Neil Heaney
Encyclopedia
Neil Heaney is an English
former footballer
who played as a winger for a number of British
clubs.
before being signed by London
club Arsenal
on schoolboy forms in January 1987. He was part of the side that won the FA Youth Cup
in 1987-88
and turned professional in 1989. After spells on loan at Hartlepool United
and Cambridge United
, he made his Arsenal début as a substitute against Sheffield United
on 18 April 1992. A winger with considerable pace, he was on the fringes of the Arsenal first team over the next two seasons, before being suddenly sold by George Graham
to Southampton
for £300,000 in March 1994. He made nine senior appearances for Arsenal in total, failing to score.
He became Alan Ball's third signing for the Saints (just before the transfer deadline) and scored his first goal against Newcastle United
on 22 March 1995. Saints had failed to win a game since before Christmas and had dropped into 20th place, just above the relegation zone. Heaney came on as a substitute with Saints 1-0 down, and with four minutes left he prodded home a loose ball after a save by Pavel Srníček
from Gordon Watson
's header. Watson and Neil Shipperley
completed the scoring to see Saints run out unlikely 3-1 winners. Saints then managed to climb up the table to finish in 10th place. According to Holley & Chalk, Heaney "had the ability and pace to turn matches, but could frustrate with a tendency to run up blind alleys."
Heaney made 61 league appearances for Southampton in two and a half seasons (scoring five goals), before being sold for £500,000 to Frank Clark's Manchester City
in November 1996. Heaney went on to start only sixteen matches during his two-and-a-half years with City, having a loan period at Charlton Athletic
in 1997-98
, being part of the side that won promotion to the Premier League, playing in their dramatic win over Sunderland in the play off final, winning 7-6 on penalties after a 4-4 draw. He eventually left Maine Road
in August 1999, dropping down a couple of divisions to join Darlington
, before seeing out his career with spells at Dundee United
and Plymouth Argyle
. He retired in December 2002 due to injury.
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...
former footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who played as a winger for a number of British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
clubs.
Career
Heaney started out playing on his native TeessideTeesside
Teesside is the name given to the conurbation in the north east of England made up of the towns of Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Redcar, Billingham and surrounding settlements near the River Tees. It was also the name of a local government district between 1968 and 1974—the County Borough of...
before being signed by London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
club Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
on schoolboy forms in January 1987. He was part of the side that won the FA Youth Cup
FA Youth Cup
The Football Association Youth Challenge Cup is an English football competition run by The Football Association for under–18 sides. Only those players between the age of 15 and 18 on 31 August of the current season are eligible to take part...
in 1987-88
1987-88 in English football
The 1987–88 season was the 120th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Liverpool won the league title with a comfortable nine-point margin and just two defeats all season....
and turned professional in 1989. After spells on loan at Hartlepool United
Hartlepool United F.C.
Hartlepool United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Hartlepool that currently play in League One. The team won promotion to League One in the 2006–07 season...
and 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...
, he made his Arsenal début as a substitute against Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
on 18 April 1992. A winger with considerable pace, he was on the fringes of the Arsenal first team over the next two seasons, before being suddenly sold by George Graham
George Graham (footballer)
George Graham is a Scottish former football player and manager. He is best remembered for his success at Arsenal, as a player in the 1970s and then as manager from 1986 until 1995.-Early life:...
to Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
for £300,000 in March 1994. He made nine senior appearances for Arsenal in total, failing to score.
He became Alan Ball's third signing for the Saints (just before the transfer deadline) and scored his first goal against Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
on 22 March 1995. Saints had failed to win a game since before Christmas and had dropped into 20th place, just above the relegation zone. Heaney came on as a substitute with Saints 1-0 down, and with four minutes left he prodded home a loose ball after a save by Pavel Srníček
Pavel Srnícek
Pavel Srníček is a Czech former football goalkeeper.-Career:Srníček was originally signed by Newcastle in December 1990 on loan from Banik Ostrava by manager Jim Smith, who left within months to be succeeded by Ossie Ardiles - by this time his transfer had been made permanent, and he was soon...
from Gordon Watson
Gordon Watson
Gordon William George Watson is a retired English football player whose career was almost ended when he suffered a double fracture in the right leg in a tackle with Huddersfield Town defender Kevin Gray on 1 February 1997....
's header. Watson and Neil Shipperley
Neil Shipperley
Neil Jason Shipperley is a retired English professional footballer, who played as a centre-forward. He is the former manager of Walton Casuals of the Isthmian League Division One South....
completed the scoring to see Saints run out unlikely 3-1 winners. Saints then managed to climb up the table to finish in 10th place. According to Holley & Chalk, Heaney "had the ability and pace to turn matches, but could frustrate with a tendency to run up blind alleys."
Heaney made 61 league appearances for Southampton in two and a half seasons (scoring five goals), before being sold for £500,000 to Frank Clark's 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...
in November 1996. Heaney went on to start only sixteen matches during his two-and-a-half years with City, having a loan period at Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
in 1997-98
1997-98 in English football
The 1997-1998 season was the 118th season of competitive football in England.-Premier League:Arsenal overhauled Manchester United's lead during the final weeks of the season to win the Premiership title...
, being part of the side that won promotion to the Premier League, playing in their dramatic win over Sunderland in the play off final, winning 7-6 on penalties after a 4-4 draw. He eventually left Maine Road
Maine Road
Maine Road was a football stadium in Moss Side, Manchester, England that was home to Manchester City F.C. from its construction in 1923 until 2003...
in August 1999, dropping down a couple of divisions to join Darlington
Darlington F.C.
Darlington Football Club is a professional association football club based in Darlington, County Durham, currently playing in the Conference National. The club was founded in 1883, and originally played its games at Feethams, before moving to the Darlington Arena in 2003...
, before seeing out his career with spells at Dundee United
Dundee United F.C.
Dundee United Football Club is a Scottish professional football club located in the city of Dundee. Formed in 1909, originally as Dundee Hibernian, the club changed to the present name in 1923...
and Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
. He retired in December 2002 due to injury.