Neil Shipperley
Encyclopedia
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.
Shipperley lived in Hillingdon
, Middlesex
and attended Bishopshalt School. He is the son of Dave Shipperley
, who played for many years at centre back for Charlton Athletic
and Gillingham
.
on leaving school in 1991 and was an occasional member of the first team, making his debut in the 1992–93 season
and scoring once in three games that season. He played 24 times and scored four goals for them in 1993–94
, although he was not selected in their squad for the 1994 FA Cup Final, which they lost 4–0 to Manchester United
. He played a further 10 games in 1994–95
, scoring twice, but he was unable to get a regular place in the team due to the presence of Mark Stein, Paul Furlong
and John Spencer
.
He was loaned out to Watford
during the autumn of 1994, and soon after returning to Stamford Bridge
, he was transferred to Southampton
, in January 1995.
He was signed for the Saints by Alan Ball for a record fee of £1.25 million. on 6 January 1995
Shipperley scored four goals in 19 league games for the Saints that season as they finished 10th in the Premier League.
Ball departed to take over at Manchester City during the 1995 close season, but new manager Dave Merrington continued to select Shipperley as a regular player and he missed just one league game in 1995–96
. However, it was a difficult campaign for the Saints, who avoided relegation only on goal difference. Shipperley was their joint top scorer with seven league goals and also helped them reach the FA Cup
quarter finals, where they lost 2–0 to eventual the double
winners Manchester United
. In April 1996, Shipperley was on the scoresheet as the Saints inflicted a surprise 3–1 win over Manchester United.http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=43549
Merrington resigned from the managers post to look after his terminally ill wife and Saints appointed Graeme Souness
, who recruited Norwegian Egil Østenstad
and, after two years at The Dell
, Shipperley left the Premier League
club for Division One promotion chasers Crystal Palace
in October 1996, for a fee of £1 million. Shipperley had already appeared in 10 league games for the Saints that season, but scored just once.
He helped Palace win promotion to the Premier League at the end of the 1996–97 season
, but was unable to save them from going straight back after just one season. Next stop was at newly promoted Nottingham Forest
, who also went down within a year of promotion. At Forest he scored once against future club Wimbledon.
The following season, 1999-00, Shipperley was playing for Barnsley
, scoring 31 goals from 88 appearances in two seasons before moving to Wimbledon
and forming a strong partnership with David Connolly
during 2002–03
, which produced nearly 50 second level goals. When Wimbledon went into administration
, Shipperley chose to remain at Selhurst Park
, transferring back to Crystal Palace
(Wimbledon had been groundsharing with the Eagles), and during the 2003–04
season he captained them to promotion to the top level, scoring in the play-off semi-final home win over Sunderland
, and the winning goal in the final
victory over West Ham United
.
However, Shipperley rarely featured in the subsequent campaign, with England international
Andy Johnson preferred. After Palace were relegated, Shipperley moved to Sheffield United
on a free transfer in July 2005, scoring 11 goals in 39 appearances in his debut season, helping them to promotion to the Premier League. Injuries made it difficult for an individual impact in the top flight season
, and he was one of several United players transfer-listed in December 2006.
On 15 January 2007, his contract with Sheffield United was terminated by mutual consent. He then signed a four-month contract with Brentford
, eight days later. Despite a promising start, Shipperley failed to score in his eleven appearances for Brentford, and on 25 April 2007 announced his retirement from professional football.
cap, earning seven in all.
in the Combined Counties League. In the summer of 2010, Shipperley was appointed manager of Walton Casuals
in the Isthmian League Division One South. After 15 months in the role he quit the club however in October 2011.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
professional footballer, who played as a centre-forward. He is the former manager of Walton Casuals
Walton Casuals F.C.
Walton Casuals F.C. are a football club based in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, England. They were established in 1948 and joined the Combined Counties League in 1995. They were champions of the Combined Counties League in 2004-05. In 2005 they joined the Isthmian League First Division...
of the Isthmian League
Isthmian League
The Isthmian League is a regional football league covering London and South East England featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs. It is sponsored by Ryman, and therefore officially known as the Ryman League. It was founded in 1905 by amateur clubs in the London area...
Division One South.
