Neil Redfearn

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Neil Redfearn
Personal information
Full nameNeil David Redfearn
Date of birth (1965-06-20) 20 June 1965
Place of birthDewsbury, England
Height5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[1]
Playing positionMidfielder
Club information
Current clubLeeds United (First Team Coach/Development Squad Manager)
Youth career
0001981–1982Nottingham Forest
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1982–1984Bolton Wanderers35(1)
1984–1986Lincoln City100(13)
1986–1987Doncaster Rovers46(14)
1987–1989Crystal Palace57(10)
1989–1990Watford24(3)
1990–1991Oldham Athletic62(16)
1991–1998Barnsley292(72)
1998–1999Charlton Athletic30(3)
1999–2000Bradford City17(1)
2000–2001Wigan Athletic22(7)
2001–2002Halifax Town42(6)
2002–2004Boston United54(12)
2004Rochdale9(0)
2004–2006Scarborough61(18)
2006–2007Bradford Park Avenue?(?)
2007Stocksbridge Park Steels?(?)
2007Frickley Athletic?(?)
2007–2008Bridlington Town?(?)
2008Emley?(?)
2008Salford City?(?)
Total851(176)
Teams managed
2001Halifax Town (caretaker)
2002Halifax Town (caretaker)
2005–2006Scarborough
2007Northwich Victoria
2008York City (caretaker)
2010–Leeds United (coach)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Neil David Redfearn (born 20 June 1965) is an English former footballer and manager who is currently First Team Coach at Leeds United combining his role also as Reserve Team/Development Squad Manager.

Redfearn played 790 matches in the Football League, the fifth highest total of all-time, and more than a thousand first team games overall in a career that has spanned 24 years. He has had spells as caretaker manager of Halifax Town and York City and as manager of Scarborough and Northwich Victoria.

Playing career

Born in Dewsbury, West Riding of Yorkshire, Redfearn began his career at Bolton Wanderers in 1982, having previously been on the books of Nottingham Forest's youth team. He later made his name as goalscoring midfielder at lower-division sides Lincoln City and Doncaster Rovers. In May 1985 he was to witness a nightmare when 56 spectators were killed in a horrendous stand fire while playing for Lincoln against Bradford City. In 1987, he was signed by Crystal Palace for £100,000, and he later played for Watford, before moving again in 1989 to Oldham Athletic.

Redfearn's last season with Oldham constituted a career highlight as he was an ever-present in the team that won the Second Division title and returned the Latics to the top-flight of English football after a gap of 68 years. Redfearn converted the injury time penalty kick in the final game of the season against Sheffield Wednesday that completed a 3–2 victory (after Oldham had trailed 2–0), and snatched the championship from West Ham United, who had prematurely been handed the trophy some 15 minutes earlier. Despite his contribution to Oldham's promotion, he became surplus to requirements with the re-signing of former club captain Mike Milligan from Everton in the off-season and Redfearn was transferred without playing for Oldham in the top flight.

In September 1991, Redfearn joined Barnsley, and it was at this club he arguably spent his prime years. In his seven seasons at Oakwell, he hardly missed a single game, and was named club captain and penalty taker. In the 1996–97 season, Redfearn scored 17 goals as Barnsley won promotion to the FA Premier League for the first time in the club's history. Redfearn missed only one game, and was Barnsley's top scorer with ten league goals in the 1997–98 season. These included Barnsley's first ever top division goal on the opening day of the season, when he put them ahead in the ninth minute at home to West Ham United, although they ended up losing the game 2–1.[2]

It was not enough to save them though, as Barnsley were relegated that season. However, despite being in his thirties, Redfearn's performances had made him a wanted man in the Premier League, and he was signed by Charlton Athletic for £1 million in the summer of 1998. He left Barnsley having played 338 first team games, scoring 84 goals.

In the 1998–99 season, his family did not settle in London, and at the end of the season, Redfearn jumped at the chance of returning to his native Yorkshire, when Bradford City paid £250,000 for his services. Redfearn did not make much impact at Bradford, scoring just once against Leicester City,[3] and joined his 10th team, Wigan Athletic after just nine months in Bradford. Despite a very good goalscoring record, Redfearn never became first-choice at Wigan either, and he dropped down two divisions to join Halifax Town in 2001.

