I was welcomed to Hell by Galatasaray, played in Manchester derbies and at hostile Anfield but one stadium blew me away

Football stadiums are often driven by intimidation and passion while their unforgiving nature can leave an ever-lasting mark on stars.

For players, it's a place of work like no other. A place where fans can either influence the outcome, make the impossible, possible or cause the most confident footballers to question themselves.

A daunting cauldron of noise from fans baying for blood can make or break those at the very top of their game.

Ferocious atmospheres driven by wild passion have long been attributed to stadiums on the continent influenced by a culture of ultras and pyrotechnics, however one former defender credits a stadium closer to home, as the most raucous he has played in.

Two-time Champions League winner Gary Neville experienced it all during a 19-and-a half-year playing career.

From the hostility of Galatasaray and Anfield to heated Manchester derbies, the former United captain was put to the test in a host of trying situations.

More often than not, Neville was able to pass with flying colours as Sir Alex Ferguson’s side regularly competed in the latter stages of European competitions.

But one Champions League night stood out above all the rest, leaving Neville stunned by the white hot atmosphere generated by Rangers fans at Ibrox in 2003.

"The best atmosphere I've ever seen in my life was Ibrox as the game was about to kick off, I thought, 'What the f**k is this?',” Neville told the Stick to Football podcast.

"Celtic was loud, and Galatasaray. Phil [Neville] scored early on.

"Honestly, for the first couple of minutes before the game and when the game started, I've never seen anything like that in my life.

"Noise. Ibrox, honestly, it was unbelievable. Staggering."

United were quick out of the block that night, taking the lead in the fifth minute but the Red Devils were made to work for their 1-0 victory on their way to comfortably topping their Champions League group made up of Stuttgart and Panathinaikos.

But United’s hopes of repeating their historic success of 1999 fell flat in premature fashion when Jose Mourinho’s eventual winners FC Porto, dumped the Red Devils out in the round-of-16.

Neville’s quest to land a second Champions League title came to fruition in 2008 when Manchester United edged past Chelsea in Moscow after a tense penalty shootout.