Phil Neal
Encyclopedia
Philip George "Phil" Neal (born 20 February 1951 in Irchester
, Northamptonshire
, England
) is a former footballer who was, at one time, the most successful player in English football history. He played for Liverpool 650 times over an eleven year period and is the only player to have appeared in the first five of their European Cup
finals, winning four of them. He was a dependable full back. His son, Ashley Neal
, also had a footballing career, albeit short-lived.
Neal also had a seven year career with England, winning 50 caps and playing in the 1982 World Cup.
.
A full back who joined the club on 9 October 1974 for £66,000 after making his name in English football's lower divisions with Northampton, Neal was the first signing to be made by manager Bob Paisley
, snapped up as a replacement for the ageing Chris Lawler
. Although he played a few games on the left side of the defence, it was as an industrious, energetic right back that he made his name.
Neal scored the crucial clinching penalty when the Anfield
club beat Borussia Mönchengladbach
in Rome
to win the trophy for the first time in 1977 and subsequently played in the club's further successes in 1978 and 1981, beating FC Bruges
and Real Madrid
respectively, with both games ending 1–0.
In Liverpool's fourth final in 1984, Neal scored again – this time from open play and again in Rome – as Liverpool drew 1–1 with A.S. Roma
and won on a penalty shoot-out, during which Neal again scored. The following year he missed out on a fifth winners' medal when Juventus won 1–0 at Heysel
in a match rendered meaningless because of the rioting beforehand in which 39 Juventus fans were killed and resulted in Liverpool's banishment from European club football.
Neal had a one hundred per cent record of appearances for the club in European Cup finals until a generation later when the 2005 side reached the final and won.
Neal made his Liverpool debut, at left-back, in the Merseyside derby
against Everton
at Goodison Park
on 16 November 1974, although the league meeting between the two was the usual hard fought, 100 mph styled game, neither team managed to break the deadlock with the game ending 0–0, also making his Liverpool bow that day was midfielder Terry McDermott
. Phil's first goal for the club came a year later on 4 November 1975 during the 6–0 defeat of Real Sociedad
in a UEFA Cup
second round second leg tie at Anfield. Neal's goal came in the 79th minute and rounded off the scoring. Liverpool won the tie, having already seen off the Spanish side by three goals to one in the first leg.
Neal won eight Football League Division One championships, a record which stood for over twenty years. In 1976 he won the UEFA Cup. The following year, he was part of a side competing for a unique treble of League, FA Cup
and European Cup. The title was won, but Liverpool then lost the FA Cup final to Manchester United
at Wembley before winning their first European Cup.
As proved with his late spot kick, Neal was a clinical penalty taker, a role he had taken on the previous season, although he did miss one in a Merseyside
derby game against fierce rivals Everton. He took the penalties throughout the early part of his long Anfield career, the responsibility later passing to Terry McDermott
, and this bumped his goal tally to 60 in total, an impressive haul for a defensive player.
In 1978, Neal was in the Liverpool team which lost the League Cup
final to Nottingham Forest
but subsequently retained their European crown. The following year they won back the League title and then retained it in 1980. In 1981, the club's first League Cup
came along before they added that third European Cup; and for the next two seasons Liverpool won both the League and League Cup.
Throughout this time, Neal never missed a League game for the club. He played 365 consecutive matches for Liverpool from 1975 to 1983, finally seeing this sequence brought to a halt after he suffered an injury which forced him out of one solitary match, he also managed a record 100% pass completion record during this spell, every ball he played went sideways or backwards, to whoever was in Liverpool's goal, it was a League Cup 2nd round 1st leg tie at Griffin Park
on 5 October 1983, the versatile young Scot
Steve Nicol
covered for the injured Neal as the Reds won comfortably by 4 goals to 1.
In 1984, Liverpool added their fourth European Cup to the League title and League Cup which they again retained. Neal maintained his place throughout this season and was rewarded with the captaincy by manager Joe Fagan
after Graeme Souness
departed for Sampdoria
in the summer.
Unfortunately for Neal, his one season as captain turned out to be a year when Liverpool emerged trophyless. Fagan quit as manager afterwards due to the grief and Neal lost the captaincy under new manager Kenny Dalglish
, who instead gave it to Alan Hansen
.
