Fergus Neil

{{Infobox football biography

|name = Fergus Neil

|image =

|fullname =

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1992|02|12|df=y}}

|birth_place = Queenstown, New Zealand

|height =

|currentclub =

|clubnumber =

|position = Defender

|collegeyears1 =

|college1 =

|collegecaps1 =

|collegegoals1 =

|years1 = 2009–2011

|clubs1 = Hawke's Bay United

|caps1 = 10

|goals1 = 0

|years2 = 2011

|clubs2 = Slough Town

|caps2 =

|goals2 =

|years3 = 2011

|clubs3 = Alresford Town

|caps3 =

|goals3 =

|years4 = 2011–2014

|clubs4 = Hawke's Bay United

|caps4 = 39

|goals4 = 0

|years5 = 2014

|clubs5 = Kingston FC

|caps5 =

|goals5 =

|years6 = 2014–2015

|clubs6 = WaiBOP United

|caps6 = 16

|goals6 = 2

|years7 = 2015–2016

|clubs7 = Team Wellington

|caps7 = 16

|goals7 = 1

|years8 = 2016–2017

|clubs8 = Hawke's Bay United

|caps8 = 18

|goals8 = 0

|years9 = 2017–2019

|clubs9 = Napier City Rovers

|caps9 =

|goals9 =

|years10 = 2019–2021

|clubs10 = Hawke's Bay United

|caps10 = 26

|goals10 = 0

|years11 = 2022–

|clubs11 = Napier City Rovers

|caps11 = 37

|goals11 = 2

|club-update = 16 March 2024

|nationalteam-update =

}}

Fergus Neil (born February 12, 1992) is a New Zealand footballer who plays as a defender for Napier City Rovers.

Club career

= Early career =

Neil was a product of the youth systems of Napier City Rovers and Hawke's Bay United.{{Cite web |date=19 October 2006 |title=Fergus is gutted - almost literally |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/sport/fergus-is-gutted-almost-literally/IHIMJKOFCCE7TEBHH45CR3TDR4/ |access-date=15 March 2024 |website=NZ Herald |language=en-NZ}} In 2009, he was elevated to Hawke's Bay's senior team and competed in the New Zealand Football Championship for the 2009–10 season.{{Cite web |date=13 November 2020 |title=Co-captain excited about Bay United's depth |url=https://cdn.hbapp.co.nz/news/news/co-captain-excited-about-bay-uniteds-depth |access-date=15 March 2024 |website=cdn.hbapp.co.nz |language=en}} In his debut season in the country's top-tier league, he appeared in 6 matches.{{Cite web |title=New Zealand - F. Neil - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway |url=https://ca.soccerway.com/players/fergus-neil/104576/ |access-date=15 March 2024 |website=ca.soccerway.com}} In 2011, he ventured abroad where he had a brief stint in the lower English circuits with Slough Town and Alresford Town.{{Cite web |date=18 February 2011 |title=Tough lesson in northern exposure |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/sport/tough-lesson-in-northern-exposure/V4YHUOAZFAEKFMXWQS4HTUUBQI/ |access-date=15 March 2024 |website=NZ Herald |language=en-NZ}} Following his stint abroad, he returned to Hawke's Bay for the 2011–10 season.{{Cite web |last=Hurndell |first=Shane |date=6 November 2011 |title=Patchy United escape with draw |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/sport/patchy-united-escape-with-draw/ZEE7YYWJLT2IPXHIUWCIIPUFNI/ |access-date=15 March 2014 |website=NZ Herald |language=en-NZ}} In 2013, he would miss the majority of the season, as he required surgery for a broken jaw.{{Cite web |date=18 November 2013 |title=Soccer: Fergus Neil has broken jaw. |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/soccer-fergus-neil-has-broken-jaw/6WCQDX5YRK7ZKKBXSHIQVUVSBU/ |access-date=15 March 2024 |website=Hawkes Bay Today |language=en-NZ}}

= Canada =

In the summer of 2014, he played in the Canadian Soccer League with Kingston FC.{{Cite news |last=MacAlpine |first=Iain |date=14 March 2014 |title=Kingston FC eager to kick off a new season |work=Kingston Whig Standard}}{{Cite news |last=Marciniak |first=Mandy |date=8 May 2014 |title=Kingston FC hoping for another successful season |work=The Frontenac Gazette}}{{Cite news |last=Faris |first=Nick |date=22 May 2014 |title=Spanning the globe: Kingston FC will open the season with a roster that includes players from 21 countries |work=Kingston Whig Standard |pages=C1}} Neil would help Kingston secure a playoff berth by finishing third in the league's first division.{{Cite news |date=2 October 2014 |title=Kingston FC moved into third place in the First Division of the Canadian Soccer League |work=The Kingston Heritage}} Ultimately, Kingston would reach the semifinal round where they were eliminated from the competition by Toronto Croatia.{{Cite news |date=20 October 2014 |title=North York Astros fall one game short of CSL final |work=North York Mirror}}

= New Zealand =

After his spell abroad in the Canadian circuit, he returned to New Zealand to sign with league rivals WaiBOP United.{{Cite web |date=19 September 2014 |title=Football: Duo to bolster United defence |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/sport/football-duo-to-bolster-united-defence/4BRVBMVWGEDZB44MSQHIJLOJFY/ |access-date=15 March 2024 |website=Rotorua Daily Post |language=en-NZ}}{{Cite web |date=16 September 2014 |title=Football: WaiBOP build defensive line in new season |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times/news/football-waibop-build-defensive-line-in-new-season/U5YQZMB4XQLPO7OH2Y55GF4WPI/ |access-date=15 March 2024 |website=Bay of Plenty Times |language=en-NZ}}{{Cite web |date=19 June 2015 |title=Football: Neil finds grass just as green at home |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/football-neil-finds-grass-just-as-green-at-home/7AHPBWXHYNXFRFLIX2IHMQDQDU/ |access-date=15 March 2024 |website=Hawkes Bay Today |language=en-NZ}} In his debut season with the club, he appeared in 16 matches and scored 2 goals.

