Neil Woods
Encyclopedia
Neil Stephen Woods is a former English footballer who played as a striker
and former manager of Grimsby Town
where he also played between 1990 and 1998. He now works as the Head of Youth at Football League One
side Walsall
. He also appeared as a professional for Doncaster Rovers
, Rangers
, Ipswich Town
, Bradford City
, Wigan Athletic
, Scunthorpe United
, Mansfield Town
, York City
, Southport
and Gainsborough Trinity
.
, he signed for Rangers
on 22 December 1986 for a fee of £120,000. After making only three substitute appearances he signed for Ipswich Town
on 3 August 1987 for £120,000, he then spent three seasons there before being able to sign for Bradford City
on a free transfer. On 23 August 1990 he signed for Grimsby Town
for £82,000 where he had a successful eight-year stay and where he would later become the youth team coach. Also whilst at Grimsby Town
he was loaned out to Wigan Athletic
, Scunthorpe United
, Mansfield Town
for short spells. He later had short spells with York City
and Southport
before ending his career with Gainsborough Trinity
.
, after Paul Wilkinson
left the position in order to move to Cardiff City
. A number of players have made the first team grade after promotion from Neil's youth side. Danny North
and Peter Bore
are two products of the Grimsby youth side who have enjoyed lengthy spells in the first team, while striker Cameron Jerome
spent time under Woods before moving on to other clubs. He was appointed as caretaker manager
at Grimsby on 18 October 2009 following the sacking of manager Mike Newell
. Despite failing to win a single game whilst in caretaker charge, chairman John Fenty
appointed him as full time manager of Grimsby Town on 23 November 2009 in somewhat controversial circumstances after the club had snubbed the application of former manager Russell Slade
. Despite making numerous changes to the squad and the club's training regime, Woods failed to lead the team to victory in his first 22 games in charge, resulting in a record 25 game win-less streak for the club. His first win came on Saturday 6 March 2010, with a 3-0 victory over Shrewsbury, his first victory as first team manager.
Just when all hope of Football League survival seemed lost for Grimsby, he took his side to already relegated Darlington on 24 April 2010, where their survival hopes were given a massive and perhaps surprising boost by a 2-0 victory for themselves and a defeat for Barnet, while Cheltenham Town (the other relegation threatened team) were held to a goalless draw. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/8620845.stm The following week saw 22nd placed Barnet travel to Blundell Park, which saw Grimsby take the relegation scrap to the final day of the season after a 2-0 win. However a final-day 0-3 defeat at Burton Albion
saw Grimsby fall into the Conference National
.
Despite the club recently defeating rivals Mansfield Town
7-2 followed by a 6-1 win over Histon
. Woods was relieved of his duties on 23 February 2011 following a 1–1 home draw with relegation strugglers Forest Green Rovers
. The Mariners were 9th in the league, with assistant manager Dave Moore
taking over as caretaker manager.
On 1 March 2011 it was announced that Woods could be returning to Grimsby in some capacity or another, this previously happened when Grimsby sacked former manager Graham Rodger
in 2006 but instantly employed him again as a community coach. Both Woods and Rodger had been long serving servants to the club as both players and coaches.
side Walsall
.
was also a footballer, while his nephew Michael Woods
played for Chelsea
before being released in 2011.
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
and former manager of Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
where he also played between 1990 and 1998. He now works as the Head of Youth at Football League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
side 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...
. He also appeared as a professional for Doncaster Rovers
Doncaster Rovers F.C.
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
, Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
, Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
, Bradford City
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
, Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
, Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
, Mansfield Town
Mansfield Town F.C.
Mansfield Town Football Club is an English football club from the former mining town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The club was formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans and changed its name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 before settling on Mansfield Town in 1910...
, York City
York City F.C.
York City Football Club is an English football club based in York, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football. Founded in 1922, they joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions...
, Southport
Southport F.C.
Southport Football Club are an English football club, based in Southport, Merseyside. They are currently in the Conference National, and play their home matches at Haig Avenue, which has a capacity of 6,008...
and Gainsborough Trinity
Gainsborough Trinity F.C.
Gainsborough Trinity Football Club are an English football club based in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire.Between 1896 and 1912 they were members of the Football League. They are currently in the Conference North, and play their home matches at The Northolme, which has a capacity of 4,304...
.
Playing career
Having started his career with Doncaster RoversDoncaster Rovers F.C.
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
, he signed for Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
on 22 December 1986 for a fee of £120,000. After making only three substitute appearances he signed for Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
on 3 August 1987 for £120,000, he then spent three seasons there before being able to sign for Bradford City
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
on a free transfer. On 23 August 1990 he signed for Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
for £82,000 where he had a successful eight-year stay and where he would later become the youth team coach. Also whilst at Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
he was loaned out to Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
, Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
, Mansfield Town
Mansfield Town F.C.
Mansfield Town Football Club is an English football club from the former mining town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The club was formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans and changed its name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 before settling on Mansfield Town in 1910...
for short spells. He later had short spells with York City
York City F.C.
York City Football Club is an English football club based in York, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football. Founded in 1922, they joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions...
and Southport
Southport F.C.
Southport Football Club are an English football club, based in Southport, Merseyside. They are currently in the Conference National, and play their home matches at Haig Avenue, which has a capacity of 6,008...
before ending his career with Gainsborough Trinity
Gainsborough Trinity F.C.
Gainsborough Trinity Football Club are an English football club based in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire.Between 1896 and 1912 they were members of the Football League. They are currently in the Conference North, and play their home matches at The Northolme, which has a capacity of 4,304...
.
