John O'Neil (footballer)

John Thomas O'Neil (born 7 June 1971 in Bellshill, North Lanarkshire) is a Scottish former professional association footballer. He represented Scotland once, and played for Dundee United, St Johnstone, Hibernian and Falkirk in the top division.

This article is about the former Dundee United, St Johnstone, Hibernian and Falkirk player. For the former Bournemouth and Queen of the South player, see John O'Neill (footballer, born 1974).

John O'Neil
Personal information
Full name John Thomas O'Neil
Date of birth (1971-06-07) 7 June 1971
Place of birth Bellshill, Scotland
Position(s) Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1988–1994 Dundee United 78 (4)
1994–2000 St Johnstone 186 (22)
2000–2003 Hibernian 86 (10)
2003–2006 Falkirk 70 (5)
2006–2007 Gretna 22 (2)
2007–2009 Cowdenbeath 31 (0)
2009 East Stirlingshire 2 (0)
National team
1991 Scotland under-21 1 (0)
2001 Scotland 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Career

O'Neil, a right-sided midfielder, began his career at Dundee United, where he progressed through the youth ranks. O'Neil scored for United after coming on as a substitute in their 1991 Scottish Cup final defeat against Motherwell, with his header reducing Motherwell's lead to 3–2. At the start of the 1994–95 season, he was signed by ex-United colleague Paul Sturrock for United's Tayside rivals St Johnstone. During his six years at McDiarmid Park, O'Neil became a regular. He played in nearly 200 league matches, over double his tally in the same time with United. In June 2000, O'Neil moved to Hibernian. It was during his spell with the Edinburgh club that O'Neil gained his only cap for Scotland, a start in a 1–1 draw against Poland in an away friendly on 25 April 2001.[1] Ten years earlier, he won his sole under-21 cap.[2]

After three years with Hibs, O'Neil joined Falkirk in 2003 and won a second Scottish First Division title in 2005 before joining Gretna in January 2006. O'Neil won a Second Division title and a third First Division title with The Borderers the following season, also collecting a third Scottish Cup runners-up medal in the defeat on penalties to Hearts.[3]</ref> He left Gretna to join Cowdenbeath at the start of the 2007–08 season, signed by former Dundee United teammate Brian Welsh. He scored his first and only goal for Cowdenbeath in a Scottish League Cup loss at former club Gretna.[4] O'Neil was released by Cowdenbeath in January 2009 and then signed for East Stirlingshire.[5]

Honours
Dundee United
St Johnstone
Hibernian
Falkirk
Gretna

References
  1. "Poland 1–1 Scotland, April 25, 2001". Soccerbase. Retrieved 24 February 2008.
  2. Gordon, Phil (22 April 2001). "O'Neil keen to return from his wilderness". The Independent. Retrieved 4 February 2009.
  3. "Gretna's journeymen prepare for trip of a lifetime from their field of dreams". The Independent. 13 May 2006.
  4. "Gretna 3-1 Cowdenbeath". BBC. 28 August 2007. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  5. Shire sign up veteran O'Neil for play-off push, Press and Journal, 20 January 2009.
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