Neal started the season in his regular role but Dalglish soon replaced him with Nicol. With his place going to the Scot, Neal departed Anfield after 11 years, joining Bolton Wanderers
as player-manager in December 1985. When Liverpool won the League again that season (on their way to a "double with the FA Cup) Neal was awarded an eighth and final championship medal having made enough appearances to quaify for the medal. The one domestic honour which eluded him, the FA Cup
, was won by Liverpool immediately before he arrived in 1974 and then immediately after he left in 1986, meaning he just missed out on both occasions.
He quit playing in 1989 (when player-manager of Bolton Wanderers) after more than 700 League appearances, as well as 50 caps for England
between 1976 and 1983, scoring five goals. Only Gary Neville
has won more England caps as a right back. Neal was awarded his first by Don Revie
on 24 March 1976: Wales
were the opposition and the Racecourse Ground
the venue as England won 2–1. His Liverpool club mates Ray Clemence
, Phil Thompson
, Ray Kennedy
and Kevin Keegan
(who skippered the side) were all picked and played the whole 90 minutes. His first goal for his country came on 16 May 1978 during a British Home Championship
fixture at Wembley, enough to see off Northern Ireland
by a goal to nil. He represented England in the European Championship in 1980 and in the World Cup in 1982. England failed to qualify for Euro 1984, and Neal committed a decisive penalty by waffling the ball out of the penalty area with his hands in a crucial match against Denmark, which then went on to win the game and the group. Englands ill-fated qualification bid also marked the end of Phil Neal´s international career.
and managed the club for seven years. During this period, the club suffered relegation to the Fourth Division for the first (and only) time in their history, but won promotion the following season. The side reached the Third Division play-offs in 1990 and 1991 but failed to win promotion on either occasion. In 1991, they had been pipped to automatic promotion by Grimsby Town
on goal difference, and lost to Tranmere Rovers
in the playoff final. A year later, they finished 13th in the Third Division and Neal was sacked on 8 May 1992. His successor was Bruce Rioch
, who guided Bolton to promotion from the newly named Division Two (rebranded as part of a reorganisation prompted by the creation of the FA Premier League
) in 1993 and to the top flight in 1995.
Meanwhile, Neal began a memorable if infamous spell as a right-hand man to Graham Taylor
during his spell in charge of the England team. Neal was frequently heard to parrot Taylor on every tactical idea he had, without ever coming up with suggestions of his own. This was captured on camera
during a notorious fly on the wall documentary
,"An Impossible Job", broadcast on Channel 4
after Taylor's reign had ended in disappointing failure to qualify for the 1994 World Cup. Neal became a mild source of ridicule as a result, though he continued to work as a coach and manager.
Neal returned to club management on 23 October 1993 with Coventry City
, beginning his spell at Highfield Road
on that day with a 5–1 defeat against QPR that left them 12th in the Premier League. Despite a shaky start to his time as Sky Blues manager, they did well in the second half of the season and finished 11th in the league – their highest finish since coming seventh in 1989. Perhaps the most impressive result that season after Neal's arrival was a 4–0 home win over Manchester City
on 19 February 1994. However, Coventry struggled in 1994–95 despite the £2million arrival of striker Dion Dublin
from Manchester United on 10 September, and Neal was sacked on 14 February 1995 despite a 2–0 away win over fellow strugglers Crystal Palace
three days earlier, which saw them 17th in the Premier League and two places above the relegation zone. Neal's successor Ron Atkinson
ensured City's survival.
He was appointed manager of Cardiff City
in Division Three in February 1996, but in October that year he left Ninian Park
to become assistant manager to Steve Coppell
at Manchester City
who were struggling in Division One after relegation from the Premier League. However, Coppell resigned on 8 November 1996 and Neal became caretaker manager until the arrival of Frank Clark on 29 December.
For the 1997–98 season, Neal was recruited as assistant manager to chairman-manager Barry Fry
at Peterborough United
after their relegation to Division Three, but he was axed by Fry on 15 March 1998.
In recent years, Neal has worked as a football pundit for various television and radio organisations. He has also played for and coached the Liverpool masters side which dominated the Sky Sports
Masters series.
He has written two autobiographies, being 'Attack From The Back' in 1981 and 'Life At The Kop' in 1986.
Irchester
Irchester is a civil parish and village in the county of Northamptonshire, England. It is about 2 miles south-east of the town of Wellingborough and 2 miles south-west of Rushden, and equidistant from London, south, and Birmingham, to the north-west...
, Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
) is a former footballer who was, at one time, the most successful player in English football history. He played for Liverpool 650 times over an eleven year period and is the only player to have appeared in the first five of their European Cup
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
finals, winning four of them. He was a dependable full back. His son, Ashley Neal
Ashley Neal
Ashley Neal is a former professional association footballer, who is the son of the former Liverpool player Phil Neal.On 26 September 1996, Neal was loaned to Brighton & Hove Albion...
, also had a footballing career, albeit short-lived.
Neal also had a seven year career with England, winning 50 caps and playing in the 1982 World Cup.
Life and playing career
Neal began his career at Wellingborough Town F.C. before he joined Northampton TownNorthampton Town F.C.
Northampton Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Northampton, Northamptonshire. They currently play in Football League Two, the lowest league division, after being relegated from League One on the last day of the 2008–09 season...
.
A full back who joined the club on 9 October 1974 for £66,000 after making his name in English football's lower divisions with Northampton, Neal was the first signing to be made by manager Bob Paisley
Bob Paisley
Robert "Bob" Paisley OBE was an English football half back turned manager. His association with Liverpool was to span nearly half a century including his contribution to the club, first as a player, then as a physiotherapist and coach, and finally as manager.In nine years as manager between 1974...
, snapped up as a replacement for the ageing Chris Lawler
Chris Lawler
Chris Lawler is a former footballer who enjoyed much of Liverpool's success of the 1960s and 1970s.-Life and playing career:...
. Although he played a few games on the left side of the defence, it was as an industrious, energetic right back that he made his name.
Neal scored the crucial clinching penalty when the Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
club beat Borussia Mönchengladbach
Borussia Mönchengladbach
Borussia Mönchengladbach is a German association football club based in Mönchengladbach, North Rhine-Westphalia. The team plays in the Bundesliga and is one of the country's most well-known, well-supported, and successful teams. Borussia Mönchengladbach has over 40,000 members and is the sixth...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
to win the trophy for the first time in 1977 and subsequently played in the club's further successes in 1978 and 1981, beating FC Bruges
Club Brugge
Club Brugge Koninklijke Voetbalvereniging is a football club from Bruges in Belgium. It was founded in 1891 and is one of the top clubs in Belgium. Its home ground is the Jan Breydel Stadium, which has a capacity of 29,472....
and Real Madrid
Real Madrid
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
respectively, with both games ending 1–0.
In Liverpool's fourth final in 1984, Neal scored again – this time from open play and again in Rome – as Liverpool drew 1–1 with A.S. Roma
A.S. Roma
Associazione Sportiva Roma, commonly referred to as simply Roma, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. Founded by a merger in 1927, Roma have participated in the top-tier of Italian football for all of their existence but one season in the early 50s...
and won on a penalty shoot-out, during which Neal again scored. The following year he missed out on a fifth winners' medal when Juventus won 1–0 at Heysel
Heysel Stadium disaster
The Heysel Stadium disaster occurred on 29 May 1985 when escaping fans were pressed against a wall in the Heysel Stadium in Brussels, Belgium, as a result of rioting before the start of the 1985 European Cup Final between Liverpool of England and Juventus of Italy...
in a match rendered meaningless because of the rioting beforehand in which 39 Juventus fans were killed and resulted in Liverpool's banishment from European club football.
Neal had a one hundred per cent record of appearances for the club in European Cup finals until a generation later when the 2005 side reached the final and won.
Neal made his Liverpool debut, at left-back, in the Merseyside derby
Merseyside derby
The Merseyside derby is the name given to any football match contested between Everton and Liverpool football clubs, the two most successful clubs from the city of Liverpool in England...
against Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
at Goodison Park
Goodison Park
Goodison Park is a football stadium located in Walton, Liverpool, England. The stadium has been home to Everton F.C. since its completion in 1892 and is one of the world's first purpose-built football grounds...
on 16 November 1974, although the league meeting between the two was the usual hard fought, 100 mph styled game, neither team managed to break the deadlock with the game ending 0–0, also making his Liverpool bow that day was midfielder Terry McDermott
Terry McDermott
Terence "Terry" McDermott is a former football midfielder and current coach. He is currently the assistant manager at League One side Huddersfield Town.He is the father of Newcastle United player Greg McDermott and Marsaxlokk player Neale McDermott-Early career:McDermott joined Bury as a youngster...