Grimsby Town
In 2003 Woods was appointed Youth Team manager at Grimsby TownGrimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
, after Paul Wilkinson
Paul Wilkinson (footballer)
Paul Wilkinson is a retired English football striker currently working as the reserve team manager for Cardiff City.-Career:He started his career with Grimsby Town before moving to Everton in March 1985...
left the position in order to move to Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
. A number of players have made the first team grade after promotion from Neil's youth side. Danny North
Danny North
Daniel Jamie "Danny" North is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for Irish club Sligo Rovers.North started his professional career with home town club Grimsby Town in 2004...
and Peter Bore
Peter Bore
Peter Charles Bore is an English footballer who can play as a right back, a winger and a striker for Conference North side Harrogate Town.He has previously played for Grimsby Town and York City.-Grimsby Town:...
are two products of the Grimsby youth side who have enjoyed lengthy spells in the first team, while striker Cameron Jerome
Cameron Jerome
Cameron Zishan Rana-Jerome is an English footballer who plays for Stoke City as a striker. He also played for Cardiff City in the Football League, and for Birmingham City in the Football League and Premier League, and at international level has several caps for the England under-21 team.-Early...
spent time under Woods before moving on to other clubs. He was appointed as caretaker manager
Caretaker manager
In association football, a caretaker manager is someone who takes temporary charge of the management of a football club, usually when the regular manager is dismissed or leaves for a different club. However, a caretaker may also be appointed if the regular manager is ill or unable to attend to his...
at Grimsby on 18 October 2009 following the sacking of manager Mike Newell
Mike Newell (footballer)
Michael Colin "Mike" Newell is an English football manager and former professional footballer. As a player he notably was a member of the Blackburn Rovers team which won the Premier League in 1995, as well also playing for Crewe Alexandra, Wigan Athletic, Luton Town, Leicester City, Everton,...
. Despite failing to win a single game whilst in caretaker charge, chairman John Fenty
John Fenty
John Shelton Fenty born is a Conservative councillor for the Humberston and New Waltham ward of North East Lincolnshire Council.-Business:...
appointed him as full time manager of Grimsby Town on 23 November 2009 in somewhat controversial circumstances after the club had snubbed the application of former manager Russell Slade
Russell Slade
Russell Slade is an English football manager currently in charge of League One side Leyton Orient.-Notts County:Slade was assistant manager to Mick Walker at Notts County, and took over as caretaker manager when Walker was sacked in September 1994. When County appointed Howard Kendall as manager...
. Despite making numerous changes to the squad and the club's training regime, Woods failed to lead the team to victory in his first 22 games in charge, resulting in a record 25 game win-less streak for the club. His first win came on Saturday 6 March 2010, with a 3-0 victory over Shrewsbury, his first victory as first team manager.
Just when all hope of Football League survival seemed lost for Grimsby, he took his side to already relegated Darlington on 24 April 2010, where their survival hopes were given a massive and perhaps surprising boost by a 2-0 victory for themselves and a defeat for Barnet, while Cheltenham Town (the other relegation threatened team) were held to a goalless draw. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/8620845.stm The following week saw 22nd placed Barnet travel to Blundell Park, which saw Grimsby take the relegation scrap to the final day of the season after a 2-0 win. However a final-day 0-3 defeat at Burton Albion
Burton Albion F.C.
Burton Albion Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire. The club's home ground is the Pirelli Stadium, having moved from Eton Park in 2005...
saw Grimsby fall into the Conference National
Conference National
Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
.
Despite the club recently defeating rivals Mansfield Town
Mansfield Town F.C.
Mansfield Town Football Club is an English football club from the former mining town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The club was formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans and changed its name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 before settling on Mansfield Town in 1910...
7-2 followed by a 6-1 win over Histon
Histon F.C.
Histon Football Club is an English football club based in the twin villages of Histon and Impington, approximately north of Cambridge, Cambridgeshire. From the 2007–08 season they competed in the Conference National, the highest level that the club has ever reached in the English football league...
. Woods was relieved of his duties on 23 February 2011 following a 1–1 home draw with relegation strugglers Forest Green Rovers
Forest Green Rovers F.C.
Forest Green Rovers Football Club is an English football club based in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, currently the longest-serving members of the Conference National. The club is affiliated to the Gloucestershire County FA.-Early years:...
. The Mariners were 9th in the league, with assistant manager Dave Moore
David Moore (footballer)
David "Dave" Moore is an English former professional footballer, football manager and physiotherapist. He is currently the Head Physio of Grimsby Town....
taking over as caretaker manager.
On 1 March 2011 it was announced that Woods could be returning to Grimsby in some capacity or another, this previously happened when Grimsby sacked former manager Graham Rodger
Graham Rodger
Graham Rodger is a Scottish born English former professional footballer and football manager. He played as a defender from 1984 until 1998 for Wolverhampton Wanderers, Coventry City and Luton Town before finishing his career with a six year stint at Grimsby Town, where he retired in 1998 following...
in 2006 but instantly employed him again as a community coach. Both Woods and Rodger had been long serving servants to the club as both players and coaches.
Walsall
On 24 June 2011 Woods was appointed Head of Youth at Football League OneFootball League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
side 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...
.
Personal life
His father Alan WoodsAlan Woods (footballer)
Alan Edward Woods is an English former footballer.His son Neil Woods and grandson Michael Woods are also active in football.-External links:*...
was also a footballer, while his nephew Michael Woods
Michael Woods (footballer)
Michael James Woods is an English professional footballer who last played for Chelsea F.C. as a midfielder.-Club career:...
played for Chelsea
Chelsea 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...
before being released in 2011.
Honours
Grimsby Town- Second DivisionFootball League Second DivisionFrom 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
play-off winner: 1997–98 - Football League TrophyFootball League TrophyThe Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
winner: 1997–98