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Saturday's League Two fixture between Salford City and Oldham Athletic was momentarily halted when supporters invaded the pitch in a demonstration against former Premier League player Gary Neville.
Two spectators charged onto the playing area, clutching England flags and donning hoodies bearing a message branding Neville a 'traitor'. The former Manchester United defender holds a stake in Salford alongside fellow Red Devils legend David Beckham.
Both teams appeared stunned as the supporters sprinted across the turf whilst waving their England banners. Security personnel swiftly apprehended them and escorted them from the field, reports the Express. Salford won the encounter 1-0, with ex-Liverpool striker Fabio Borini making his debut.
Far-right organisation Britain First claimed responsibility for the demonstration in a social media statement, revealing how they 'teamed up with local Salford patriots to protest the treachery of Gary Neville'.
The incident follows Neville provoking controversy by asserting that 'angry middle-aged white men' were responsible for stoking divisions, accusing them of deploying the national flag in a 'negative fashion'.
He said: "I love my country, I love Manchester, I love England, but I've been building in this city for 15, 20 years and nobody has put a Union Jack flag up, so why do you need to put one up now?".
"Quite clearly, it's sending a message to everybody that there's something you don't like. I just kept thinking as I was driving home that we're all being turned on each other.
"And the division that's being created is absolutely disgusting, mainly created by angry, middle-aged white men who know exactly what they're doing."
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch later took issue with Neville's comments, stating: "I think that that's just disgraceful. The flags are the things that bring us together. I love the Union flag.
"Everybody should be able to feel that the flag represents their home country. There's nothing to be ashamed of about it. It shouldn't be taken down, but that's Gary Neville."
Reform leader Nigel Farage also weighed in on the debate, calling for Sky Sports to sack Neville: "He's blaming middle-aged, white men, the people that actually pay for Sky Sports and pay his salary.
"He's blaming them for all the division, not some evil, crazed, mad Islamist that went out to kill innocent people.
"I tell you what, this Gary Neville is so detached from reality, so detached from the average football fan, it is not true. I'm amazed that Sky Sports keep him on."
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