. Phil's first goal for the club came a year later on 4 November 1975 during the 6–0 defeat of Real Sociedad
Real Sociedad
Real Sociedad de Fútbol, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in the city of San Sebastián, Basque Country, founded on 7 September 1909...
in a UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
second round second leg tie at Anfield. Neal's goal came in the 79th minute and rounded off the scoring. Liverpool won the tie, having already seen off the Spanish side by three goals to one in the first leg.
Neal won eight Football League Division One championships, a record which stood for over twenty years. In 1976 he won the UEFA Cup. The following year, he was part of a side competing for a unique treble of League, FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
and European Cup. The title was won, but Liverpool then lost the FA Cup final to Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
at Wembley before winning their first European Cup.
As proved with his late spot kick, Neal was a clinical penalty taker, a role he had taken on the previous season, although he did miss one in a Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
derby game against fierce rivals Everton. He took the penalties throughout the early part of his long Anfield career, the responsibility later passing to Terry McDermott
Terry McDermott
Terence "Terry" McDermott is a former football midfielder and current coach. He is currently the assistant manager at League One side Huddersfield Town.He is the father of Newcastle United player Greg McDermott and Marsaxlokk player Neale McDermott-Early career:McDermott joined Bury as a youngster...
, and this bumped his goal tally to 60 in total, an impressive haul for a defensive player.
In 1978, Neal was in the Liverpool team which lost the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
final to Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
but subsequently retained their European crown. The following year they won back the League title and then retained it in 1980. In 1981, the club's first League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
came along before they added that third European Cup; and for the next two seasons Liverpool won both the League and League Cup.
Throughout this time, Neal never missed a League game for the club. He played 365 consecutive matches for Liverpool from 1975 to 1983, finally seeing this sequence brought to a halt after he suffered an injury which forced him out of one solitary match, he also managed a record 100% pass completion record during this spell, every ball he played went sideways or backwards, to whoever was in Liverpool's goal, it was a League Cup 2nd round 1st leg tie at Griffin Park
Griffin Park
Griffin Park is a football ground situated in the London Borough of Hounslow, west London. It has been the home ground of League One side Brentford since it was built in 1904. It is known for being the only English league football ground to have a pub on each corner, and is situated in a...
on 5 October 1983, the versatile young Scot
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
Steve Nicol
Steve Nicol
Stephen "Steve" Nicol is a Scottish former professional footballer. A utility player who played in the all-conquering Liverpool team of the 1980s, he was most recently coach of New England Revolution, and was the longest-tenured head coach in MLS to coach a single club.As a player, Nicol was a...
covered for the injured Neal as the Reds won comfortably by 4 goals to 1.
In 1984, Liverpool added their fourth European Cup to the League title and League Cup which they again retained. Neal maintained his place throughout this season and was rewarded with the captaincy by manager Joe Fagan
Joe Fagan
Joe Fagan was an English football manager best known for being manager of Liverpool F.C. from 1983 to 1985.- Career:Joe Fagan's playing career was largely spent at Manchester City for whom he signed in 1938...
after Graeme Souness
Graeme Souness
Graeme James Souness is a Scottish former professional football player and manager.Souness was the captain of the successful Liverpool team of the early 1980s and player-manager of Rangers in the late 1980s as well as captain of the Scottish national team. He also played for Tottenham Hotspur,...
departed for Sampdoria
U.C. Sampdoria
Unione Calcio Sampdoria is an Italian association football club based in Genoa. The club was formed in 1946 from the merger of two existing sports clubs whose roots can be traced back to the 1890s, Sampierdarenese and Andrea Doria...
in the summer.
Unfortunately for Neal, his one season as captain turned out to be a year when Liverpool emerged trophyless. Fagan quit as manager afterwards due to the grief and Neal lost the captaincy under new manager Kenny Dalglish
Kenny Dalglish
Kenneth Mathieson "Kenny" Dalglish MBE is a Scottish former footballer and the current manager of Liverpool F.C.. In a 22-year playing career, he played for two club teams, Celtic and Liverpool, winning numerous honours with both. He is the most capped Scottish player, with 102 appearances, and...
, who instead gave it to Alan Hansen
Alan Hansen
Alan David Hansen is a Scottish former football player and BBC television football pundit. He played as a central defender for Partick Thistle, Liverpool and Scotland...
.