Late playing career and managerial career

At Halifax, he also got his first taste of management, being appointed caretaker manager alongside Tony Parks following the resignaton of Paul Bracewell on 30 August.[4] His spell as caretaker manager came to an end on 12 October following the appointment of Alan Little.[5] Redfearn started a second spell in caretaker charge on 4 March 2002 due to the enforced absence of Little.[6] However, his contract with the club was terminated on 25 April and having been snubbed for the permanent manager's job he joined Boston United as player-coach.[7][8]

Redfearn spent the better part of two years at Boston, before finishing his Football League career at Rochdale in the spring of 2004.[9] Rochdale did not offer him a new contract at the end of the season,[10] meaning he finished his Football League career with 790 appearances and so being fifth in the all-time list of most Football League appearances.[11] His last league appearance for Rochdale took his total to . after which Redfearn dropped down to the Conference, where he became player-coach at Scarborough, managed at the time by his former Oldham teammate Nick Henry. He signed a new contract with Scarborough in April 2005.[12] When Henry was sacked on 24 October Redfearn was named caretaker manager,[13] before being appointed permanently on 1 November while remaining registered as a player.[14][15] Redfearn resigned on 6 July 2006 after Mark Patterson was brought in as assistant manager.[16] He subsequently signed with Northern Premier League First Division side Bradford Park Avenue later that month.[17] He made his 1,000th competitive appearance on 4 November 2006, when Bradford Park Avenue faced Solihull Borough in the second qualifying round of the FA Trophy.[18]

Redfearn quit Bradford Park Avenue in March 2007, joining Northern Premier League First Division rivals Stocksbridge Park Steels,[19] but left on 19 June to become manager of Conference side Northwich Victoria.[20] He resigned on 17 September 2007, after the club only managed one point from their first nine games, leaving them bottom of the Conference National.[21]

He joined Northern Premier League Premier Division club Frickley Athletic as a player in September 2007.[22] He left the club over a month later to join Bridlington Town on 5 November.[23] He left them in January 2008 after the departure of manager Ash Berry.[24] He was appointed as York City's youth team coach in February.[25] He joined Emley in July, where he would play when his commitments with York's youth team allowed.[26] Redfearn moved onto Salford City of the Northern Premier League Division One North in October 2008.[27] He took over as caretaker manager at York on 21 November 2008, following Colin Walker's sacking and was in charge for the team's 2–2 draw against Crawley Town.[28][29] Following Martin Foyle's appointment as manager on 24 November, Redfearn took up the position of assistant manager at the club.[30]

Redfearn left York over a month later after being appointed coach of the under-18 academy team at Leeds United on 30 December and he assumed this role on 1 January 2009.[31][32] He took over as manager of the Leeds reserve team in December 2010 following the sacking of Neil Thompson.[33] He was appointed caretaker manager at Leeds following the sacking of manager Simon Grayson on 1 February 2012.[34] On 4 February he won his first match in charge by beating Bristol City 3–0. It was later confirmed by club chairman Ken Bates that Redfearn would retain the managerial post for the following three games.[35] After two wins and two defeats in his four game spell as manager, Redfearn was replaced as manager by Neil Warnock as permanent manager on 18 February.[36] In April 2012, Redfearn guided Leeds' Under 18's side to a 2nd place finish in the Under 18's League, narrowly missing out on top spot to Newcastle's Under 18's team.

On 1 April following the departure of Neil Warnock,[37] Redfearn again took charge of the first team for the game at for the 1–0 defeat against Charlton Athletic on 6 April 2013.[38]

In April 2013 manager Brian McDermott announced that Redfearn would become the new First Team Coach as well as combining his role as Reserve Team/Development Squad manager.[39]

Personal life

Redfearn's father Brian is a former footballer.[1] He was married in his hometown Dewsbury in June 1985.[40]

Managerial statistics

As of 19 April 2013.
Team Nation From To Record Ref
G W D L Win %
Halifax Town (caretaker)  England 30 August 2001 12 October 2001 8 2 3 3 25.0 [41]
Halifax Town (caretaker)  England 4 March 2002 25 April 2002 11 3 1 7 27.3 [41]
Scarborough  England 24 October 2005 6 July 2006 29 5 7 17 17.2 [42]
Northwich Victoria  England 19 June 2007 17 September 2007 9 0 1 8 0.0 [43]
York City (caretaker)  England 21 November 2008 24 November 2008 1 0 1 0 0.0 [41]
Leeds United (caretaker)  England 1 February 2012 20 February 2012 4 2 0 2 50.00 [41]
Leeds United (caretaker)  England 2 April 2013 12 April 2013 1 0 0 1 0.0 [41]
Total 6212133719.35

