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Liam Christopher O'Neill (born 25 January 1974) is a professional English football coach, former full time and semi professional football player, and academy manager at Rugby Borough Academy of Football
Playing Career
editA midfielder, his playing career began at 12 years old at Coventry City School of Excellence (now Coventry City Academy) and spanned 19 years.
Spells as a youth team player at Mansfield Town (under Kevin Randall and John Grey) and Blackburn Rovers, making several reserve team appearances under Jim Furnell. His first for Blackburn Rovers was in an away fixture against Wigan Athletic. O’Neill became Cheltenham Town’s first ever full-time footballer in 1990, when ex Wolves goalkeeper Jim Barron, and former Derby County player Frank Upton, signed him as an apprentice during Arthur Hayward's chairmanship at Whaddon Road. He scored on his Robins 1st Team debut as a 16 year old in a preseason friendly at Bishops Cleeve, and made his Robins Ovenden Combination Reserve team debut against Bristol Rovers in a 0-6 defeat at Keynsham Town.
A Reserve team regular, scoring his first goal against AFC Bournemouth at Dean Court in a 1-2 defeat via the penalty spot, past “on loan” Tottenham goalkeeper Peter Guthrie in October 1990. Although called up into the Republic of Ireland U18 squad by Maurice Price in September 1990, he was forced to withdraw due to injury. Whilst at Cheltenham Town, in August 1991 he was given permission to play in former VS Rugby manager, Jimmy Knox’s testimonial game.[1]. United’s team included Bryan Robson, Andrei Kanchelskis, Gary Pallister, Mal Donaghy and Jim Leighton. Although resulting in a 1-0 victory he played the next evening for The Robins in a preseason game against Cheltenham Saracens, and sustained a double leg break and dislocated ankle after a challenge by Saracens midfielder Sean O'Brien. O’Neill spent 14 months side-lined and the next 18 months playing reserve team football in the Ovenden Combination.
He joined Southern Premier Division club Atherstone United on loan in 1993, then moved to Leicester Utd, scoring goals in their bid to avoid relegation, and making his debut against Bedworth Utd, scoring his first goal in a 4-2 victory against Tamworth. Scored 19 goals the following season before moving to Racing Club Warwick.
In December 1998 O’Neill signed for ex Cheltenham Town legend Nicky Jordan’s, Evesham United, his first appearance being on New Year's Day in a 0-0 draw at Common Road against Corby Town
A brief period at Bedworth Utd was followed by signing for his home town Southern League club[2], VS Rugby for a season, after which 18 months was spent at Ford Sports, with them eventually winning the United Counties League in July 2002.
Banbury United came next[3] under former QPR and Newcastle Utd’s Kevin Brocks in the Southern League Eastern Division.
A broken shoulder in a preseason match against Oxford United caused him to miss the opening weeks of the season, with O’Neill finally getting a start at home in a 4-1 victory over Ashford Town.
He scored his first goal for The Puritans in a 5-2 home victory against Spalding United.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Liam Christopher O'Neill | ||
| Date of birth | 25 January 1974 | ||
| Place of birth | Rugby, Warwickshire, UK. | ||
| Position(s) | Midfield | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Rugby Borough FC | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Years | Team | ||
| Mansfield Town | |||
| Blackburn Rovers | |||
| Cheltenham Town | |||
| 2022- Rugby Borough FC (Academy Manager/Director of Football) | |||
Banbury won promotion to the Southern League Premier Division in 2003-04 via the play offs, and celebrated an Oxfordshire Senior Cup win 3 days later.
Ankle problems blighted O’Neil[4] l for the next couple of seasons, including 2 ankle operations, before he re-joined Bedworth United in 2007.
Manager Martin Sockett left Bedworth United in October 2007 and O’Neill was given the managers role.
Management Career
editTaking over from Martin Sockett in 2007, O'Neill's first game in charge Southern League[5] Bedworth United was a 1-1 draw[6] in an away FA Trophy tie at Hillingdon Borough season 2007-2008.
In November 2009 he guided The Greenbacks to their furthest ever FA Cup run, losing 0-2 at Bootham Crescent to Martin Foyle’s, York City, in the 4th qualifying Round. He was sacked 4 weeks later in December 2009[7]
O’Neill then joined Shepshed Dynamo in December 2009 as Dave Stringer's assistant in the Northern Premier Division until May 2010.
