Neil Pointon
Encyclopedia
Neil Geoffrey Pointon, born November 28, 1964 in Church Warsop
, Mansfield
, Nottinghamshire
, England
, is a former professional football (soccer) player. Pointon was a left-back who is perhaps best remembered for playing for Everton
, Manchester City and Oldham Athletic.
Pointon began his career at lower-league Scunthorpe United and quickly established himself as a regular first-teamer and a consistent and reliable performer in defence. In the autumn of 1985, after four years at Scunthorpe, Pointon was bought by the reigning English league champions Everton for £75,000, manager Howard Kendall
hoping Pointon could provide squad cover for regular left-back Pat Van Den Hauwe
. Ultimately Pointon ended up featuring in the majority of Everton's games during the remainder of the 1985/86 season as a result of Van den Hauwe moving to central defence to cover for the injured centre-back Derek Mountfield
. Everton finished that season as runners-up to local rivals Liverpool
in both the league championship and the FA Cup
, though Pointon played no part in the FA Cup final due to Mountfield's return to fitness.
In the following season, Pointon struggled with injury and had to compete with not only Van den Hauwe but also veteran defender Paul Power, signed from Manchester City, for the left-back spot at Goodison. Pointon did however play enough games that year to qualify for a Championship winners medal as Everton won their second title in three years.
Over the next couple of years Pointon was a consistent performer in the Everton defence when called up to the first team, although Kendall's departure to Athletic Bilbao
and the break-up of the Championship winning side saw a decline in the club's fortunes. During 1989/90, Pointon became Everton's first choice left-back following the sale of Van den Hauwe to Tottenham Hotspur
.
In the summer of 1990, Pointon left Everton to rejoin Howard Kendall at his new club Manchester City, with Kendall receiving Pointon and £300,000 in exchange for Andy Hinchcliffe
. Pointon spent two years at City as a first-team regular before moving on to Joe Royle
's Oldham Athletic
, then a top-flight club. Pointon spent three years at Boundary Park
, during which time the club were relegated from the Premiership
.
On 10 April 1994, Pointon put the Latics ahead in the 106th minute (extra time) of the FA Cup
semi final at Wembley Stadium
against Manchester United
, only for Mark Hughes
to equalise one minute before the final whistle and force a replay. The replay at Maine Road
saw the Latics lose 4-1. United went on to win both the Premier League title and FA Cup while, while Pointon and his colleagues had the double misery of an FA Cup exit and Premier League relegation in less than a month.
Pointon joined Scottish Premier Division outfit Heart of Midlothian
in 1995, enjoying a number of seasons up in Scotland before later playing for Walsall
, Chesterfield
and Hednesford Town. He scored for Hednesford against former club Oldham Athletic in an FA Cup tie at Keys Park, soon before being handed the reins as Manager at Hednesford. He lasted as little as 9 games in his first Managerial post before being sacked after not winning a single game. The club later got relegated, but very few fans of the Staffordshire Club actually put the blame with him.
After a spell as player-manager of Retford United he joined Mossley as a player and helped Mossley to win the Worthington Challenge Trophy at Gigg Lane, Bury with a 2-1 win over Clitheroe in his last ever professional game.
He currently works for the Bolton Wanderers Academy team as a coach.
Church Warsop
Church Warsop is a village in Nottinghamshire, England. It is located 1 mile north of Warsop and is within the Warsop civil parish.The parish church of St Peter and St Paul is early Norman....
, Mansfield
Mansfield
Mansfield is a town in Nottinghamshire, England. It is the main town in the Mansfield local government district. Mansfield is a part of the Mansfield Urban Area....
, Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
, 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 professional football (soccer) player. Pointon was a left-back who is perhaps best remembered for playing for 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...
, Manchester City and Oldham Athletic.
