Neil Smillie
Encyclopedia
Neil Smillie 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
.
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
. In 1982 he was sold to Brighton & Hove Albion
. During his time with the south coast 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.
In 1985 Smillie moved to Watford
for a fee of £100,000 but his spell at Vicarage Road
was an unsuccessful one, with only 16 first-team appearances in three years, and in 1988 he moved on to Reading
. A year later he was on the move again to Brentford
, where he was a first-team regular for five years, notching up over 170 appearances.
manager Mike Flanagan
made Smillie his first signing, appointing him as player-coach and, after Flanagan was dismissed as manager by the receivers whilst Gillingham were in administration in 1995, Smillie was appointed manager for the remainder of the season.
When new owners took over Gillingham in the summer of 1995, Smillie moved on to Wycombe Wanderers
, where he served as youth team coach. He had a brief spell as caretaker manager in 1996, and later gained the job on a permanent basis in 1998. His stint in charge was a short one, however, as he was sacked the following year.
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 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
1983 FA Cup Final
The 1983 FA Cup Final was contested by Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion at Wembley Stadium.Manchester United were the favourites, as Brighton had been relegated from the First Division that season...
for Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
.
Playing career
The son of former BarnsleyBarnsley 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...
and Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
player Ron Smillie, Neil Smillie began his career with 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...
, where he spent seven years, during which he had a spell on loan at 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....
and also spent two summers playing for Memphis Rogues
Memphis Rogues
The Memphis Rogues were a professional soccer team in the former North American Soccer League. They operated in the 1978, 1979, and 1980 seasons and played their home games in Memphis' Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium.-History:...
in the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
. In 1982 he was sold to Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
. During his time with the south coast club he played in the 1983 FA Cup Final
1983 FA Cup Final
The 1983 FA Cup Final was contested by Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion at Wembley Stadium.Manchester United were the favourites, as Brighton had been relegated from the First Division that season...
, in which Brighton held 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...
to a 2–2 draw before losing in a replay.
In 1985 Smillie moved 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...
for a fee of £100,000 but his spell at Vicarage Road
Vicarage Road
Vicarage Road, a stadium in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, is the home of the football club Watford and their tenants, the Saracens rugby union club. An all-seater stadium, its current capacity is 17,477.-History:...
was an unsuccessful one, with only 16 first-team appearances in three years, and in 1988 he moved on to Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
. A year later he was on the move again to 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....
, where he was a first-team regular for five years, notching up over 170 appearances.
Managerial career
In 1993 new GillinghamGillingham 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...
manager Mike Flanagan
Mike Flanagan (footballer)
Michael "Mike" Flanagan is an English former professional footballer and manager. He most recently worked as assistant manager of Margate, a post he left in July 2007....
made Smillie his first signing, appointing him as player-coach and, after Flanagan was dismissed as manager by the receivers whilst Gillingham were in administration in 1995, Smillie was appointed manager for the remainder of the season.
When new owners took over Gillingham in the summer of 1995, Smillie moved on to Wycombe Wanderers
Wycombe Wanderers F.C.
Wycombe Wanderers Football Club is an English professional football team from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, which has been promoted to Football League One after finishing third in Football League Two in the season 2010–11. The club's nicknames are "The Chairboys" and "The Blues", and they play...
, where he served as youth team coach. He had a brief spell as caretaker manager in 1996, and later gained the job on a permanent basis in 1998. His stint in charge was a short one, however, as he was sacked the following year.