"He is very similar to Gary Neville in attitude. He's out of the same mould..
"Gary wasn't as naturally talented or technically gifted as his contemporaries like David Beckham and Paul Scholes. But he was my captain at 16 because he was made of the right stuff and knew what made a team tick. He made up for other things with his attitude.
"He also worked tirelessly on his game. He grafted to become better technically and succeeded by hard work.
"Danny Simpson is exactly the same. He was a decent player as a young kid but not technically the best. But Danny listens, learns and it sinks in with him. His improvement has been tremendous.
"I don't know whether the coaches at United had question marks over him but when you see a young player work hard, take things on board and progress like Danny has you tick his box.
"If Gary can stay clear of injuries in future then I see him as a player who can play past his mid-30s.
"So it is going to be a big battle for Danny Simpson. But at least the manager knows now he has someone there who has the potential and character to challenge Gary."