Shipperley lived in Hillingdon
Hillingdon
Hillingdon is a suburban area within the London Borough of Hillingdon, situated 14.2 miles west of Charing Cross.Much of Hillingdon is represented as the Hillingdon East ward within the local authority, Hillingdon Council...
, Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
and attended Bishopshalt School. He is the son of Dave Shipperley
Dave Shipperley
David John "Dave" Shipperley is an English former professional football player. His clubs included Charlton Athletic, Plymouth Argyle, and Gillingham, where he made over 140 Football League appearances....
, who played for many years at centre back for 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,...
and Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
.
Club career
Shipperley began his career as a trainee at ChelseaChelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
on leaving school in 1991 and was an occasional member of the first team, making his debut in the 1992–93 season
1992-93 in English football
The 1992–1993 season was the 113th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:This season saw the birth of the FA Premier League. This meant a break-up of the 104-year-old Football League that had operated until then with four divisions....
and scoring once in three games that season. He played 24 times and scored four goals for them in 1993–94
1993-94 in English football
The 1993-1994 season was the 114th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:From the start of this season, the FA Premier League would be sponsored by Carling Breweries - an association which would last for eight years...
, although he was not selected in their squad for the 1994 FA Cup Final, which they lost 4–0 to 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...
. He played a further 10 games in 1994–95
1994-95 in English football
-Premiership:Blackburn Rovers ended their 81-year wait for the league title thanks to the strike partnership of Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton which scored a total of more than 50 league goals. Manchester United would have made it three league titles in a row if they had been able to turn a 1-1 draw...
, scoring twice, but he was unable to get a regular place in the team due to the presence of Mark Stein, Paul Furlong
Paul Furlong
Paul Furlong is an English professional footballer, currently playing for St Albans City in a player/coach role.-Career:...
and John Spencer
John Spencer (footballer)
John Spencer is the head coach for Portland Timbers of Major League Soccer. Spencer is a former professional football player, who represented Scotland at international level...
.
He was loaned out to Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
during the autumn of 1994, and soon after returning to Stamford Bridge
Stamford Bridge (stadium)
Stamford Bridge is a football stadium in Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, West London, and is the home of Chelsea Football Club. The stadium is located within the Moore Park Estate also known as Walham Green and is often referred to as simply The Bridge...
, he was transferred 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...
, in January 1995.
He was signed for the Saints by Alan Ball for a record fee of £1.25 million. on 6 January 1995
Shipperley scored four goals in 19 league games for the Saints that season as they finished 10th in the Premier League.
Ball departed to take over at Manchester City during the 1995 close season, but new manager Dave Merrington continued to select Shipperley as a regular player and he missed just one league game in 1995–96
1995-96 in English football
- Premiership :Newcastle United were 12 points clear at the top of Manchester United, but Alex Ferguson's relatively young and inexperienced side overhauled them during the second half of the season to win the title....
. However, it was a difficult campaign for the Saints, who avoided relegation only on goal difference. Shipperley was their joint top scorer with seven league goals and also helped them reach 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...
quarter finals, where they lost 2–0 to eventual the double
The Double
The Double is a term in association football which refers to winning a country's top tier division and its primary cup competition in the same season...
winners 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...
. In April 1996, Shipperley was on the scoresheet as the Saints inflicted a surprise 3–1 win over Manchester United.http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=43549
Merrington resigned from the managers post to look after his terminally ill wife and Saints appointed Graeme Souness
Graeme Souness
Graeme James Souness is a Scottish former professional football player and manager.Souness was the captain of the successful Liverpool team of the early 1980s and player-manager of Rangers in the late 1980s as well as captain of the Scottish national team. He also played for Tottenham Hotspur,...
, who recruited Norwegian Egil Østenstad
Egil Østenstad
Egil Johan Østenstad , nicknamed "Østen", is a Norwegian director of football at Viking, where he is also a former player. His playing career also included spells at Southampton and Blackburn, among others.-Norway:...
and, after two years at The Dell
The Dell (Southampton F.C.)
The Dell in Milton Road, Southampton, England was the home ground of Southampton Football Club, between 1898 and 2001.-New stadium:Since 1896, Southampton had been tenants of Hampshire County Cricket Club at the County Ground, having vacated the Antelope Ground in the summer of 1896...
