Terry Neill obituary

Terry Neill, who has died aged 80, was an influential footballer at Arsenal in the 1960s and later managed the club to three successive FA Cup finals, from 1978 to 1980, winning one and losing two. He was also a longstanding player for Northern Ireland, winning 59 caps between 1961 and 1973 – a record at the time – and serving for four years as their manager.

Although Neill’s achievements as a player and manager at Arsenal were modest in terms of the team’s illustrious history, he was held in great affection by fans there for his overall contribution to the club, and was even forgiven for becoming manager of their north London rivals, Tottenham, for a two-year spell immediately after finishing as a player.

A central defender at Highbury between 1959 and 1970, Neill was unable to lift a trophy while at the club, and left just before Arsenal’s double-winning season of 1970-71. Returning as manager between 1976 and 1983, he delivered a best position of third in the First Division in 1980-81 and, aside from his achievements in the FA Cup, guided Arsenal to the European Cup Winners’ Cup final in 1980.

When he was sacked in 1983, Neill was only 41 and looked to have a good future in the game. But he never returned to management, instead settling into many years of running sports bars in London, adding in some media work along the way.

Born in Belfast, Neill grew up in the seaside resort of Bangor, Co Down, where he attended the town’s grammar school and played in Bangor FC’s youth team before joining Arsenal in 1959. He made his first-team debut at 18, gained his first Northern Ireland cap in 1961, and from 1964 onwards was a core member of the Arsenal set up under both Billy Wright as manager and his successor Bertie Mee.

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