Neil Smillie

Neil Smillie (born Barnsley, 19 July 1958) 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.

Playing career

The son of former Barnsley 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.^[7]

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.

Managerial career

In 1993, new Gillingham manager Mike Flanagan made Smillie his first signing, appointing him as player-coach. After Flanagan was dismissed as manager by the receivers while Gillingham were in administration in 1995, Smillie was appointed manager for the remainder of the season.^[7]

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.^[7]

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