Neil Doherty
Encyclopedia
Neil Doherty is a former English
professional
footballer from Barrow-in-Furness
, Lancashire
. Doherty played as a winger
. As well as having two spells at Barrow
, his home-town club, Doherty played with Watford
, Birmingham City
, Northampton Town and Kidderminster Harriers.
Doherty began his career with Watford, though never played a professional game for the club. He signed for Barrow in 1990 under the late Ray Wilkie and became part of the FA Trophy
winning squad. After Barrow were relegated from the Conference National
in 1992, Doherty initially remained with the team. However, promotion was not forthcoming and he was sold to Birmingham for £40 000 in 1994, having made over 300 appearances for the club. He was with the Birmingham team for two seasons, winning Division Two and the Football League Trophy
in 1995. During this period, however, Doherty was never a first choice player, and he left having made 23 league appearances for the club.
After a spell on loan to Northampton Town at the end of his time with Birmingham, Doherty joined Kidderminster Harriers of the Conference for the start of the 1996/97 season. Doherty's time with the club was initially successful, with his 14 goals earning him an England Semi-Professional cap in 1997. Doherty fell out of favour, however, and in 1998 played on loan with Barrow, who were briefly back in the Football Conference. He left Kidderminster at the end of the 1998/99 season, and moved to Barrow permanently in August 1999. He played his last few seasons with the club but had noticeable lost pace, and he retired at the end of the 2001/02 season, having made a total of 446 appearances for Barrow.
Since retiring, Doherty has coached at and represented Barrow within the local community. He now runs the InsideOut Soccer Schools for children in Barrow.
With Birmingham City
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
professional
Professional
A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...
footballer from Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness is an industrial town and seaport which forms about half the territory of the wider Borough of Barrow-in-Furness in the county of Cumbria, England. It lies north of Liverpool, northwest of Manchester and southwest from the county town of Carlisle...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. Doherty played as a winger
Winger (sport)
In certain sports, such as football, field hockey, ice hockey, handball, rugby union, lacrosse and rugby league, the term winger is the name of a position. It refers to positions on the extreme left and right sides of the pitch . In American football and Canadian football, the analogous position...
. As well as having two spells at Barrow
Barrow A.F.C.
Barrow A.F.C. are an English football club founded in 1901 based in the town of Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria. Following promotion at the end of the 2007–08 season, they currently play in the Conference National. The club spent over fifty years in the Football League between 1921 and 1972, and have...
, his home-town club, Doherty played with Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
, Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
, Northampton Town and Kidderminster Harriers.
Doherty began his career with Watford, though never played a professional game for the club. He signed for Barrow in 1990 under the late Ray Wilkie and became part of the FA Trophy
FA Trophy
The Football Association Challenge Trophy, commonly known as the FA Trophy, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association and competed for primarily by semi-professional teams...
winning squad. After Barrow were relegated from the Conference National
Conference National
Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
in 1992, Doherty initially remained with the team. However, promotion was not forthcoming and he was sold to Birmingham for £40 000 in 1994, having made over 300 appearances for the club. He was with the Birmingham team for two seasons, winning Division Two and the Football League Trophy
Football League Trophy
The Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
in 1995. During this period, however, Doherty was never a first choice player, and he left having made 23 league appearances for the club.
After a spell on loan to Northampton Town at the end of his time with Birmingham, Doherty joined Kidderminster Harriers of the Conference for the start of the 1996/97 season. Doherty's time with the club was initially successful, with his 14 goals earning him an England Semi-Professional cap in 1997. Doherty fell out of favour, however, and in 1998 played on loan with Barrow, who were briefly back in the Football Conference. He left Kidderminster at the end of the 1998/99 season, and moved to Barrow permanently in August 1999. He played his last few seasons with the club but had noticeable lost pace, and he retired at the end of the 2001/02 season, having made a total of 446 appearances for Barrow.
Since retiring, Doherty has coached at and represented Barrow within the local community. He now runs the InsideOut Soccer Schools for children in Barrow.
Honours
With Barrow:- FA TrophyFA TrophyThe Football Association Challenge Trophy, commonly known as the FA Trophy, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association and competed for primarily by semi-professional teams...
- 1990
With Birmingham City
- Football League Division Two - 1994/95
- Football League TrophyFootball League TrophyThe Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
- 1995