Neil Finn (footballer)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 29 December 1978 | ||
| Place of birth | Rainham, Essex, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Youth career | |||
| West Ham United | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1995–1998 | West Ham United | 1 | (0) |
| 1998 | → Dorchester Town (loan) | ||
| 1998 | Aldershot Town | 0 | (0) |
| 2004–2010 | Romford | 126 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:21, 29 July 2021 (UTC) | |||
Neil Finn (born 29 December 1978 in Rainham, Essex) is a former professional footballer. He played one game for West Ham United in the Premier League during the 1995-96 season, aged 17, becoming at that time the youngest player to ever to appear in a Premier League match. He remains the youngest goalkeeper to play in the Premier League.[2]
Career[edit]
Finn was a product of the West Ham youth academy,[3] and began his professional career as a trainee in August 1995.[4] After just three reserve games,[3] he became the then youngest player to ever to appear in a Premiership match on New Year's Day 1996 against Manchester City, when first-choice goalkeeper Luděk Mikloško was suspended and Les Sealey was injured.[5] West Ham manager Harry Redknapp declared his anger with the league, saying they had lacked common sense in not allowing him to bring in a more experienced goalkeeper, and claimed he was told he must play an outfield player in goal.[5] Recalling the event in 2017, Finn remembered there was a lot of media attention, while the City fans chanted "who the fucking hell are you?",[6] and in an interview with a West Ham fansite praised Mikloško and Sealey for helping to settle his nerves before the match.[7]
He won a runners-up medal in the 1996 FA Youth Cup final with Frank Lampard and Rio Ferdinand.[3] He was offered a new contract in July 1997, but joined Dorchester Town on loan in March 1998 and was released by West Ham two months later.[4] After a period out of the game, he joined non-league side Romford in 2004.[8]
References[edit]
- ^ "Neil Finn". Premier League. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- ^ "Premier League stats: Arsenal's progress, the youngest player and Spurs see red". BBC Sport. 6 May 2019. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
- ^ a b c Hogg, Tony (2005). Who's Who of West Ham United. Profile Sports Media. p. 82. ISBN 1-903135-50-8.
- ^ a b "Neil Finn". Soccerbase. Racing Post. Retrieved 15 March 2008.
- ^ a b Nixon, Alan (2 January 1996). "Redknapp is riled by goalkeeping controversy". The Independent. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
- ^ Tudor, Stephen (6 March 2017). "Heroes just for one day: What is it like to play in the Premier League?". The Set Pieces. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
- ^ "Exclusive Interview with Neil Finn-at the time-the youngest person to play in the Premier League". The West Ham Way. 11 April 2016. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
- ^ "Neil Finn". Romford F C Archive. Archived from the original on 23 July 2018. Retrieved 15 March 2008.
External links[edit]
- Neil Finn at Soccerbase
