Neil_MacFarlane_(footballer)

Neil MacFarlane (footballer)

Neil MacFarlane (footballer)

Scottish footballer (born 1977)

Neil MacFarlane (born 10 October 1977) is a Scottish football coach and former professional player, who is head coach of Brentford B. MacFarlane played as a defensive midfielder at a number of clubs at all four levels of the Scottish league system. After his retirement as a player in 2011, he became a coach and was appointed to his first managerial role at English non-League club Kidderminster Harriers in 2018.

Quick Facts Personal information, Full name ...

Club career

Early years (1999–2002)

McFarlane was born in Dunoon. A defensive midfielder, he began his senior career with Queen's Park in 1999 and won the Third Division title in his first season with the club.[3] He moved to Scottish Premier League club Kilmarnock in July 2000,[4] but failed to make a first team appearance and instead spent much of his single season at Rugby Park away on loan at former club Queen's Park and Clyde.[5] MacFarlane transferred to First Division club Airdrieonians in July 2001 and though his 2001–02 season was ended prematurely by a cruciate ligament injury,[6] he was a part of the team which was victorious in the 2001 Scottish Challenge Cup Final.[5][7]

Heart of Midlothian (2002–2006)

Though still recovering from a cruciate ligament injury suffered while an Airdrieonians player, MacFarlane signed a one-year contract with Scottish Premier League club Heart of Midlothian in July 2002, on a part-time wage.[8] He broke into the team in November 2002 and progressed sufficiently to sign an improved contract in January 2003.[9] MacFarlane signed a new two-year contract at the end of the 2004–05 season and was a regular member of the team through to the early months of the 2005–06 season,[10][11][12][13][14] when he fell out of favour under manager George Burley.[15] A move to Dundee United was blocked by the Hearts board in August 2005 and after suffering a knee injury,[16][17] he made just one appearance under Burley's successor,[14] Graham Rix, before departing the club in January 2006.[15] MacFarlane made 95 appearances and scored one goal during his 3+1⁄2 years at Tynecastle.[5]

Later career (2006–2011)

MacFarlane spent the second half of the 2005–06 season with Scottish Premier League club Aberdeen,[15] before signing a two-year contract with First Division club Gretna in May 2006.[18][19] Injuries restricted him to just eight appearances during the 2006–07 season,[20] but he still received a First Division winners' medal.[21] After his Gretna contract was terminated in May 2007,[20] MacFarlane moved to First Division club Queen of the South on a two-year contract.[22] He had two seasons as a mainstay of the Queens team,[23][24] reaching the 2008 Scottish Cup Final and qualifying for the UEFA Cup,[25] in which he had previously competed while a Hearts player.[12][13] MacFarlane wound down his career with spells at lower division clubs Greenock Morton, Airdrie United and Annan Athletic and retired in 2011.[3]

Coaching career

MacFarlane began his coaching career in 2012 and served as assistant to former Heart of Midlothian teammate Steven Pressley at Falkirk, Coventry City, Fleetwood Town and Pafos.[26] In February and March 2015, he briefly held the role of caretaker manager at Coventry City, before leaving the club at the end of the 2014–15 season.[27] MacFarlane joined Milton Keynes Dons as first team coach to manager Robbie Neilson in December 2016 and stayed in the role until Neilson's sacking in January 2018.[28][29]

Managerial career

Kidderminster Harriers

On 25 May 2018, MacFarlane was announced as manager of National League North club Kidderminster Harriers.[30] He had briefly coached at the club in 2015.[30] Tasked with promotion,[31] MacFarlane presided over 27 matches, winning 12,[32] before he agreed to part ways with the club in January 2019.[33]

Brentford B

On 30 May 2019, MacFarlane joined Brentford as head coach of the club's B team.[26] As a result of first team head coach Thomas Frank testing positive for COVID-19, MacFarlane presided over the first team's 2–1 FA Cup third round victory over Middlesbrough on 9 January 2021.[34] He won competitive cup competitions in each of the 2021–22 and 2022–23 seasons, with the London Senior Cup and Premier League Cups respectively.[35][36]

Career statistics

More information Club, Season ...
  1. Appearances in Scottish Challenge Cup
  2. Appearances in UEFA Cup
  3. Appearances in Scottish Second Division play-offs

Managerial statistics

As of 5 January 2019
More information Team, Nat ...