Neal started the season in his regular role but Dalglish soon replaced him with Nicol. With his place going to the Scot, Neal departed Anfield after 11 years, joining Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
as player-manager in December 1985. When Liverpool won the League again that season (on their way to a "double with the FA Cup) Neal was awarded an eighth and final championship medal having made enough appearances to quaify for the medal. The one domestic honour which eluded him, the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
, was won by Liverpool immediately before he arrived in 1974 and then immediately after he left in 1986, meaning he just missed out on both occasions.
He quit playing in 1989 (when player-manager of Bolton Wanderers) after more than 700 League appearances, as well as 50 caps for England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
between 1976 and 1983, scoring five goals. Only Gary Neville
Gary Neville
Gary Alexander Neville is a former English footballer. He is England's most capped right-back and was Manchester United's club captain for five years....
has won more England caps as a right back. Neal was awarded his first by Don Revie
Don Revie
Donald George 'Don' Revie, OBE, , was an English footballer who played for Leicester City, Hull City, Sunderland, Manchester City and Leeds United as a deep-lying centre forward. After managing Leeds United he managed England from 1974 until 1977...
on 24 March 1976: Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
were the opposition and the Racecourse Ground
Racecourse Ground
The Glyndŵr University Racecourse Stadium AKA The Racecourse Ground is a stadium located in Wrexham, North Wales. It is the home of Wrexham F.C. and, since 2010, the Crusaders Rugby League team who play in the engage Super League...
the venue as England won 2–1. His Liverpool club mates Ray Clemence
Ray Clemence
Raymond Neal "Ray" Clemence, MBE is one of English and European football's most decorated goalkeepers ever and was part of the Liverpool team of the 1970s.-Scunthorpe United:...
, Phil Thompson
Phil Thompson
Philip Bernard Thompson is a retired English footballer, who played as a defender for Liverpool team of the 1970s and 1980s. During this time, he also represented the England national football team on 42 occasions...
, Ray Kennedy
Ray Kennedy
Raymond Kennedy is an English former football player who won every domestic honour in the game with Arsenal and Liverpool in the 1970s...
and Kevin Keegan
Kevin Keegan
Joseph Kevin Keegan, OBE is a former international footballer and former manager of the England national football team and several English clubs, most notably Newcastle United....
(who skippered the side) were all picked and played the whole 90 minutes. His first goal for his country came on 16 May 1978 during a British Home Championship
British Home Championship
The British Home Championship was an annual football competition contested between the United Kingdom's four national teams, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland from the 1883–84 season until the 1983–84...
fixture at Wembley, enough to see off Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
by a goal to nil. He represented England in the European Championship in 1980 and in the World Cup in 1982. England failed to qualify for Euro 1984, and Neal committed a decisive penalty by waffling the ball out of the penalty area with his hands in a crucial match against Denmark, which then went on to win the game and the group. Englands ill-fated qualification bid also marked the end of Phil Neal´s international career.
Managerial career
In December 1985, Neal was appointed player-manager of Bolton WanderersBolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
and managed the club for seven years. During this period, the club suffered relegation to the Fourth Division for the first (and only) time in their history, but won promotion the following season. The side reached the Third Division play-offs in 1990 and 1991 but failed to win promotion on either occasion. In 1991, they had been pipped to automatic promotion by Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
on goal difference, and lost to Tranmere Rovers
Tranmere Rovers F.C.
Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English team based in Birkenhead, Wirral. The club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system...
in the playoff final. A year later, they finished 13th in the Third Division and Neal was sacked on 8 May 1992. His successor was Bruce Rioch
Bruce Rioch
Bruce David Rioch is an English-born football manager and former player. He was manager of Aalborg BK in the Danish Superliga, until his sacking on 23 October 2008....
, who guided Bolton to promotion from the newly named Division Two (rebranded as part of a reorganisation prompted by the creation of the FA Premier League
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
) in 1993 and to the top flight in 1995.
Meanwhile, Neal began a memorable if infamous spell as a right-hand man to Graham Taylor
Graham Taylor (football manager)
Graham Taylor OBE is a football pundit, ex-football manager, and a former player. He is best known as the manager of the England national football team, as well as being manager of Watford, a club he took from the Fourth Division to the First in the space of five years, then from bottom of the...
during his spell in charge of the England team. Neal was frequently heard to parrot Taylor on every tactical idea he had, without ever coming up with suggestions of his own. This was captured on camera
Camera
A camera is a device that records and stores images. These images may be still photographs or moving images such as videos or movies. The term camera comes from the camera obscura , an early mechanism for projecting images...
during a notorious fly on the wall documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
,"An Impossible Job", broadcast on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
after Taylor's reign had ended in disappointing failure to qualify for the 1994 World Cup. Neal became a mild source of ridicule as a result, though he continued to work as a coach and manager.
