Neil Pointon
Neil Geoffrey Pointon ( born November 28, 1964 in Warsop ) is a former English footballer. The left-back, who had his strengths in combat and in the flank runs and with long throw-ins, won with Everton in 1987, the English championship and was in the 1990s, still with Manchester City, Oldham Athletic and in Scotland Heart of Midlothian for more Erstligisten active.
Sports career
About Scunthorpe to Everton (1982-1990)
It first joined the youth department of Nottingham Forest in June 1979, Pointon joined two years later in the junior area of Scunthorpe United. Even before receiving the first contract as a professional in the 1982/83 season he was there came on February 6, 1982 against Torquay United ( 0:2 ) to his league debut and after the descent into the fourth League he was now an integral part of a team, in the spring of 1983 to return to the third division succeeded. However, this success could respect the young left-back enjoy only briefly and although he had come with 45 league operations in the 1983/84 season only once less than last year used it was on a direct path back to the fourth league. After an unsuccessful comeback attempt Pointon left the club shortly after the start of the 1985/86 season in November 1985 in the direction of the current English champions Everton.
In Everton had been identified for action at left-back after numerous injuries that had arisen mainly because because of there usually acting Pat Van Den Hauwe had to help out in the center. On November 9, 1985 Pointon debuted in a 6-1 win against Arsenal, and after two further substitutions he played then just before Christmas in the root formation before the end of March 1986 injury put him out of action and he thereby also in the final defeat in the FA Cup against local rivals Liverpool (1:3) was missing. Although the " Toffees " won the English championship in the subsequent 1986/87 season, his contribution to a brief period between the end of November 1986 and the end of January 1987 as a temporary solution with the twelve compulsory stakes in series on the left was limited. Otherwise, Van Den Hauwe or Paul Power him were mostly preferred. Nevertheless, he had thus accumulated enough parts for obtaining an official medal. Although he mainly in the second half showed his most enduring achievements in Everton in the 1987/88 season, he stood in the pecking order further behind Van den Hauwe back. As this for season 1989/90 left the club and the previously purchased right-back in Neil McDonald was pulled after eight initial missions Pointons on the left side, whose imminent departure announced, finally in July 1990 with the transfer to Erstligakonkurrenten Manchester City for a fee of 600,000 pounds, and in exchange for Andy Hinchcliffe was sealed.
Manchester City and Oldham Athletic (1990-1995)
In the two years for the "Citizens" Pointon was a regular player and with a late winner in his second against Aston Villa he conquered rapidly the heart of the new trailer. Its up to date athletic successful year he spent in the 1991/92 season, when he key player in a team's 39 league inserts a second time captured fifth place as last year and the club, three years after the re-emergence in the English top flight established.
As the Premier League went to the 1992/93 season in their first year, Pointon hired at that time active in the English top league Oldham Athletic at under coach Joe Royle. There he was with his strong tackling in defense and the edge runs in the offensive an important factor in the fight to avoid relegation and after a brief "rescue" in the first year he went into the season 1993/94 with the ' Latics ' last but one in the second division from. He remained there for the club to receive further and denied until October 1995 a further 36 league games. Special attention was given to the media its long gash from the encounter against Port Vale, which measured more than 40 cm. After four operations in the first six games in the 1995/96 season sorted him the coach Graeme Sharp - former teammate of Pointon in Everton - then out and the beginning of October 1995, it can draw this for him 50,000 pounds to the Scottish first division club Heart of Midlothian.
Recent career stations (1995-2001)
In the remaining games of the season Pointon contributed 22 league games and three gates. To this end, he reached with the "Hearts " the final of the Scottish Cup, which was lost with 1:5 against Glasgow Rangers. In addition to its traditional position of left-back held Pointon in Edinburgh even more offensive roles and as a left attacking midfielder, he went in August 1996 in the qualifiers against Red Star Belgrade in the European Cup Winners' Cup, in which the Hearts after two draws (0-0, 1-1 ) were eliminated on the away goals rule. Pointons commitment in Scotland lasted until the summer of 1998. It took his club in May 1998 after a 2-1 playoff victory against the Rangers in the FA Cup without him successfully revenge for the defeat two years earlier and returned following Pointon free transfer back to England for the local third division side FC Walsall.
In the " Saddlers " he was immediately leading player, missed in the 1998/99 season only three games and took over in the second half, the captain's armband. Then he offered his new employer after promotion to the second division, the extension of his first laid out to one year contract. Until November 1999, he remained on his left defense initially continued regulars before Gino Padula ousted him and Pointon thereupon after the turn of the third division side FC Chesterfield joined. In Chesterfield he helped on his debut to finish with a 1-0 win against Brentford FC, a series of 21 games without a win. In the relegation battle he seemed to be an important player before an injury forced him breaks and he therefore no longer decisive was used on the way to descent on the last place. Then his contract ran out in Chesterfield and his further career in the Football Conference to Hednesford Town. In the semi-professional club he sat down next to his players function the first time the role of the head coach true. This first experience ended in disappointing with a further descent as Table in the spring of 2001.
Title / Awards
- English Championship ( 1): 1987
- Charity Shield ( 1): 1987