Martin McNeil
Encyclopedia
Martin McNeil is a Scottish
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...

 former professional footballer. He played in the football league for Cambridge United
Cambridge United F.C.
Cambridge United Football Club is a professional football club from Cambridge, England. They are currently playing the 2011-2012 season in the Conference National, the fifth tier of the English league system, where they have competed since 2005 following their relegation from the Football League...

 and Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...

. He currently plays for Lowestoft Town
Lowestoft Town F.C.
Lowestoft Town F.C. is an English football club based in Lowestoft, Suffolk. The club are currently members of the Isthmian League Premier Division and play at Crown Meadow.-History:...

.

McNeil began his career as a trainee with Cambridge United
Cambridge United F.C.
Cambridge United Football Club is a professional football club from Cambridge, England. They are currently playing the 2011-2012 season in the Conference National, the fifth tier of the English league system, where they have competed since 2005 following their relegation from the Football League...

, turning professional in August 1998. He made his league debut for Roy McFarland
Roy McFarland
Roy Leslie McFarland is an English football manager who was also a player, notably at Derby County where he played 434 league games helping him to earn 28 caps for England.-Playing career:...

's side on 24 October 1998, playing in a goalless draw at home to Shrewsbury Town
Shrewsbury Town F.C.
Shrewsbury Town Football Club is an English Association football club based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, who play in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club was formed in 1886 and has played in all the bottom three divisions in various guises since being elected into the Football...

. He played in the same team as Alex Russell
Alex Russell
Alexander John Russell is an English professional footballer currently plays for Conference National side Bath City. He plays as a central midfielder...

 as Cambridge won promotion, but fell out of favour during the 2000-01 season and was allowed to join McFarland's new side, Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...

 on trial, playing in the 2-0 away win over Newton Abbot on 25 July 2001. He joined Torquay on loan on 9 August 2001, which enabled him to be registered in time to play in the opening game of the season, a 1-0 defeat away to newly relegated Bristol Rovers
Bristol Rovers F.C.
Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....

, later signing a two year contract. He played the early part of the season with an injury to his pubis bone, similar to that which had kept teammate Chris Brandon out the previous season, eventually succombing to the need to rest it.

On 4 January 2002, McNeil was sacked by Torquay having been seen drinking alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....

 in public houses in Torquay
Torquay
Torquay is a town in the unitary authority area of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. It lies south of Exeter along the A380 on the north of Torbay, north-east of Plymouth and adjoins the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay. Torquay’s population of 63,998 during the...

 on New Year's Eve. Teammate Christian Hansen
Christian Hansen
Christian Marius Hansen was a Danish gymnast who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics and in the 1912 Summer Olympics.He was part of the Danish team, which finished fourth in the gymnastics team event in 1908....

, who's loan was terminated at the same time, admitted that he and McNeil had been drinking and had returned to Hansen's hotel at 2.30 am, just over 12 hours before the start of a league game.

In early February 2002, McNeil signed for King's Lynn
King's Lynn F.C.
King's Lynn F.C. was an English football club based in King's Lynn, Norfolk. Established in 1879, they were wound up at the High Court on 25 November 2009 with debts of £77,000 and went out of business in December after a failed appeal...

. He agreed to join Cambridge City
Cambridge City F.C.
Cambridge City Football Club is an English football club currently playing in the Southern League Premier Division.-History:The club was founded in 1908 Cambridge Town F.C., as Cambridge had not been granted city status at that point, and were committed to amateur sport...

 on non-contract terms in August 2002, although only days later the offer was withdrawn by City manager Dave Batch.

In July 2003 he left Fakenham Town
Fakenham Town F.C.
Fakenham Town F.C. is an English football club based in Fakenham, Norfolk. The club are currently members of Eastern Counties League Division One and play at Clipbush Park.The club is affiliated to the Norfolk County FA.-History:...

 to join Wroxham
Wroxham F.C.
Wroxham Football Club is an English football club based in Wroxham, Norfolk. The club are currently members of the Eastern Counties League Premier Division and play at Trafford Park.The club is affiliated to the Norfolk County FA.-History:...

.

He returned to King's Lynn in the 2005 close season, eventually leaving in January 2006 when he joined Wisbech Town
Wisbech Town F.C.
Wisbech Town F.C. is an English football club currently based in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire. The club are currently members of the Eastern Counties League Premier Division and play at the Fenland Stadium.-History:...

. He was voted 'player of the year' at Wisbech in 2006 and 2007.

He joined Soham Town Rangers
Soham Town Rangers F.C.
Soham Town Rangers F.C. is an English football club based in Soham, Cambridgeshire. The club are currently members of Division One North of the Isthmian League and play at Julius Martin Lane.-History:...

 in the 2007 close season, but left in January 2009 to join Lowestoft Town
Lowestoft Town F.C.
Lowestoft Town F.C. is an English football club based in Lowestoft, Suffolk. The club are currently members of the Isthmian League Premier Division and play at Crown Meadow.-History:...

. He then moved back to King's Lynn Town
King's Lynn Town F.C.
King's Lynn Town F.C. is an English football club based in King's Lynn, Norfolk. They were founded after the winding-up of their predecessor, King's Lynn and are currently members of the United Counties League Premier Division...

 in summer 2010.

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