Background

Born in Sheffield on December 1 1948, Neil spent most of his playing days as a winger at clubs in the north of England.

He began his career in 1967 at Chesterfield prior to spells at Rotherham United, Hartlepool United, Scunthorpe United, Aldershot and Barnsley.

In 1978 Neil had a taste of professional football management at York City, where he took charge for one game after joining as a player.

A year later he made his 326th and final career appearance having signed for Crewe Alexandra.

His first full managerial job was with Northern Premier League side Gainsborough Trinity in 1981, before taking charge of Burton Albion.

Neil's next assignment saw him manage Scarborough in August 1986. Within a year he he had led the North Yorkshire club into the Football League for the first time in their history.

This achievement, as well as stabilising Scarborough's position as a professional club, alerted Notts County, who made Neil their manager in January 1989.

Neil led County to promotion into the old Division Two at the end of his first full season at Meadow Lane, and he repeated the feat a year later as they made it into the top flight in the a season that also saw them reach the FA Cup Sixth Round.

Neil left County in 1993 and took charge of Huddersfield Town. After getting the club to Wembley in the Autoglass Trophy in his first season, Neil took the Terriers to the second tier a year later.

He then joined Plymouth and, once again, within a year he had spearheaded a promotion campaign, hauling Argyle out of the bottom flight via the play offs.

Spells at Oldham and Bury followed, before Neil was appointed manager of Sheffield United in December 1999.

In his seven years at Bramall Lane, Neil led United to FA Cup and League Cup Semi-Finals, the First Division Play-off Final and then, in May 2006, promotion to the Premier League.

After leaving the club the following summer, Neil released his autobiography, 'Made in Sheffield'.

He was named Palace manager on October 11 2007.

Managerial Honours

Promotions

1986-87 Conference. Winners (promotion to Division 4) - Scarborough.

1989-90 Division 3. Play-off winners (promotion to Division 2) - Notts County.

1990-91 Division 2. Play-off winners (promotion to Division 1) - Notts County.

1994-95 Division 2. Play-off winners (promotion to Division 1) - Huddersfield Town.

1995-96 Division 3. Play-off winners (promotion to Division 2) - Plymouth Argyle.

2005-06 Championship. Runners-up. (promotion to Premier League) Sheffield United.

Cups

1982-83 Northern Premier League. Challenge Cup winners - Burton Albion.

1993-94 Autoglass Trophy. Finalists - Huddersfield Town.

2002-03 FA Cup. Semi-finalists - Sheffield United.

2002-03 League Cup. Semi-finalists - Sheffield United.