The next season he signed with another league rival Team Wellington.{{Cite web |date=11 March 2016 |title=Football: No begrudgery as Bay Utd miss out |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/football-no-begrudgery-as-bay-utd-miss-out/ICTDTHT5Y3TVZQA2PGJAL7QSRQ/ |access-date=15 March 2024 |website=Hawkes Bay Today |language=en-NZ}}{{Cite web |date=8 January 2016 |title=Football: Striker's poised to set match alight |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/football-strikers-poised-to-set-match-alight/IMXAOAKUZ56VAGJWZFOAQRCQZM/ |access-date=15 March 2024 |website=Hawkes Bay Today |language=en-NZ}} In his debut season with the club, he helped the club defeat Auckland City for the championship title. He also participated in the 2016 OFC Champions League, where he was featured in the tournament final against Auckland and was defeated.{{Cite web |date=23 April 2016 |title=Auckland City FC defeat Team Wellington for the second year running to secure their eighth OFC Champions League crown and their sixth title in a row |url=https://www.oceaniafootball.com/ofc/News/ViewArticle/tabid/125/Article/dc379ef1-a0b0-4410-9b9a-c21f52c985e3/language/en-US/Default.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160811131447/http://www.oceaniafootball.com/ofc/News/ViewArticle/tabid/125/Article/dc379ef1-a0b0-4410-9b9a-c21f52c985e3/language/en-US/Default.aspx |archive-date=11 August 2016 |access-date=15 March 2024 |website=www.oceaniafootball.com }} In total, he would play in 5 matches in the continental tournament.

= Hawke's Bay =

Neil would return to his former club Hawke's Bay in 2016.{{Cite web |date=30 October 2016 |title=Football: Suburbs fortress keeps United at Bay |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/football-suburbs-fortress-keeps-united-at-bay/7Y2SMT2GCRN26GTEAFNL2XVXME/ |access-date=15 March 2024 |website=Hawkes Bay Today |language=en-NZ}} Following his stint in the country's top league, he left Hawke's Bay to play in the Central League with Napier City Rovers in 2017.{{Cite web |date=9 June 2017 |title=Suburbs offer Blues gauge of worthiness |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/football-rovers-poised-to-venture-into-western-suburbs-web-of-deft-touch-passing-game/ZZB7KYJXOD5JTOZMDOUMEDFJEQ/ |access-date=15 March 2024 |website=NZ Herald |language=en-NZ}} In early 2019, Napier Rovers named him the team's captain.{{Cite web |date=12 April 2019 |title=Napier City Rovers wary of in-your-face Stop Out next |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/football-rovers-skipper-fergus-neil-wards-off-injury-demons-to-grace-park-island-again/FFIJVAX3NN6CCQSJMLB5G7LDJA/ |access-date=15 March 2024 |website=NZ Herald |language=en-NZ}} Throughout the 2019 season, he would help the Rovers claim the 2019 Chatham Cup.{{Cite web |last=Reid |first=Neil |date=30 May 2023 |title=Glory recalled ahead of Chatham Cup opener |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/best-10-seconds-of-my-life-napier-city-rovers-recall-glory-ahead-of-chatham-cup-opener/LRESTKCTAJGW3CHWLHLL7C7DIM/ |access-date=16 March 2024 |website=NZ Herald |language=en-NZ}}{{Cite web |last=Reid |first=Neil |date=15 May 2023 |title=Turf wars: Why cup-winning footballer won't play on artificial grass |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/turf-wars-why-cup-winning-footballer-wont-play-on-artificial-grass/AMM23MYMZ5HVFHLND7MS2VNMFI/ |access-date=16 March 2024 |website=NZ Herald |language=en-NZ}}

In late 2019, he returned to the New Zealand first division with his former club Hawke's Bay.{{Cite web |date=30 October 2019 |title=All the torque is about Bay United's Triple S action |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/football-hawkes-bay-united-inject-pivotal-import-trio-to-provide-impetus/VKXGYGA7RXKHTZUP7SR4QAP3Z4/ |access-date=15 March 2024 |website=Hawkes Bay Today |language=en-NZ}} In his final season with Hawke's Bay, he served as the co-captain.{{Cite web |last=Fuller |first=Christian |date=15 November 2020 |title=Football: Hawke's Bay United suffer lacklustre 3-0 loss in season opener |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/football-hawkes-bay-united-suffer-lacklustre-3-0-loss-in-season-opener/DO3IDG5ROLVV7XY2KZ3DN6EYJU/ |access-date=15 March 2024 |website=NZ Herald |language=en-NZ}} He would appear in 12 matches. After the restructuring of the country's football system, he returned to the Central League in 2021 to his former club Napier City.{{Cite web |last=Hurndell |first=Shane |date=14 May 2021 |title=Defender confident Rovers strikers will return to form |url=https://cdn.hbapp.co.nz/sport/sport/defender-confident-rovers-strikers-will-return-to-form |access-date=16 March 2024 |website=cdn.hbapp.co.nz |language=en}}