Dick Neal, Jr.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Richard Marshall Neal | ||
| Date of birth | 1 October 1933 | ||
| Place of birth | Dinnington, England | ||
| Date of death | 21 February 2013 (aged 79) | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||
| Playing position | Wing half | ||
| Youth career | |||
| – | Dinnington Miners Welfare | ||
| 1948–1949 | Wath Wanderers | ||
| 1949–1951 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1951–1954 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 0 | (0) |
| 1954–1957 | Lincoln City | 115 | (11) |
| 1957–1961 | Birmingham City | 165 | (15) |
| 1961–1963 | Middlesbrough | 33 | (4) |
| 1963–1964 | Lincoln City | 41 | (4) |
| 1964–1965 | Rugby Town | ||
| 1965–1967 | Hednesford Town | ||
| 1967–1968 | Brierley Hill Alliance | ||
| 1968–1969 | Blakenall | ||
| National team | |||
| 1956–1957 | England U23 | 4 | (0) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1965–1967 | Hednesford Town (player-manager) | ||
| 1967–1968 | Brierley Hill Alliance (player-manager) | ||
| 1968–1969 | Blakenall (player-manager) | ||
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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Richard Marshall Neal (1 October 1933 – 21 February 2013) was an English professional footballer who played as a wing half. He made over 350 appearances in the Football League, played for Birmingham City in the 1960 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup Final, and won four caps for the England under-23 team.
Neal was born in Dinnington, which was then in the West Riding of Yorkshire. He came through Wolverhampton Wanderers' nursery club, Wath Wanderers, and then joined the junior ranks at the club, turning professional in 1951, but failed to break through to the first team. In 1954, he moved to Second Division club Lincoln City, where he played more than 100 league games. While at Lincoln he was first capped for England under-23, and remains the only player to be capped by England above youth level while at the club. Financial difficulties caused in part by falling attendances forced Lincoln to accept the substantial offer of £15,000 plus player Bert Linnecor from First Division club Birmingham City, and in April 1957 Neal moved on.
He was a powerful player, both strong in the tackle and capable of positive attacking play; manager Arthur Turner brought him in as a replacement for Len Boyd, who had retired through injury after the 1956 FA Cup Final, and Roy Warhurst, soon to leave the club. He made nearly 200 appearances in all competitions for Birmingham, including 165 top flight League games, played for them in the 1960 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup Final, and captained the side in 1960–61.
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