Neil Smillie (born Barnsley, 19 July 1958) is an English former professional football player and manager. He played for a number of clubs, with the high point of his career being an appearance in the 1983 FA Cup Final for Brighton & Hove Albion.
Personal information | |||
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Full name | Neil Smillie[1] | ||
Date of birth | (1958-07-19) 19 July 1958 (age 63) | ||
Place of birth | Barnsley, England | ||
Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
Youth career | |||
1974–1975 | Crystal Palace | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1975–1982 | Crystal Palace[2] | 83 | (7) |
1977 | → Brentford (loan)[3] | 3 | (0) |
1978 | → Memphis Rogues (loan) | 28 | (2) |
1979 | → Memphis Rogues (loan) | 20 | (5) |
1982–1985 | Brighton & Hove Albion[4] | 75 | (2) |
1985–1988 | Watford[5] | 16 | (3) |
1986–1988 | Reading[6] | 39 | (0) |
1988–1993 | Brentford[3] | 172 | (18) |
1993–1995 | Gillingham[7] | 53 | (3) |
Teams managed | |||
1995 | Gillingham | ||
1996 | Wycombe Wanderers | ||
1998–1999 | Wycombe Wanderers | ||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
The son of the former Barnsley and Lincoln City player Ron Smillie, Neil Smillie began his career with Crystal Palace, where he spent seven years, during which he had a spell on loan at Brentford and also spent two summers playing for Memphis Rogues in the North American Soccer League.[8] In 1982, he was sold to Brighton & Hove Albion. During his time with that club, he played in the 1983 FA Cup Final, in which Brighton held Manchester United to a 2–2 draw before losing in a replay.[9]
In 1985, Smillie moved to Watford for a fee of £100,000 but his spell at Vicarage Road was unsuccessful, with only 16 first-team appearances in three years. In 1988, he moved on to Reading. A year later, he moved again to Brentford, where he was a first-team regular for five years with over 170 appearances.[10]
In 1993, the new Gillingham manager Mike Flanagan made Smillie his first signing, appointing him as player-coach.[10] Gillingham went into administration in 1995 and the receivers dismissed Flanagan as manager, appointing Smillie as manager for the remainder of the season.[9]
When new owners took over Gillingham in summer 1995, Smillie moved to Wycombe Wanderers, where he served as youth team coach.[10] He had a brief spell as caretaker manager in 1996 and, in 1998, gained the job on a permanent basis.[10] He was sacked the following year.[9]
As of July 2010, Smillie was working as Sports Marketing Manager for Nike UK and headed the company's talent ID scheme.[10]
Gillingham F.C. – managers | |
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Wycombe Wanderers F.C. – managers | |
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