Gary Neville hires notorious Manchester United hooligan and ex-con to work as security at hotel he co-owns with Ryan Giggs

A NOTORIOUS Manchester United hooligan is working at a hotel owned by club legends Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs.

Tony O’Neill, 59, has been jailed three times for football-related violence and is banned from attending games.

He claims Neville headhunted him through Hotel Football’s management to work in the bar and as security on match days.

He said: “Gary, who runs the hotel, through the management, he came to me.

“They said Gary Neville wants to move on with the hotel and wants to create more for the fans. He turned to me and the missus, Debbie, and we fit the bill because of our understanding – regardless of what people think.

PA:Press Association

“The hotel management turned round and said, ‘This is what we want and we think you’re the one to do it’.”

O’Neill was a member of the Red Army and The Casuals firms, and has written books on hooliganism. He was jailed in the 1970s, 1980s and again in 2001 for fan fighting. He went back inside in 2013 for breaching his ban.

Now he says he prefers to concentrate on his match-day work at Hotel Football.

O’Neill, who made his comments on an online football podcast, also boasted: “I’ve stopped going to games. Me and my wife Debbie do the rooftop at Hotel Football on a match day.

“The whole idea is to make it about the supporters’ clubs. The Hotel is a four-star, but the intention of the hotel was to be where the fans could mix.

“The whole idea was to make it accessible, near Old Trafford, for the fans.

“I get the supporters clubs in. I get the right people in. People love to mix and see proper United fans.

Hotel Football opened in 2015, but The Sun later reported it was being used as a base for prostitutes and we revealed cocaine was found in the toilets.

A source said: "That is bad enough. But to have O’Neill on the door is shocking.

"He is the biggest football hooligan in this country - vicious and violent. Why on earth would they want him mixing with young children?

“It’s madness that he’s now in charge of who can and can’t get into the hotel. He’s a criminal.”