Neil Shipperley

Neil Jason Shipperley (born 30 October 1974) is an English former professional footballer who played as a forward in the Premier League and Football League from 1992 to 2007.

Neil Shipperley
Personal information
Full name Neil Jason Shipperley
Date of birth (1974-10-30) 30 October 1974
Place of birth Chatham, England
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
Chelsea
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1992–1995 Chelsea 37 (7)
1994 → Watford (loan) 6 (1)
1995–1996 Southampton 66 (12)
1996–1998 Crystal Palace 61 (20)
1998–1999 Nottingham Forest 20 (1)
1999–2001 Barnsley 78 (27)
2001–2003 Wimbledon 87 (32)
2003–2005 Crystal Palace 41 (8)
2005–2007 Sheffield United 39 (11)
2007 Brentford 11 (0)
2013 North Greenford United 1 (0)
Total 446 (119)
National team‡
1993–1995 England U21 7 (3)
Teams managed
2009–2010 Bedfont
2010–2011 Walton Casuals
2011–2012 North Greenford United
2012–2014 North Greenford United
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 21:32, 22 March 2010 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 31 December 2007

He played in the Premier League for Chelsea, Southampton, Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest and Sheffield United, and additionally in the Football League for Watford, Barnsley, Wimbledon and Brentford. He scored the only goal of the 2004 Football League First Division play-off Final for Crystal Palace. He was also capped 7 times by the England U21 team, scoring 3 goals. Following retirement he moved into management with non-league clubs Bedfont, Walton Casuals and North Greenford United.

Playing career

Chelsea, Southampton and Crystal Palace

Shipperley got his break in football at the age of 15, when playing for Spartan League side Brook House in the Middlesex Charity Cup. The tournament's patron, celebrity astrologer Russell Grant, was friends with Chelsea chairman Ken Bates, whose club sent a team to the tournament. Shipperley bettered Chelsea centre-back Frank Sinclair for strength and pace, and was scouted by the club.[1] An article in The Independent in January 1994 predicted that Shipperley could become Chelsea's first homegrown star striker since Peter Osgood in the 1960s.[1]

In the inaugural Premier League season of 1992–93, Shipperley made his professional debut towards the end of the campaign. On 10 April, he came on as a 65th-minute substitute for Robert Fleck in a 1–0 loss at his future club Southampton, and two days later on his first start and first game at Stamford Bridge he scored their last goal in a 4–2 win against Wimbledon.[2]

Shipperley was signed for Southampton by Alan Ball for a record fee of £1.25 million on 6 January 1995.[3] New manager Graeme Souness signed Norwegian Egil Østenstad, prompting Shipperley to drop to the First Division by signing for Crystal Palace for a £1 million fee in October 1996.[4] He scored 13 times for the Eagles over the rest of the season as the were promoted via the play-offs, including one on 10 May in a 3–1 home win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the first leg of the semi-finals.[5] In 1997–98, he scored seven times – including five consecutive games from October to December – in a season that ended with relegation.[6]

Nottingham Forest and Barnsley

In September 1998, Shipperley returned to the Premier League by signing for Nottingham Forest for £1.5 million.[7] He scored only once in 21 games as Forest went down, that coming on 13 March 1999 to round off a 3–1 win at his future club Wimbledon.[8]

For 1999–2000, Shipperley signed for First Division club Barnsley for £700,000.[7] He scored 15 times in 46 total games in his first season, including both of a 2–0 home win over South Yorkshire rivals Sheffield United on 6 November.[6] On 13 May 2000, he opened the scoring in a 4–0 win at Birmingham City in the first leg of the play-off semi-finals,[9] though his team would lose 4–2 to Ipswich Town in the final at Wembley.

Wimbledon and return to Palace

Ahead of the 2001–02 season, Shipperley joined Wimbledon for £750,000, and scored on his debut on 11 August to open a 3–1 win over Birmingham.[10] He scored 12 times in his first season with the Dons, including braces in both games against eventual champions Manchester City (4–0 away and 2–1 home wins).[11][12] He captained the side, and built a prolific partnership with Irishman David Connolly in 2002–03, the club's final season.[13]

In July 2003, Shipperley returned to Palace on a three-year deal.[13] On 29 May 2004 at the Millennium Stadium, he captained the side and scored the only goal of a play-off final win against West Ham United to take the Eagles back to the Premier League.[14]

Later career

After Palace's immediate relegation, Shipperley moved on to Sheffield United on a two-year deal on a free transfer in July 2005.[15] He scored 11 times as the Blades won promotion as runners-up to Reading, including two on 10 December in a 3–0 home win over Burnley.[16]

