SW Imps XI Left Back – *HAVE YOUR VOTE*

March 27, 2018 Gary From the archives, Lincoln City, Opinion, Players, Stacey West XI 5

Phil Neale

Phil Neale was relatively unique in that he played for City as well as captaining Worcestershire in cricket. Whilst at Worcestershire he saw success in the County Championship in 1988 and 1989. Neale was a right-handed middle order batsman and was a fixture in Worcestershire side for the 15 seasons; scoring 1,000 runs in a season eight times and exceeding 900 in five others, and captaining the side for many years. His sole representative appearance was for England A against Pakistan when they toured England. In all matches, he scored more than 17,000 runs at an average of almost 36.5 runs per innings.

He emerged in the early 1970s at Lincoln United, before progressing to Graham Taylor’s reserve side in 1974/75. He became a part of Taylor’s winning squad in 1976,  and remained a regular right through until 1984/85, his testimonial year. That meant 327 outings, just eight more from the bench. He scored 22 times in his Imps career, including a bizarre seven in ten games in 1981/82. He remained at the club throughout those wonderful early 1980s seasons with Colin Murphy, partly thanks to Murphy’s willingness to let him mix cricket and football.

Whilst at Lincoln he was a dedicated an energetic full back who epitomised hard work and endeavour.

5 Comments

  1. Without a doubt Geoff Smith, would have played higher than the old league 2 but I believe was happy to stay part time with City whilst running his own chicken farm near Sheffield.

  2. George Peden, if only for his penalty taking, could not half hit a ball.
    Mind you he was one tough full back.

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