Neal returned to club management on 23 October 1993 with Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
, beginning his spell at Highfield Road
Highfield Road
The Highfield Road Stadium was a football stadium in the city of Coventry, England. It was the home ground for Coventry City F.C. until the club moved to the new Ricoh Arena after the 2005-06 season...
on that day with a 5–1 defeat against QPR that left them 12th in the Premier League. Despite a shaky start to his time as Sky Blues manager, they did well in the second half of the season and finished 11th in the league – their highest finish since coming seventh in 1989. Perhaps the most impressive result that season after Neal's arrival was a 4–0 home win over Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
on 19 February 1994. However, Coventry struggled in 1994–95 despite the £2million arrival of striker Dion Dublin
Dion Dublin
Dion Dublin , is a retired English footballer. He was capped four times for England. Dublin started his career as a centre back with Norwich City, but made his name at Cambridge United as a goal-scoring centre forward. However, in his later years he showed his versatility by becoming an...
from Manchester United on 10 September, and Neal was sacked on 14 February 1995 despite a 2–0 away win over fellow strugglers Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
three days earlier, which saw them 17th in the Premier League and two places above the relegation zone. Neal's successor Ron Atkinson
Ron Atkinson
Ronald Ernest Atkinson, commonly known as "Big Ron" and "Bojangles" is an English former football player and manager. In recent years he has become one of Britain's best-known football pundits...
ensured City's survival.
He was appointed manager of Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
in Division Three in February 1996, but in October that year he left Ninian Park
Ninian Park
Ninian Park was a football stadium in Leckwith, Cardiff, Wales. Until 2009, it was the home ground of Cardiff City F.C., who compete in the English Football League Championship...
to become assistant manager to Steve Coppell
Steve Coppell
Stephen James "Steve" Coppell is an English former footballer and manager, currently without a club.As a player, he was a highly regarded right winger known for his speed and work rate. He won domestic honours with Manchester United and represented England at the World Cup...
at Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
who were struggling in Division One after relegation from the Premier League. However, Coppell resigned on 8 November 1996 and Neal became caretaker manager until the arrival of Frank Clark on 29 December.
For the 1997–98 season, Neal was recruited as assistant manager to chairman-manager Barry Fry
Barry Fry
Barry Francis Fry is an English football manager. A former Manchester United apprentice as a winger, his playing career involved brief spells with Bolton Wanderers, Luton Town and Leyton Orient, before he retired prematurely due to injury.He has managed Dunstable Town, Bedford Town, Maidstone...
at Peterborough United
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
after their relegation to Division Three, but he was axed by Fry on 15 March 1998.
In recent years, Neal has worked as a football pundit for various television and radio organisations. He has also played for and coached the Liverpool masters side which dominated the Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
Masters series.
He has written two autobiographies, being 'Attack From The Back' in 1981 and 'Life At The Kop' in 1986.
Honours
Phil Neal's medal haul makes him the second most successful player in English football history, eclipsed only by Ryan GiggsRyan Giggs
Ryan Joseph Giggs OBE is a Welsh professional footballer who plays for Manchester United. Giggs made his first appearance for the club during the 1990–91 season and has been a regular player since the 1991–92 season...
- League ChampionshipEnglish football championsThe English football champions are the winners of the highest league in English football, which is currently the Premier League. Teams in bold are those who won the double of League Championship and FA Cup, or the European Double of League Championship and European Cup in that season.Following the...
:(8) 1975–76, 1976–77, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1985–86 - UEFA CupUEFA CupThe UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
:(1) 19761976 UEFA Cup FinalThe 1976 UEFA Cup Final was played on April 28, 1976 and May 19, 1976 between Liverpool F.C. of England and Club Brugge K.V. of Belgium. Liverpool won 4-3 on aggregate.-First Leg:-Second Leg:-External links:**... - Charity Shield:(5) 19761976 FA Charity ShieldThe 1976 FA Charity Shield was a football match played between Liverpool, as English First Division Champions in the 1975/76 season, and Southampton, as English FA Cup winners in 1976....