Pointon began his career at lower-league Scunthorpe United and quickly established himself as a regular first-teamer and a consistent and reliable performer in defence. In the autumn of 1985, after four years at Scunthorpe, Pointon was bought by the reigning English league champions Everton for £75,000, manager Howard Kendall
Howard Kendall
Howard Kendall is an English football manager and former player. He is most famous for his connection to Everton, a club that he both played for and managed. His uncle Harry Taylor played for Newcastle United and Fulham in the 1950s....
hoping Pointon could provide squad cover for regular left-back Pat Van Den Hauwe
Pat Van Den Hauwe
Patrick William Roger "Pat" Van Den Hauwe is a former professional footballer who made 401 appearances in the Football League playing for Birmingham City, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur and Millwall...
. Ultimately Pointon ended up featuring in the majority of Everton's games during the remainder of the 1985/86 season as a result of Van den Hauwe moving to central defence to cover for the injured centre-back Derek Mountfield
Derek Mountfield
Derek Mountfield is an English former football player, who played as a centre-back.His time at top-flight clubs Everton and subsequently Aston Villa were where he gained most fame, as Everton enjoyed successful periods at this time...
. Everton finished that season as runners-up to local rivals Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
in both the league championship and 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...
, though Pointon played no part in the FA Cup final due to Mountfield's return to fitness.
In the following season, Pointon struggled with injury and had to compete with not only Van den Hauwe but also veteran defender Paul Power, signed from Manchester City, for the left-back spot at Goodison. Pointon did however play enough games that year to qualify for a Championship winners medal as Everton won their second title in three years.
Over the next couple of years Pointon was a consistent performer in the Everton defence when called up to the first team, although Kendall's departure to Athletic Bilbao
Athletic Bilbao
Athletic Club, also known as Athletic Bilbao, is an association football club from Bilbao in Biscay, Spain. The club has played in the Primera División of La Liga since its start in 1928. They have won La Liga on eight occasions...
and the break-up of the Championship winning side saw a decline in the club's fortunes. During 1989/90, Pointon became Everton's first choice left-back following the sale of Van den Hauwe to Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
.
In the summer of 1990, Pointon left Everton to rejoin Howard Kendall at his new club Manchester City, with Kendall receiving Pointon and £300,000 in exchange for Andy Hinchcliffe
Andy Hinchcliffe
Andrew George "Andy" Hinchcliffe is a former English footballer. Formerly of Manchester City, Everton and Sheffield Wednesday, he played as a left sided defender or wing back....
. Pointon spent two years at City as a first-team regular before moving on to Joe Royle
Joe Royle
Joseph "Joe" Royle is an English football manager. In his club career, he played for Everton , Manchester City, Bristol City, Norwich City, and the England national team...
's Oldham Athletic
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
, then a top-flight club. Pointon spent three years at Boundary Park
Boundary Park
Boundary Park is the main sports stadium of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies at the northwestern extremity of Oldham, with the towns of Royton and Chadderton lying immediately north and west respectively, giving rise to the name Boundary Park....
, during which time the club were relegated from the Premiership
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...
.
On 10 April 1994, Pointon put the Latics ahead in the 106th minute (extra time) of 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...
semi final at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
against 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...
, only for Mark Hughes
Mark Hughes
Leslie Mark Hughes, OBE , is a former Welsh international footballer. As an international footballer, he made 72 appearances and scored 16 goals....
to equalise one minute before the final whistle and force a replay. The replay at 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...
saw the Latics lose 4-1. United went on to win both the Premier League title and FA Cup while, while Pointon and his colleagues had the double misery of an FA Cup exit and Premier League relegation in less than a month.
Pointon joined Scottish Premier Division outfit Heart of Midlothian
Heart of Midlothian F.C.
Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...
in 1995, enjoying a number of seasons up in Scotland before later playing for Walsall
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
, Chesterfield
Chesterfield F.C.
Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower...
and Hednesford Town. He scored for Hednesford against former club Oldham Athletic in an FA Cup tie at Keys Park, soon before being handed the reins as Manager at Hednesford. He lasted as little as 9 games in his first Managerial post before being sacked after not winning a single game. The club later got relegated, but very few fans of the Staffordshire Club actually put the blame with him.
After a spell as player-manager of Retford United he joined Mossley as a player and helped Mossley to win the Worthington Challenge Trophy at Gigg Lane, Bury with a 2-1 win over Clitheroe in his last ever professional game.
He currently works for the Bolton Wanderers Academy team as a coach.