cup of tea. If Phil did cook for me i would not eat it as id likely to be poisoned. He has football on all the time, but i don't mind that. Phil is very superstitious when it comes to his match day rituals- so he has to eat the same meals at the same time, drive the same way to the match, wear the same lucky socks and boxer shorts and so on.
I once drove to Newcastle the night before a match a he had forgotten his lucky boxer shorts, i know it would effect him mentally during a game if he was not wearing them.Phil is completely unable to do anything in the house such as " change a light bulb " he even struggles to put batteries in the children's toys.. So i have to admit all Phil's talents are with his feet!!!!! But seriously tony, he is a fantastic husband and father and he makes me complete.

WinNaturally store in Selfridges Manchester