He spent a season as Assistant Manager/Head Coach to former Port Vale and Bradford City defender Paul West at Evesham Utd in the Southern Premier Division in 2010-11.
In July of that year he once again moved on, to became Paul Holleran’s assistant manager[8] at Leamington FC[9]. Promotion from the Southern League Premier Division, to the Conference North followed in 2012-13. After finishing thirteenth in season 2012-13 the club were eventually relegated in 2015, and O’Neill parted company with the Brakes[10] in October of that year.
December 2015 saw O’Neill joining Conference North club, Corby Town, as ex Leicester City striker Tommy Wright’s assistant. On Wrights departure from Corby[11], O’Neill again moved clubs to take on the number 2 position at Stratford Town for a short period[12], before becoming 1st team Coach/Academy Manager at Nuneaton Borough FC, once again under manager Tommy Wright, and ex Nottingham Forest defender Steve Chettle. He spent time as assistant under Burton Albion manager Dino Maamria and former England international Gary Charles.
In 2018 O’Neill guided Nuneaton Borough U19 side to the National League title, winning the Premier League VAR Trophy (2018) and into the semi-final of the National League Cup, losing out to Boreham Wood.
O’Neill left Nuneaton Borough in May 2018[13] to build a brand new, full time football academy programme at Rugby Town FC, based at their Butlin Road site, with further education experts Morthyng Group.
Four seasons at Butlin Road saw his academy achieve 2 Premier League VAR Trophy victories at St. Georges Park in 2018 & 2019, an unbeaten National League U19 2019/2020 season, a Midland Youth League Eastern Division title (gaining promotion) plus a 60 year, record setting, FA Youth Cup 1st round proper appearance in 2019, losing 0-1 in extra time to Grimsby Town at Blundell Park.
In 2021 his U18 Youth Team beat EFL League One club Morecambe 2-0 in the 2nd round of the FA Youth Cup, before bowing out in the 3rd round to League one Cheltenham Town 0-4 at Butlin Rd.
O’Neill’s team were the only part-time football club in England to reach that stage in season 2019-2020.
During Casey Stoney’s tenure as Manchester United Women’s head coach in season 2020-21, O’Neill worked for her as an opposition analyst reporting on their future opponents.
In summer 2022 he moved his whole academy from Butlin Road to local rivals Rugby Borough FC, and their top class football facility at Kilsby Lane, under the name of Rugby Borough Academy of Football. As well as academy duties he is Head of Junior Football and Director of Senior Football.
O’Neill also runs his own individual development centre (one to one training) and has worked with a variety of players in grassroots football, as well as elite level players in the WSL (Manchester United’s Ella Toone, Leah Galton, Millie Turner, West Ham United’s Kirsty Smith and Birmingham City’s Mollie Green)
References
edit- ^ "Rugby Town FC | Official Website | 2012-13 | News | Valley Legend Jimmy Knox Passes Away". www.rugbytownfc.com. Retrieved 2023-01-06.
- ^ "Southern Football League (disambiguation)", Wikipedia, 2022-07-08, retrieved 2023-01-07
- ^ "From the Archives – 30th August 2004". www.banburyunitedfc.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-01-07.
- ^ "Football: Unhappy Sockett can't make the Greenbacks' numbers add up; NON-LEAGUE. - Free Online Library". www.thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 2023-01-06.
- ^ "Southern League Managers". www.google.com. Retrieved 2023-01-07.
- ^ "2007–08 FA Trophy", Wikipedia, 2022-07-22, retrieved 2023-01-07
- ^ "Cope takes 71THE TELEGRAPH, dream job at Bedworth; ZAMARETTO MIDLAND. - Free Online Library". www.thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 2023-01-07.
- ^ "O'Neill joins Leamington as coach". 2011-05-16. Retrieved 2023-09-30.
- ^ "O'Neill joins Leamington as coach". 2011-05-16. Retrieved 2023-01-07.
- ^ "News". Leamington FC's Independent Fanzine. Retrieved 2023-01-07.
- ^ "Tommy Wright (footballer, born 1984)", Wikipedia, 2022-11-04, retrieved 2023-01-07
- ^ "Stratford Town coach O'Neill leaves club". Stratford Herald. Retrieved 2023-01-19.
- ^ "DEPARTURE: Liam O'Neill Heads Home". www.pitchero.com. Retrieved 2023-01-07.