Henry McNeil

{{short description|Scottish footballer}}

{{about||the children's author|Henry Everett McNeil}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}

{{Use British English|date=September 2018}}

{{Infobox football biography

|name = Henry McNeil

| image = Queen's Park FC 1874 (2) (McNeil).jpg

|fullname = Henry McNeil

|birth_date = 1849

|birth_place=Shandon, Scotland

|death_date = 2 June {{death year and age|1924|1849}}

|death_place=Rutherglen, Scotland

|position= Forward

|years1= 1872–1873

|clubs1=Third Lanark

|caps1 =

|goals1=

|years2= 1873–1885

|clubs2=Queen's Park

|caps2=

|goals2=

|nationalyears1=1874–1881

|nationalteam1 =Scotland

|nationalcaps1 =10

|nationalgoals1=6

}}

Henry McNeil (1849 – 2 June 1924) was a Scottish footballer.

During his career, McNeil played in several positions for Queen's Park (where he won five Scottish Cups)[http://www.qpfc.com/appearances/mc/mcneilh.htm Name: McNeil, Henry], QPFC.com{{efn|Including the 1881 Scottish Cup Final where McNeil was captain in the original match but missed the replay due to injury.[http://www.qphistory.com/p/season-1180.html Season 1880/81], Frank McCrossan, Queen's Park Football Club - An Early History}} and Third Lanark, as well as the Scotland national team.{{cite book|last=Cairney|first=John|title=A Scottish Football Hall of Fame|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BkICPoHh3oAC&q=Henry%20McNeil%20Scotland&pg=PT18|year=2004|publisher=Mainstream|isbn=1840189207}}[https://www.londonhearts.com/scotland/players/henrymcniel.html (Scotland player) Harry McNiel], London Hearts Supporters Club

McNeil was football's caps world record holder from March 1881 (taking the title from clubmate Billy MacKinnon) until March 1882 when John Price of Wales earned his 11th cap.

He later managed a sports shop in central Glasgow with his brother Peter, ran a hotel in Bangor, County Down with his brother Moses,{{cite book | last = Mitchell | first = Andy | url=https://www.scottishsporthistory.com/the-men-who-made-scotland.html |title = The men who made Scotland: The definitive Who's Who of Scottish Football Internationalists 1872-1939 | publisher = Amazon | year = 2021 | isbn=9798513846642}} operated a public house in Rutherglen and worked as a travelling salesman.[https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/scottish-football-pioneer-who-settled-3024949 The Scottish football pioneer who settled in Rutherglen], Douglas Dickie, Daily Record, 16 January 2014

His brothers Moses and Peter McNeil were also footballers, who were among the founders of Rangers F.C.; Henry contributed to some of Rangers' first matches in 1872 as a guest player[https://rangers.blue2web.co.uk/news/club/harry-mcneil-dedication-service/ Harry McNeil Dedication Service], Rangers FC, 10 March 2016 and Moses and Henry McNeil played together for Scotland. Another sibling, William, also played for Rangers.[https://www.thefounderstrail.co.uk/post/2017/03/30/116-years-ago-today-peter-mcneil 116 Years Ago Today. Peter McNeil], The Founders Trail, 30 March 2017