, 19771977 FA Charity ShieldThe 1977 FA Charity Shield was the 55th FA Charity Shield, an annual football match played between the winners of the previous season's First Division and FA Cup competitions. The match was played on 13 August 1977 at Wembley Stadium and contested by Liverpool, who had won the 1976–77 First...
, 1979, 19801980 FA Charity ShieldThe 1980 FA Charity Shield was the 58th FA Charity Shield, an annual football match played between the winners of the previous season's Football League and FA Cup competitions. The match took place on 9 August 1980 at Wembley Stadium and was played between 1979-80 Football League champions...
, 19821982 FA Charity ShieldThe 1982 FA Charity Shield was a football match between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley on Saturday the 21 August 1982.Liverpool, managed by Bob Paisley had won the 1981-82 Football League, and Tottenham, managed by Keith Burkinshaw had won the 1982 FA Cup Final for the second season in... - European CupUEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
:(4) 19771977 European Cup FinalThe 1977 European Cup Final was an association football match between Liverpool of England and Borussia Mönchengladbach of Germany on 25 May 1977 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy. The showpiece event was the final match of the 1976–77 season of Europe's premier cup competition, the European Cup...
, 19781978 European Cup FinalThe 1978 European Cup Final was an association football match between Liverpool of England and Club Brugge of Belgium on 10 May 1978 at Wembley Stadium, London, England. It was the final match of the 1977–78 season of Europe's premier cup competition, the European Cup. Liverpool were the reigning...
, 19811981 European Cup FinalThe 1981 European Cup Final was an association football match between Liverpool of England and Real Madrid of Spain on 27 May 1981 at the Parc des Princes, Paris, France. It was the final match of the 1980–81 season of Europe's premier cup competition, the European Cup. Liverpool were appearing in...
, 19841984 European Cup FinalThe 1984 European Cup Final was an association football match between Liverpool of England and Roma of Italy on 30 May 1984 at the Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy. It was the final match of the 1983–84 season of Europe's premier cup competition, the UEFA Champions League. Liverpool were appearing in... - European Super CupEuropean Super CupThe UEFA Super Cup is an annual football game between the reigning champions of the two cup competitions organized by UEFA: the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League...
:(1) 1977 - Football League CupFootball League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
:(4) 19811981 Football League Cup FinalThe 1981 Football League Cup Final was played on Saturday 14 March 1981 at Wembley Stadium between Liverpool and West Ham United, with both clubs appearing in their second League Cup finals....
, 19821982 Football League Cup FinalThe 1982 Milk Cup Final was an association football match between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur. Liverpool won the match 3–1 after extra time with goals from Ian Rush and Ronnie Whelan . The match took place on 13 March 1982.-Details:...
, 19831983 Football League Cup FinalThe 1983 Milk Cup Final was a football match held on 26 March 1983 between League Cup holders Liverpool and Manchester United, who would go on to win the FA Cup later that year. Liverpool won the match 2-1; Norman Whiteside scored the opener for Manchester United, before Alan Kennedy equalised with...
, 19841984 Football League Cup FinalThe 1984 Milk Cup Final was an association football match between Liverpool and Everton. Liverpool were extremely fortunate to make it to the final of the competition after knocking out a Walsall side from the 4th Division who most neutrals and pundits would agree were the superior team at Anfield...
Honours as manager
- 1987–88 Football League Fourth DivisionFootball League Fourth DivisionThe Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
Promotion (IV) with Bolton WanderersBolton Wanderers F.C.Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001.... - 1988–89 Sherpa Van Trophy with Bolton WanderersBolton Wanderers F.C.Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
External links
- Thisisanfield.com Exclusive interview
- Official past players at Liverpoolfc.tv
- Player profile at LFChistory.net
- Exclusive interview at LFChistory.net
- Phil Neal England Biography part 1 1976–77 at Sporting-heroes.net
- Phil Neal England Biography part 2 1978 – June 82 at Sporting-heroes.net
- Phil Neal England Biography part 3 1982 World Cup-83 at Sporting-heroes.net
- Phil Neal England caps part 1 at Sporting-heroes.net
- Phil Neal England caps part 2 at Sporting-heroes.net
- Phil Neal part 1 1974/75-1977/78 at Sporting-heroes.net
- Phil Neal part 2 1978/79-1982/83 at Sporting-heroes.net
- Phil Neal part 3 1983/84-1985/86 at Sporting-heroes.net