Colin O'Neill
Colin O'Neill (born 14 June 1963) is a Northern Irish former football Midfielder, who played for Ards, Larne, Ballymena, Portadown and Motherwell.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 14 June 1963 | ||
| Place of birth | Belfast, Northern Ireland | ||
| Playing position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1979–1983 | Ards | 0 | (0) |
| 1983–1984 | Larne | 0 | (0) |
| 1984–1987 | Ballymena United | 0 | (0) |
| 1987–1988 | Portadown | 21 | (0) |
| 1988–1992 | Motherwell | 64 | (4) |
| 1997–1998 | Ards | 9 | (0) |
| National team | |||
| 1986 | Irish League XI | 1 | (0) |
| 1989–1991 | Northern Ireland | 3 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only | |||
O'Neill played in Motherwell's 1991 Scottish Cup Final winning side. He was one of the youngest players to feature in any Irish league team at just 16 when he made his debut. He remains a cult hero at Motherwell for his heart on his sleeve attitude and his nickname Psycho for his no nonsense trait. Colin retired early due to numerous knee injuries. Many major surgeries but was unable to get on over them resulting in ending the game at just 31. His two sons Nathan and Kristopher played the game but were held back by the belief that they would follow in their fathers footsteps and therefore many teams did not want to make the commitment.
It is believed that Kristopher the older son was considered better than Colin, especially when compared to ability at the ages of each player when people compared the two. He also decided to retire in 2014 at the age of 27. His son Nathan plays in the amateur league in Northern Ireland. [1]
References
- "Davie Cooper's final chance to shine in Motherwell's 1991 Scottish Cup triumph". STV Sport. 20 May 2011. Retrieved 27 January 2015.