On 15 January 2007,[17] his contract with Sheffield United was terminated by mutual consent, and he signed a four-month contract with Brentford, eight days later.[18] He failed to score in his eleven appearances for Brentford, and on 25 April 2007 announced his retirement from professional football. In June that year, he rejected the chance to play for Wimbledon's successor AFC Wimbledon, telling the Surrey Comet that he was in the Middle East to coach a club there.[19]

Management career

On 20 May 2009, it was announced that Shipperley had become manager of Bedfont in the Combined Counties League.[20] In the summer of 2010, Shipperley was appointed manager of Walton Casuals in the Isthmian League Division One South. After 15 months in the role he quit the club however in October 2011.[21]

On Boxing Day 2011, Shipperley was confirmed as the successor to Steve Ringrose at North Greenford United[22] a post he held until May 2012 when he resigned[23] to look for management experience at a higher level, though he returned in October 2012 following the sacking of Jon-Barrie Bates. He made an appearance as a player against Leighton Town in the final game of the 2012–13 season.

Shipperley's second spell as manager at Berkeley Fields came to an end when he resigned in February 2014 following a 4–1 defeat to Dunstable Town.[24]

Personal life

Shipperley's father was Dave Shipperley, who played for many years at centre back for Charlton Athletic and Gillingham.[1]

2019 Public masturbation incident

In December 2019, he was found guilty of masturbating in front of a mother and her 16-year-old daughter and was given a 12-month community order, ordered to complete 120 hours' unpaid work and pay a £90 victim surcharge, £85 in costs and £200 in compensation. He was also made subject to a five-year sexual offences notification requirement order and told to report to Hayes police station within three days. Shipperley had been receiving counselling for personal issues, including the death of his father and gambling addiction, as well as debts.[25]

References
  1. Haylett, Trevor (22 January 1994). "Football: Shipperley shapes up to reach for the stars". The Independent. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  2. "Games played by Neil Shipperley in 1992/1993". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  3. Holley, Duncan; Chalk, Gary (2003). In That Number – A post-war chronicle of Southampton FC. Hagiology Publishing. p. 578. ISBN 0-9534474-3-X.
  4. "Shipperley joins Palace for pounds 1m". The Independent. 25 October 1996. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  5. "Back in the Day: May 10th - Crystal Palace 3-1 Wolves 1997". Red n Blue Army. 10 May 2018. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  6. "Games played by Neil Shipperley in 1997/1998". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  7. "Amazing season for deserted Dons". East Anglia Daily Times. 26 April 2003. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  8. Daly, Kieran (13 March 1999). "Wimbledon 1 Nottingham Forest 3 – Forest's dream surv ives". London: The Independent. Retrieved 17 January 2010.
  9. "Brilliant Barnsley crush Blues". BBC Sport. 13 May 2000. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  10. "Wimbledon 3-1 Birmingham". BBC Sport. 11 August 2001. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  11. "Man City 0-4 Wimbledon". BBC Sport. 28 September 2001. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  12. Brodkin, Jon (4 February 2002). "Shipperley double sinks the City strollers". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  13. "Shipperley agrees Palace deal". BBC Sport. 24 July 2003. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  14. "Crystal Palace 1-0 West Ham". BBC Sport. 29 May 2004. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  15. "Shipperley shapes up for Blades". Daily Mirror. 21 July 2005. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  16. "Sheff Utd 3-0 Burnley". BBC Sport. 10 December 2005. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  17. "HOME PAGE". 5 August 2012. Archived from the original on 5 August 2012. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  18. "Fitz lands his man". Archived from the original on 12 February 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  19. Mokbel, Sami (28 June 2007). "Dons can't tempt Shipperley out of early retirement". Surrey Comet. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  20. Shipperley named as new manager Bedfont F.C. Archived 7 April 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  21. "Shipperley quits Casuals". Non League Daily. 19 October 2011. Archived from the original on 24 October 2011. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  22. "Appointment of New Manager". North Greenford United FC. 27 December 2011. Archived from the original on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
  23. "Shipperley quits North Greenford". NonLeagueDaily.com. 18 May 2012. Archived from the original on 18 May 2012. Retrieved 17 May 2012.
  24. Tear, Yann (25 January 2014). "North Greenford boss Shipperley resigns". Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  25. "Neil Shipperley sentenced for public masturbation". BBC News. 18 December 2019. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
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