Honours

Player

Queen's Park
Airdrieonians

Gretna

Manager

Brentford B

References

  1. [1]
    Neil MacFarlane at Soccerway. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  2. [2]
    Neil MacFarlane at WorldFootball.net
  3. [3]
    "Getting to know: Neil MacFarlane". Fleetwood Town F.C. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  4. [4]
    "Season Diary 2000–2001". Kilmarnock FC. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  5. [5]
    Neil MacFarlane at Soccerbase
  6. [6]
    "Hearts go for Oueifio". 23 November 2002. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  7. [7]
    "Games played by Neil MacFarlane in 2001/2002". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  8. [8]
    "MacFarlane hobbles to Hearts". BBC Sport. 4 July 2002. Retrieved 16 May 2008.
  9. [9]
    "MacFarlane wins Hearts deal". BBC Sport. 10 January 2003. Retrieved 16 May 2008.
  10. [10]
    "Tynecastle trio to leave". 11 May 2004. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  11. [11]
    "Games played by Neil MacFarlane in 2002/2003". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  12. [12]
    "Games played by Neil MacFarlane in 2003/2004". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  13. [13]
    "Games played by Neil MacFarlane in 2004/2005". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  14. [14]
    "Games played by Neil MacFarlane in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  15. [15]
    "MacFarlane completes Dons switch". BBC Sport. 26 January 2006. Retrieved 16 May 2008.
  16. [16]
    "Hearts board halt MacFarlane move". 1 September 2005. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  17. [17]
    "MacFarlane aims for Hearts stay". 14 December 2005. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  18. [18]
    "Aberdeen duo free to leave club". BBC Sport. 26 April 2006. Retrieved 16 May 2008.
  19. [19]
    "Gretna grab MacFarlane and McGill". BBC Sport. 25 May 2006. Retrieved 16 May 2008.
  20. [20]
    "Gretna cut short MacFarlane stay". BBC Sport. 14 May 2007. Retrieved 16 May 2008.
  21. [21]
    "Latest News 2007/08". Official Queen of the South Site. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  22. [22]
    "MacFarlane joins up at Palmerston". BBC Sport. 8 June 2007. Retrieved 16 May 2008.
  23. [23]
    "Games played by Neil MacFarlane in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  24. [24]
    "Games played by Neil MacFarlane in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  25. [25]
    Queen of the South F.C. at the Football Club History Database
  26. [26]
    "Neil MacFarlane takes B Team Head Coach role". www.brentfordfc.com.
  27. [27]
    "Coventry City: Neil MacFarlane leaves role as assistant manager". 31 July 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  28. [28]
    "MacFarlane added to backroom staff". Milton Keynes Dons FC. 12 December 2016. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  29. [29]
    "Robbie Neilson: Milton Keynes Dons manager leaves club by 'mutual consent'". BBC Sport. BBC. 20 January 2018. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  30. [30]
    "MacFarlane appointed boss". Official Website of the Harriers – Kidderminster Harriers FC. 25 May 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  31. [31]
    "It's time Kidderminster Harriers pass the promotion test, says Neil MacFarlane". The Non League Football Paper – Daily football news. 20 July 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  32. [32]
    "Managers | Neil MacFarlane". KidderminsterHarriers.com. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  33. [33]
    "Club statement: Neil MacFarlane". Official Website of the Harriers – Kidderminster Harriers FC. 7 January 2019. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  34. [34]
    "Brentford 2 Middlesbrough 1". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  35. [35]
    "Match Report and Match Highlights: Brentford B win London Senior Cup on penalties". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  36. [36]
    "Brentford B 2 Blackburn U21 1". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  37. [37]
    "Games played by Neil MacFarlane in 1999/2000". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  38. [38]
    "Games played by Neil MacFarlane in 2000/2001". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  39. [39]
    "Games played by Neil MacFarlane in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  40. [40]
    "Games played by Neil MacFarlane in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  41. [41]
    Neil MacFarlane management career statistics at Soccerbase
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