Andrew James Feeley (born 30 September 1961) is an English retired professional footballer who played in the Football League for Leicester City, Brentford, Bury and Hereford United as a right back. He later became manager of North West Counties League club Ramsbottom United and also worked as scout.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Andrew James Feeley[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1961-09-30) 30 September 1961 (age 60)[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Hereford, England[2] | ||
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[3] | ||
| Position(s) | Right back, midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 0000–1979 | Hereford United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1978–1980 | Hereford United | 50 | (3) |
| 1980 | → Chelsea (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 1980 | Moorfields | ||
| 1980–1984 | Trowbridge Town | 85 | (12) |
| 1984–1987 | Leicester City | 76 | (0) |
| 1987–1989 | Brentford | 67 | (0) |
| 1989–1991 | Bury | 57 | (3) |
| 1991 | Northwich Victoria | 13 | (1) |
| 1991–1996 | Atherton Laburnum Rovers | 57 | (2) |
| Highfield United | |||
| Seedfield Sports | |||
| Teams managed | |||
| 2008–2009 | Ramsbottom United | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
A right back, Feeley joined hometown club Hereford United as an apprentice and made his first team debut in a Fourth Division match versus Bournemouth on 14 October 1978, at the age of just 17 years and 14 days.[4] He became a regular pick throughout the rest of the 1978–79 season, making 25 appearances and even captaining the club, the youngest player ever to do so.[4][5] After signing a professional contract,[6] he was again a first team regular during the 1979–80 season, making 29 appearances and scoring three goals.[4] He departed Edgar Street in 1980, after making 53 appearances and scoring three goals.[4]
Feeley had a short loan spell at Second Division club Chelsea, but failed to make an appearance.[5]
For a time after leaving Hereford United, Feeley played for Herefordshire Sunday League Second Division club Moorfields.[5]
Feeley signed for Southern League Midland Division club Trowbridge Town in 1980.[7] He enjoyed a good season with the club, which finished third and was the only club from the division to win promotion to the Alliance Premier League.[8] Feeley averaged 28 games per season in the Alliance Premier League for struggling Trowbridge, before departing Frome Road in January 1984.[9] He made 85 appearances and scored 12 goals during his time with the club in the Alliance Premier League.[10]
In a surprise move, Feeley signed for First Division club Leicester City in January 1984.[9] He had to wait until 10 March to make his debut, which came with a baptism of fire against Manchester United at Old Trafford.[9] Feeley started in the 2–0 defeat and was brought off for Tommy English.[11] He made two further appearances during what remained of the 1983–84 season.[9] He established himself in the first team in the 1984–85 season, making 41 appearances and winning the Supporters Club's Player of the Year award.[9][12] Knee injuries reduced his appearance-count over the next two seasons and he departed the club in June 1987,[6] after refusing a new contract.[9] Feeley made 86 appearances during 3+1⁄2 years at Filbert Street.[9]
Feeley dropped down to the Third Division to sign on trial for Brentford in August 1987 and he subsequently signed a permanent contract.[6][2] Though never fully fit during his two years at Griffin Park,[6] he managed 88 appearances and was a member of the team which reached the quarter finals of the FA Cup during the 1988–89 season,[13] going out 4–0 to eventual winners Liverpool.[1]
Feeley joined Third Division club Bury in July 1989.[2] He made 57 league appearances and scored three goals in two seasons with the Shakers.[5] While later working in the club's youth system in 2002, Feeley turned out for a Bury Veterans XI in a benefit match against their Bolton Wanderers counterparts.[14]
Feeley dropped back into non-League football in 1991 to sign for Conference club Northwich Victoria.[5] He made 13 appearances and scored one goal during his spell.[10]
Feeley joined North West Counties League First Division club Atherton Laburnum Rovers in 1991.[15] He celebrated promotion to the Northern Premier League First Division as champions at the end of the 1993–94 season and remained with the club until 1996.[16][17]
Feeley had a spell with Manchester League Premier Division club Highfield United in 1996.[18]
Feeley joined Bolton Combination club Seedfield Sports during the 1996 off-season.[19] He scored with a 30-yard strike to send the club through to the last 16 of the Lancashire Amateur Shield.[20]
While with Seedfield Sports, Feeley served as the club's assistant manager.[19]
In the late 1990s, Feeley returned to former club Bury, working in the commercial and community areas.[21][22] He later returned to the football club, serving as Director of Youth, overseeing the club's Centre of Excellence and managing the club's youth and reserve teams.[23] He oversaw the development of future international players David Nugent and Colin Kazim-Richards.[24] He coached the U19 team to the semi-finals of the 1999–00 Youth Alliance Cup, losing 2–0 to Scunthorpe United to be denied a chance of a place in the final at Wembley Stadium.[25] For a time Feeley served as first team coach, before being replaced by Billy Ayre in December 2000.[26] While Ayre was receiving treatment for cancer in July 2001, Feeley again stepped into the role.[27]
Feeley was appointed manager of North West Counties League Premier Division club Ramsbottom United in June 2008.[28] Despite having to virtually rebuild the playing squad from scratch, he led the Rams to the top of the table early in the 2008–09 season.[29] Feeley departed the club in February 2009.[30][31]
After leaving professional football, Feeley was employed as a psychiatric nurse at Prestwich Hospital.[9] In August 2009, he received a 22-month jail sentence for committing Grievous Bodily Harm.[32]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Hereford United | 1978–79[4] | Fourth Division | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 25 | 0 | |
| 1979–80[4] | 25 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 29 | 3 | |||
| Total | 50 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 54 | 3 | |||
| Leicester City | 1983–84[9] | First Division | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 | ||
| 1984–85[9] | 35 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 41 | 0 | |||
| 1985–86[9] | 26 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 29 | 0 | |||
| 1986–87[9] | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 13 | 0 | |||
| Total | 76 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 86 | 0 | |||
| Brentford | 1987–88[13] | Third Division | 34 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 39 | 0 |
| 1988–89[13] | 33 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 49 | 0 | ||
| Total | 67 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 88 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 193 | 3 | 17 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 228 | 3 | ||
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