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Profiles". Halifax Town A.F.C. Retrieved 25 December 2010. 
  2. "Bantams out fox Leicester". BBC Sport. 23 October 1999. Retrieved 26 February 2010. 
  3. "Bracewell quits as Halifax boss". BBC Sport. 30 August 2001. Retrieved 25 December 2010. 
  4. "Halifax appoint Little". BBC Sport. 12 October 2001. Retrieved 25 December 2010. 
  5. "Halifax look to Redfearn". BBC Sport. 4 March 2002. Retrieved 25 December 2010. 
  6. "Halifax in squad clear-out". BBC Sport. 25 April 2002. Retrieved 25 December 2010. 
  7. "Redfearn signs for Boston". BBC Sport. 29 July 2002. Retrieved 25 December 2010. 
  8. "Dale seal Redfearn deal". BBC Sport. 19 March 2004. Retrieved 25 December 2010. 
  9. "Eight to leave Rochdale". BBC Sport. 10 May 2004. Retrieved 25 December 2010. 
  10. "Coaching staff". Leeds United A.F.C. 30 July 2008. Retrieved 25 December 2010. 
  11. "Redfearn commits – Henry next?". Non-League Daily. 1 April 2005. Retrieved 25 December 2010. 
  12. "Scarborough boss Henry departs". BBC Sport. 24 October 2005. Retrieved 25 December 2010. 
  13. "Boro appoint Redfearn". Non-League Daily. 1 November 2005. Retrieved 25 December 2010. 
  14. "Redfearn wants to carry on playing". Non-League Daily. 28 October 2005. Retrieved 25 December 2010. 
  15. "Redfearn quits Boro". Non-League Daily. 6 July 2006. Retrieved 25 December 2010. 
  16. "Park Avenue seal Redfearn deal". Non-League Daily. 29 July 2006. Retrieved 25 December 2010. 
  17. May, John (3 November 2006). "Redfearn's millennium roam". BBC Sport. Retrieved 25 December 2010. 
  18. "Redfearn makes Steels switch". Non-League Daily. 12 March 2007. Retrieved 25 December 2010. 
  19. "Vics appoint Redfearn as new boss". BBC Sport. 19 June 2007. Retrieved 25 December 2010. 
  20. "Northwich boss Redfearn resigns". BBC Sport. 17 September 2007. Retrieved 25 December 2010. 
  21. Simpson, Andrew (22 September 2007). "Redfearn dusts down his boots". Northwich Guardian. Retrieved 25 December 2010. 
  22. "Redfearn Joins Unibond Side". Halifax Town A.F.C. 5 November 2007. Retrieved 5 February 2008. 
  23. "Ainsworth Goes Up in World". Halifax Town A.F.C. 5 January 2008. Retrieved 3 March 2008. 
  24. "Redfearn lands City role". The Press (York). 5 February 2008. Retrieved 25 December 2010. 
  25. Booth, Mel (22 July 2008). "Redfearn signs for Emley in big coup". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. Retrieved 25 July 2008. 
  26. "Berry wastes no time". Non-League Daily. 27 October 2008. Retrieved 1 November 2008. 
  27. "Manager Walker leaves York City". BBC Sport. 21 November 2008. Retrieved 21 November 2008. 
  28. "York 2–2 Crawley". BBC Sport. 23 November 2008. Retrieved 23 November 2008. 
  29. "Neil Redfearn appointed York City assistant manager". The Press. 24 November 2008. Retrieved 25 December 2010. 
  30. "Porter named as assistant at York". BBC Sport. 30 December 2008. Retrieved 30 December 2008. 
  31. "Leeds appoint Redfearn to academy". BBC Sport. 31 December 2008. Retrieved 25 December 2010. 
  32. "Leeds United aim to name new youth boss soon". Yorkshire Evening Post (Leeds). 1 December 2010. Retrieved 25 December 2010. 
  33. "Simon Grayson sacked as manager by Leeds United". BBC Sport. 1 February 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2012. 
  34. "Redders given extended period – Chairman". Leeds United A.F.C. 8 February 2012. Retrieved 8 February 2012. 
  35. "Neil Warnock appointed Leeds United manager". BBC Sport. 18 February 2012. Retrieved 25 February 2012. 
  36. Neil Warnock 'parts company' with Leeds United
  37. Match report: Charlton 2–1 Leeds
  38. "Academy lads praised for achievement...". Leeds United A.F.C. 25 April 2012. Retrieved 25 April 2012. 
  39. 41.0 41.1 41.2 41.3 41.4 "Neil Redfearn". Soccerbase. Retrieved 1 February 2012. 
  40. "Scarborough 2005/2006 results and fixtures". Soccerbase. Retrieved 23 November 2008. 
  41. "Northwich 2007/2008 results and fixtures". Soccerbase. Retrieved 23 November 2008. 

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