Neil MacFarlane (footballer)

Neil MacFarlane
Neil MacFarlane outside Palmerston Park, Dumfries
Personal information
Full name Neil MacFarlane
Date of birth (1977-10-10) 10 October 1977
Place of birth Dunoon, Scotland
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Playing position Central defensive midfielder
Youth career
–1999 Glasgow Amateurs U21
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2000 Queen's Park 36 (0)
2000–2001 Kilmarnock 0 (0)
2000–2001 → Queen's Park (loan) 8 (0)
2001 → Clyde (loan) 7 (0)
2001–2002 Airdrieonians 28 (3)
2002–2006 Heart of Midlothian 73 (0)
2006 Aberdeen 6 (0)
2006–2007 Gretna 5 (0)
2007–2009 Queen of the South 61 (1)
2009–2010 Greenock Morton 16 (0)
2010–2011 Annan Athletic 9 (1)
Total 249 (5)
Teams managed
2012–2013 Falkirk (assistant manager)
2013–2015 Coventry City (assistant manager)
2015 Coventry City (caretaker)
2015–2016 Fleetwood Town (assistant manager)
2016– Milton Keynes Dons (first-team coach)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 15 February 2013

Neil MacFarlane (born 10 October 1977 in Dunoon) is a Scottish professional football player and coach. MacFarlane played mainly as a central defensive midfielder for several Scottish clubs, including Heart of Midlothian, Aberdeen and Queen of the South. As a coach he has worked for Falkirk, Coventry City, Fleetwood Town and Milton Keynes Dons. On the 25th of May 2018 he was appointed manager of Kidderminster Harriers.

Career

Playing career

MacFarlane began his senior career in 1999 with Queen's Park before moving to Kilmarnock in 2000. Failing to play in any first-team match for Killie, MacFarlane spent most of his solitary season at Rugby Park on loan back at Queen's Park and then another at Clyde. Following his release in 2001, MacFarlane joined Airdrieonians, where he played nearly thirty league matches before a knee injury ended his season prematurely. Despite being injured, MacFarlane joined Hearts in July 2002, with manager Craig Levein signing the player on a part-time deal due to his injury problems.[1] MacFarlane made his debut at the end of November [2] and was awarded a new, full-time deal two months later.[3]

On transfer deadline day in August 2005, MacFarlane was on the verge of joining fellow SPL side Dundee United when the Hearts board cancelled the transfer, despite the player having already travelled to Tannadice to agree personal terms and undertake a medical.[4] Instead, MacFarlane was allowed to leave in the following window in January, where he secured a short-term move to Aberdeen.[5] After starting only two matches for the Dons, MacFarlane was told in late April he could leave at the end of the season[6] and he subsequently joined Gretna a month later.[7] After injuries restricted him to just eight appearances in his first season at Raydale Park, MacFarlane was released halfway through his two-year contract,[8] leaving him free to join Queen of the South in June 2007.[9]

McFarlane was a mainstay of the Queens run to the 2008 Scottish Cup Final, beating Aberdeen 4–3 in the semi-final.[10] As the underdogs in the final, Queens put up an excellent display, only losing by the odd goal in five to Rangers. MacFarlane, a lifelong Rangers supporter, described it as the biggest match of his career and typically gave a committed and hard working performance.

In June 2009, MacFarlane signed for Greenock Morton, under freedom of contract.[11] MacFarlane was released by Morton on 31 August 2010.[12] After his release, MacFarlanr played in a trial match for Airdrie United but failed to earn a contract at New Broomfield.[13] On 19 November 2010, MacFarlane joined Annan Athletic.[14]

Managerial career

In August 2011, he was appointed first team coach at Falkirk, where he remained until March 2013, when he moved with Steven Pressley to become assistant manager at Football League One club Coventry City.[15] Following the departure of Steven Pressley in February 2015, MacFarlane took over as caretaker manager alongside Dave Hockaday at Coventry City.

In October 2015, MacFarlane was appointed assistant manager to Steven Pressley at Fleetwood Town but departed the club along with Pressley in July 2016.

On 12 December 2016, Milton Keynes Dons announced MacFarlane had joined the club as first-team coach, joining recently appointed manager Robbie Neilson at the club, with whom MacFarlane had previously played alongside at Hearts.[16] MacFarlane left MK Dons in January 2018.[17]

Honours

Queen's Park
Queen of the South

See also

References

  1. ↑ "MacFarlane hobbles to Hearts". BBC Sport. 4 July 2002. Retrieved 16 May 2008.
  2. ↑ "Hearts go for Oueifio". BBC Sport. 23 November 2002. Retrieved 16 May 2008.
  3. ↑ "MacFarlane wins Hearts deal". BBC Sport. 10 January 2003. Retrieved 16 May 2008.
  4. ↑ "Hearts board halt MacFarlane move". BBC Sport. 1 September 2005. Retrieved 16 May 2008.
  5. ↑ "MacFarlane completes Dons switch". BBC Sport. 26 January 2006. Retrieved 16 May 2008.
  6. ↑ "Aberdeen duo free to leave club". BBC Sport. 26 April 2006. Retrieved 16 May 2008.
  7. ↑ "Gretna grab MacFarlane and McGill". BBC Sport. 25 May 2006. Retrieved 16 May 2008.
  8. ↑ "Gretna cut short MacFarlane stay". BBC Sport. 14 May 2007. Retrieved 16 May 2008.
  9. ↑ "MacFarlane joins up at Palmerston". BBC Sport. 8 June 2007. Retrieved 16 May 2008.
  10. ↑ "Club History - The Davie Rae years - 2003 onwards". qosfc.com. Archived from the original on 13 September 2009. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  11. ↑ "Neil MacFarlane signs". gmfc.net. 4 June 2009. Archived from the original on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 4 June 2009.
  12. ↑ "Neil MacFarlane". Greenock Morton FC. 31 August 2010. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 31 August 2010.
  13. ↑ "MacFarlane leaves Airdrie". Scottish Football League. 9 November 2010. Archived from the original on 10 September 2012. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
  14. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 4 October 2011. Retrieved 13 November 2011.
  15. ↑ "Greenock Morton v Falkirk squad news and preview: Moore waits on MacDonald". STV. Retrieved 9 March 2013.
  16. ↑ "MacFarlane added to backroom staff". Milton Keynes Dons FC. 12 December 2016. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  17. ↑ "Robbie Neilson: Milton Keynes Dons manager leaves club by 'mutual consent'". BBC Sport. BBC. 20 January 2018. Retrieved 21 January 2018.

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