, Shipperley left the Premier League
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...
club for Division One promotion chasers Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
in October 1996, for a fee of £1 million. Shipperley had already appeared in 10 league games for the Saints that season, but scored just once.
He helped Palace win promotion to the Premier League at the end of the 1996–97 season
1996-97 in English football
The 1996–1997 season was the 117th season of competitive football in England.Arrival into the league and exit out of the league returns in the fourth tier for the first time after its 3 season absence with only 1 relegation spot.- Premier League :...
, but was unable to save them from going straight back after just one season. Next stop was at newly promoted Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
, who also went down within a year of promotion. At Forest he scored once against future club Wimbledon.
The following season, 1999-00, Shipperley was playing for Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
, scoring 31 goals from 88 appearances in two seasons before moving to Wimbledon
Wimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
and forming a strong partnership with David Connolly
David Connolly
David James Connolly is a professional footballer who plays as a striker for Southampton. He has previously played for various clubs including Feyenoord and Excelsior in the Netherlands as well as Wigan Athletic and Sunderland in the Premier League.Although born in England, Connolly has...
during 2002–03
2002-03 in English football
The 2002-03 season was the 123rd season of competitive football in England.-Most Memorable rise:*Wigan Athletic marked their 25th season of Football League membership by winning the Division Two championship and reaching the league's second tier for the very first time.-Most Memorable...
, which produced nearly 50 second level goals. When Wimbledon went into administration
Administration (insolvency)
As a legal concept, administration is a procedure under the insolvency laws of a number of common law jurisdictions. It functions as a rescue mechanism for insolvent entities and allows them to carry on running their business. The process – an alternative to liquidation – is often known as going...
, Shipperley chose to remain at Selhurst Park
Selhurst Park
Selhurst Park is an English football stadium located in the London suburb of South Norwood in the Borough of Croydon. It is the current home ground of Crystal Palace Football Club. Its present capacity is 26,309.-History:...
, transferring back to Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
(Wimbledon had been groundsharing with the Eagles), and during the 2003–04
2003-04 in English football
The 2003-04 season was the 124th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Arsenal completed the entire campaign without losing a single league game....
season he captained them to promotion to the top level, scoring in the play-off semi-final home win over Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
, and the winning goal in the final
2004 Football League First Division play-off Final
The 2004 Football League First Division play-off Final was contested by Crystal Palace and West Ham United at The Millennium Stadium, Cardiff. Crystal Palace won 1–0, with a goal from Neil Shipperley.-Match details:...
victory over West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
.
However, Shipperley rarely featured in the subsequent campaign, with England international
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
Andy Johnson preferred. After Palace were relegated, Shipperley moved to 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 a free transfer in July 2005, scoring 11 goals in 39 appearances in his debut season, helping them to promotion to the Premier League. Injuries made it difficult for an individual impact in the top flight season
FA Premier League 2006-07
The 2006–07 FA Premier League was the fifteenth season of the FA Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The season started on 19 August 2006 and concluded on 13 May 2007....
, and he was one of several United players transfer-listed in December 2006.
On 15 January 2007, his contract with Sheffield United was terminated by mutual consent. He then signed a four-month contract with Brentford
Brentford F.C.
Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
, eight days later. Despite a promising start, Shipperley failed to score in his eleven appearances for Brentford, and on 25 April 2007 announced his retirement from professional football.
International career
During his time with Southampton Shipperley won his first England under-21England national under-21 football team
England's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....
cap, earning seven in all.
Management
On 20 May 2009, it was announced that Shipperley had become manager of BedfontBedfont F.C.
Bedfont Football Club is a defunct football club which was based in East Bedfont, Greater London, England.-History:The club was established in 1900 and joined the Combined Counties League in 1987, where they played until they folded in 2010. They have reached the Third Round of the FA Vase twice in...
in the Combined Counties League. In the summer of 2010, Shipperley was appointed manager of Walton Casuals
Walton Casuals F.C.
Walton Casuals F.C. are a football club based in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, England. They were established in 1948 and joined the Combined Counties League in 1995. They were champions of the Combined Counties League in 2004-05. In 2005 they joined the Isthmian League First Division...
in the Isthmian League Division One South. After 15 months in the role he quit the club however in October 2011.