.jpg) Neil in 2025 as manager ofMillwall | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alexander Francis Neil[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1981-06-09)9 June 1981 (age 44)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Airdrie, Scotland | ||
| Position | Defensive midfielder[1] | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Millwall (head coach) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –1999 | Dunfermline Athletic | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1999–2000 | Airdrieonians | 16 | (5) |
| 2000–2004 | Barnsley | 121 | (6) |
| 2004–2005 | Mansfield Town | 41 | (1) |
| 2005–2015 | Hamilton Academical | 211 | (4) |
| Total | 389 | (14) | |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2013–2015 | Hamilton Academical | ||
| 2015–2017 | Norwich City | ||
| 2017–2021 | Preston North End | ||
| 2022 | Sunderland | ||
| 2022–2023 | Stoke City | ||
| 2024– | Millwall | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Alexander Francis Neil (born 9 June 1981)[2] is a Scottish professionalfootball manager and formerplayer who played as amidfielder. He is currently head coach ofEFL Championship clubMillwall.
Neil began his professional career atAirdrieonians in 2000, playing half a season in theScottish Football League First Division before moving toBarnsley. He played 142 games across all competitions in his four-year spell at Barnsley, and then signed forMansfield Town on a free transfer. After a season at Mansfield, he returned to Scotland's First Division withHamilton Academical, featuring in 246 matches across a decade and winning promotion to theScottish Premier League in 2008.
He became Hamilton'splayer-manager in 2013 and led them to promotion to theScottish Premiership in 2014. In January 2015 he was appointed manager ofNorwich City, as the second youngest manager inthe Football League at the time. Neil guided Norwich to promotion to thePremier League, by winning the2015 Football League Championship play-off final. Norwich suffered relegation the following season, and in March 2017, Neil was sacked. He was appointed Preston North End's manager on 4 July 2017 and led the team to seventh place in the 2017–18 Championship. On 11 February 2022 Neil was appointed manager ofSunderland. They were promoted fromLeague One to theChampionship, winning 2–0 in theplay-off final. He left later that year to become the manager ofStoke City.
Born inAirdrie, North Lanarkshire,[1] Neil began his career atDunfermline Athletic, before joiningAirdrieonians on afree transfer in the summer of 1999.[3] He made his professional debut in theScottish Football League First Division on 3 January 2000, as a 64th-minutesubstitute forSteve McCormick in a 2–0 home loss toFalkirk. Five days later, on his first start, he scored in the eighth minute of a 3–1 loss atSt Mirren. He finished his first season with 5 goals from 16 appearances, with the other four scored in three consecutive games in April, including two in a 3–0 home win overGreenock Morton on the 8th.[4]
After his first professional season, Neil was recommended toBarnsley by his next-door neighbourPeter Hetherston, a friend of their managerDave Bassett.[5][6] He made his debut for the Tykes in theFootball League First Division on 26 August 2000, replacingLee Jones for the final ten minutes of a 4–1 home win overWest Bromwich Albion. He made 32 league appearances in his first season atOakwell, and was sent off on 28 April 2001 in a 1–0 home loss toBolton Wanderers.[7]
On 15 September 2001, Neil scored his first goal in English football, concluding a 2–0 home win overCrewe Alexandra.[8] He netted again on 8 November in a 2–2 draw atPreston North End,[9] in a campaign which ended in relegation. Neil spent the following two seasons in the Second Division, scoring the decisive goals in 3–2 wins atRushden & Diamonds andStockport County on 10 April and 8 May 2004.[10][11]
On 20 July 2004, Neil joinedMansfield Town on a free transfer.[12] He made 41 appearances for them inLeague Twothat season, and scored his first goal on 23 November in the first round of theFA Cup, a consolation in a 4–1 loss toColchester United atLayer Road.[13] His only league goal for the Stags came on 5 March 2005, opening a 1–1 draw againstShrewsbury Town atField Mill.[14]
On 28 May 2005, having been told that he was surplus to the requirements of Mansfield managerCarlton Palmer, Neil returned to the Scottish First Division, signing a two-year deal atHamilton Academical.[15] He made his Accies debut on 13 August, as they began the season with a 0–1 loss toSt Johnstone atNew Douglas Park. Seventeen days later, he scored his first goal for his new team in the second round of theScottish Challenge Cup, netting the only goal away toRoss County when he headed inBrian Carrigan's cross just before half time.[16] On 22 October, he got his first league goal for them, in the first minute of the second half of a 3–0 home win againstBrechin City.[17] Neil played the entirety of the2005 Scottish Challenge Cup Final on 6 November, a 2–1 loss to St Mirren at theExcelsior Stadium inAirdrie.[18] The Accies also reached the quarter-finals of theScottish Cup, with Neil scoring a penalty kick in the fourth round replay atAlloa Athletic, a 3–0 win.[19]
Neil played 30 league games in2007–08, as Hamilton won the division and promotion to theScottish Premier League.[20] He scored once that season, opening a 4–0 home win overStirling Albion on 15 September 2007 with a 40-yard free kick.[21]
On 6 May 2011, Neil signed a new three-year contract.[22]
