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Lewis Neal

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English footballer For the American football player, see Lewis Neal (American football).

Lewis Neal
Neal playing for Orlando City B in 2016
Personal information
Full name Lewis Ryan Neal
Date of birth (1981-07-14) 14 July 1981 (age 43)
Place of birth Leicester, England
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
1998–2000 Stoke City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000–2005 Stoke City 70 (2)
2001 → ÍBV (loan) 5 (1)
2005–2009 Preston North End 65 (5)
2008 → Notts County (loan) 4 (0)
2009 Carlisle United 16 (2)
2009–2011 Shrewsbury Town 31 (2)
2011 Orlando City 21 (4)
2012–2014 D.C. United 53 (2)
2015 Orlando City 21 (0)
2016–2017 Orlando City B 49 (5)
2018–2019 Orlando SeaWolves (indoor) 18 (4)
Managerial career
2021–2022 Central Florida Panthers (assistant)
2022–2023 Miami FC (assistant)
2023 Miami FC (interim)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Lewis Ryan Neal (born 14 July 1981) is an English former professional footballer.

Career

Neal started his career at Stoke City, making his debut in the Football League Trophy on 6 December 2000 against Scarborough. He went on loan to Icelandic side Íþróttabandalag Vestmannaeyja before returning to Stoke. He played 70 league games and scored 2 goals for Stoke before signing for Preston North End in 2005 in a player swap deal for Marlon Broomes.

On 31 October 2008, Neal signed a month-long loan deal with Notts County, and made his debut at home to Bury.

After playing 65 league games for Preston, Neal was allowed to join Carlisle United on 30 January 2009, after agreeing to a termination package. He signed a contract to the end of the season. He made his Carlisle debut in the 1–1 home draw against Walsall, but at the end of the season manager Greg Abbott decided to release him.

A day after his contract expired with Carlisle on 2 July 2009, Neal signed a two-year contract with League Two club Shrewsbury Town.

On 22 January 2011, he was released by Shrewsbury Town, by mutual consent. He moved to the United States and entered training camp with Orlando City Soccer Club of the USL Pro league, the third tier of US Soccer. He scored the team's first ever goal on 19 February in a friendly against Philadelphia Union. Lewis signed with Orlando on 21 March 2011.

In early 2012, Neal was on trial with Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer but was not offered a contract. He signed into the league with D.C. United on 13 March 2012. During his time with D.C., he scored the lone goal in the 2013 U.S. Open Cup final against Real Salt Lake, giving D.C. their third Open Cup title.

After three years with D.C., Neal returned to Florida when he was selected by new franchise Orlando City SC in the 2014 MLS Expansion Draft. He was released by Orlando at the end of the 2015 season. On 17 December, Orlando City confirmed that Neal had been resigned on a two-year deal giving him an extended role with the organization including an academy coaching role, a playing position on the Orlando City B team and media duties.

Neal continued his professional career by signing with the Orlando SeaWolves in May 2018, ahead of their inaugural Major Arena Soccer League season.

In March 2021, Neal rejoined former SeaWolves coach Tom Traxler by joining the coaching staff of Central Florida Panthers SC of the National Premier Soccer League

In June 2023, Anthony Pulis left his position as head coach of USL Championship side Miami FC, and Neal took over as interim head coach. Neal left the club following the 2023 season.

Personal life

Neal earned his US green card in February 2013. This status qualifies him as a domestic player for MLS roster purposes.

Career statistics

As of match played 24 November 2019
Club Season League Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Stoke City 2000–01 Second Division 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 3 0
2001–02 Second Division 11 0 2 0 0 0 1 1 14 1
2002–03 First Division 16 0 3 0 0 0 – 19 0
2003–04 First Division 19 1 1 0 2 0 – 22 1
2004–05 Championship 23 1 0 0 1 0 – 24 1
Total 70 2 6 0 3 0 3 1 82 3
ÍBV (loan) 2001 Úrvalsdeild 5 1 0 0 0 0 – 5 1
Preston North End 2005–06 Championship 24 2 4 0 1 0 – 29 2
2006–07 Championship 24 1 2 0 0 0 – 26 1
2007–08 Championship 17 2 1 0 0 0 – 18 2
Total 70 6 7 0 1 0 0 0 78 6
Notts County (loan) 2008–09 League Two 4 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 6 0
Carlisle United 2008–09 League One 16 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 16 1
Shrewsbury Town 2009–10 League Two 29 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 31 2
2010–11 League Two 2 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 5 0
Total 51 3 3 0 1 0 3 0 58 3
Orlando City 2011 USL Pro 21 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 22 4
D.C. United 2012 Major League Soccer 22 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 24 2
2013 Major League Soccer 9 0 1 0 0 0 3 1 12 1
2014 Major League Soccer 27 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 31 0
Total 79 6 5 0 0 0 6 1 90 7
Orlando City 2015 Major League Soccer 21 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 22 1
Orlando City B 2016 USL Championship 25 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 25 2
2017 USL Championship 24 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 25 3
Orlando SeaWolves 2018 Major Arena Soccer League 15 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 4
2019 Major Arena Soccer League 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
Career Total 357 27 22 1 5 0 12 2 396 29
A.  The "Other" column constitutes appearances and goals in the Football League play-offs, Football League Trophy and CONCACAF Champions League.

Honours

Orlando City
D.C. United

References

  1. "Magpies swoop for Neal loan deal". BBC Sport. 31 October 2008. Retrieved 2 July 2009.
  2. "Winger Neal makes Carlisle switch". BBC Sport. 31 January 2009. Retrieved 2 July 2009.
  3. "Shrewsbury complete Neal signing". BBC Sport. 2 July 2009. Retrieved 2 July 2009.
  4. Orlando City Soccer Club: News Archived 23 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Orlandocitysoccer.com.
  5. Orlando City Signs English Championship Veteran – OurSports Central – Independent and Minor League Sports News. OurSports Central (21 March 2011).
  6. Team Building Exercises With Garth Lagerway Archived 4 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Theshinguardian.com.
  7. "Lewis Neal acquired". DC United.
  8. "D.C. United wins 2013 U.S. Open Cup, 13th major title". 2 October 2013. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  9. Orlando Sentinel (25 November 2015). "Orlando City parts ways with goalkeeper Tally Hall". OrlandoSentinel.com.
  10. "Lewis Neal Re-Joins Orlando City Family in Extended Role". Orlando City Soccer Club.
  11. "SEAWOLVES SIGN EX-ORLANDO CITY LEWIS NEAL". OrlandoSeaWolves.com. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
  12. "Orlando City alumni Lewis Neal joins the Panthers coaching staff". CFSCPanthers.com. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  13. Cozzoli, Matteo. "Miami FC Announces Departure of Anthony Pulis as Head Coach". MiamiFC.com. Miami FC. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  14. Cozzoli, Matteo. "Coach Lewis Neal departs Miami FC". MiamiFC.com. Miami FC. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  15. Goff, Steven (22 February 2013). "D.C. United news & notes". The Washington Post. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
  16. "Lewis Neal". Soccerway. Retrieved 14 December 2013.

External links

Miami FC – head coaches
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