After managerBilly Reid vacated his managerial position at Hamilton in April 2013, Neil (who had already been involved in coaching theclub's youth teams)[23][24] was appointedplayer-manager on an interim basis. He was made manager on a permanent basis on 24 May 2013, at the age of 31.[25] Assisted byFrankie McAvoy, Neil led the club to promotion back to the top flight in his first full season, winning through the play-off system in May 2014.[26] Hamilton then enjoyed a good start to the2014–15 Scottish Premiership, defeatingCeltic away for the first time in 76 years.[26][24]
In January 2015, Neil obtained permission from Hamilton to speak to Norwich City about their managerial vacancy.[26] On 9 January, he was confirmed as their new manager at 33 years old, the second youngest inthe Football League after Mansfield'sAdam Murray.[27] The following day in his first game, he managed his team to a 2–1 victory at Championship leadersAFC Bournemouth.[28] Norwich gained 17 wins from 25 games played under Neil in the 2014–15 season.[29][30] They finished third in theChampionship and entered the play-offs, where in the semi-finals they beatEast Anglia derby rivalsIpswich Town 4–2 on aggregate over two legs.[31] On 25 May, Neil led Norwich to a 2–0 victory overMiddlesbrough in the2015 Football League Championship play-off final, as goalscorers Cameron Jerome and Nathan Redmond secured promotion to the2015–16 Premier League.[29] During the 2015 close season, Neil signed a new contract with Norwich City.[32]
Norwich were relegated after a single season in the Premier League. Neil had his contract terminated in March 2017, with the Canaries 8th in the Championship table.[33] They had won seven of their last 24 games inThe Championship and were nine points outside the top six play-off places.[34] Neil admitted to regret over summer recruitment, which led to his sacking in March.[35]
On 4 July 2017, Neil was appointed as manager ofChampionship clubPreston North End, replacingSimon Grayson, who left the club to take over as manager ofSunderland.[36]
On 21 March 2021, Neil left Preston North End by mutual consent with the club 16th in the Championship table.[37]
On 11 February 2022, Neil was appointed as the new manager ofSunderland, on a 12-month rolling contract.[38] On 21 May 2022, Neil guided Sunderland to promotion back to the Championship after a four-year absence after they beatWycombe Wanderers 2–0 in front of almost 50,000 Sunderland fans at Wembley in the2022 EFL League One play-off final.[39]
On 28 August 2022, Neil was appointed as the new manager ofStoke City, after the dismissal ofMichael O'Neill.[40] His first game in charge ended in a 1–1 draw againstSwansea City.[41] Stoke ended the2022–23 season in 16th place.[42] On 10 December 2023, Neil was sacked following a 1–0 loss toSheffield Wednesday. Stoke were 20th in the table at the time of his departure.[43]
On 30 December 2024, Neil was appointed head coach of Championship sideMillwall on a long-term contract.[44] He lost his first game in charge as Millwall were defeated 1–0 byOxford United.[45] In May 2025, he signed a new contract with the club.[46]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Airdrieonians | 1999–2000[47] | Scottish First Division | 16 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 16 | 5 | |
| Barnsley | 2000–01[48] | First Division | 32 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 34 | 0 | |
| 2001–02[49] | First Division | 25 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 29 | 2 | ||
| 2002–03[50] | Second Division | 33 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 35 | 0 | |
| 2003–04[51] | Second Division | 31 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 2 | |
| Total | 121 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 132 | 4 | ||
| Mansfield Town | 2004–05[52] | League Two | 41 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 2 |
| Hamilton Academical | 2005–06[53] | Scottish First Division | 33 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4[b] | 1 | 44 | 4 |
| 2006–07[54] | Scottish First Division | 28 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 0 | |
| 2007–08[55] | Scottish First Division | 30 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 1 | |
| 2008–09[56] | Scottish Premier League | 33 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 0 | |
| 2009–10[57] | Scottish Premier League | 22 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 0 | |
| 2010–11[58] | Scottish Premier League | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2011–12[59] | Scottish First Division | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 18 | 0 | |
| 2012–13[60] | Scottish First Division | 21 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 1 | |
| 2013–14[61] | Scottish Championship | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | 14 | 0 | |
| 2014–15[62] | Scottish Premiership | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
| Total | 211 | 4 | 16 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 246 | 6 | ||
| Career total | 389 | 14 | 23 | 2 | 18 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 437 | 17 | ||
| Team | From | To | Record | Ref. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | ||||
| Hamilton Academical | 3 April 2013 | 9 January 2015 | 77 | 42 | 16 | 19 | 054.55 | [63][64][65] |
| Norwich City | 9 January 2015 | 10 March 2017 | 108 | 45 | 23 | 40 | 041.67 | [65] |
| Preston North End | 4 July 2017 | 21 March 2021 | 191 | 72 | 48 | 71 | 037.70 | [65] |
| Sunderland | 11 February 2022 | 28 August 2022 | 24 | 12 | 9 | 3 | 050.00 | [65] |
| Stoke City | 28 August 2022 | 10 December 2023 | 66 | 22 | 13 | 31 | 033.33 | [65] |
| Millwall | 30 December 2024 | Present | 45 | 22 | 9 | 14 | 048.89 | [65] |
| Total | 510 | 214 | 118 | 178 | 041.96 | |||
Hamilton Academical
Hamilton Academical
Norwich City
Sunderland
Individual
