neil sullivan - fact file

2000 - 2005        goalkeeper

FULL NAME :  NEIL SULLIVAN

 

Born on 24th February 1970 in Sutton, Surrey, England.

Height : -  1.91m  (6' 3")

Weight : -  - kgs    (st lbs)

 
Agile keeper, who gave Spurs good service in the three years he was at White Hart Lane, but failed to reach those heights after he left the club.

Started with his local club Wimbledon and rose through the youth teams and reserves to make the gloves his own.  Rose to national attention in the Wimbledon side of the 1990s and his displays earned him recognition by his peers, as he went into the PFA Team of the season in 1998.  But within two years, Wimbledon's relegation in the 1999-2000 season, saw Spurs moved to sign the keeper and he took over the number one shirt from Ian Walker.

A solid keeper, who was fit, but not always great on crosses, Sullivan's time at the club spanned a tumultuous period in management terms, with him being signed by George Graham, having Glenn Hoddle come in to replace him and there was the club being taken over by ENIC during the same time.

So, the team was in flux and while a squad worthy of a challenge towards the top of the table was assembled, it rarely got the consistency needed to do so.  The closest to success came in the League Cup in 2002, when Spurs lost out to Blackburn Rovers in the final.

With David Pleat taking over as caretaker for the bulk of the 2003-2004 season, Neil dropped out of contention and on leaving Spurs, Neil signed for Chelsea, but only got a handful of games before heading for Leeds United, where he replaced Spurs bound Paul Robinson and was at Elland Road for three years, before his time there was soured by claims of him being over-weight by the management and his loan out to Doncaster, who he joined permanently when his contract with Leeds expired.

Spent the last years of his career at the Keepmoat stadium and won promotion with the side to the Championship, where they established themselves with some good football and with plenty of saves by Sullivan.  In 2013, he left his playing days behind him to take up a role as goalkeeping coach at Leeds United's Academy.

NICKNAME : 

Career Record
 
Club Signed Fee Debut Apps Goals
Wimbledon 1988 ?? ??  225 0
Crystal Palace 1992 Loan ??  1 0
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 2000 ?? 19th August 2000 v Ipswich Town (Premier League) (home)  won 3-1 81 0
Chelsea 2003 ?? ??  ?? 0
Leeds United 2004 ?? ??  ?? 0
Doncaster Rovers 2007 ?? ??  ?? 0
AFC Wimbledon 17th November 2012 Loan ??  ?? ??
- ?? ?? ??  ?? ??

Career Record
Wimbledon
182 League appearances; 0 goals
25 FA Cup appearances; 0 goals
18 League Cup appearances; 0 goals
?? Other appearances; 0 goals
Crystal Palace (loan)
1 League appearance; 0 goals
0 FA Cup appearances; 0 goals
0 League Cup appearances; 0 goals
0 Other appearances; 0 goals
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
64 League appearances; 0 goals
9 FA Cup appearances; 0 goals
8 League Cup appearances; 0 goals
- Other appearances; 0 goals
Chelsea

- League appearances; 0 goals
- FA Cup appearances; 0 goals
- League Cup appearances; 0 goals
- Other appearances; 0 goals
Leeds United

- League appearances; 0 goals
- FA Cup appearances; 0 goals
- League Cup appearances; 0 goals
- Other appearances; 0 goals
Doncaster Rovers
- League appearances; 0 goals
- FA Cup appearances; 0 goals
- League Cup appearances; 0 goals
- Other appearances; 0 goals
AFC Wimbledon (loan)

- League appearances; goals
- FA Cup appearances; goals
- League Cup appearances; goals
- Other appearances; goals

Honours
Scotland international
12 full caps;  0 goals
?? Under-21 caps; ?? goals
League Cup runners-up medal 2001-2002   (THFC)
Johnstones Paint Trophy winners medal 2007   (Doncaster Rovers)
Selected in the PFA Premier League team of 1997-1998

Milestones
- appearance

           

2000  (THFC programme)

Moved to Spurs because he felt it was time for a change after 14 years at Wimbledon, since his schooldays.

Chose Tottenham over other clubs interested in him because he wanted to keep progressing and developing and he felt that Spurs was the best place to do that.  And he wanted to play for a massive club.

Qualified for Scotland as his grandfather was born in Partick, although Neil and his father were born in Sutton, Surrey.

Brother Michael used to play for Corinthian Casuals.

As a youngster played as a midfielder in Sunday football and played anywhere at school.

Played for Merton Borough.

Spotted playing for Merton Borough by Wimbledon and went to play for them, but had to forget about playing on field.

Biggest differences between Spurs and Wimbledon were the training facilities (Spurs have a state-of-the-art facility, while the Dons train on a common) and the kit (he got two sets of kit each day for training, whereas at Wimbledon, he was afraid to ask for things, as he knew he wouldn't get them).

Wimbledon's way of playing was all he had ever known and it was successful until last season, when they got relegated.  Neil said it is only when you come to a club like Spurs where "it's ultra professional and all geared towards the players and 3:00 p.m. Saturday afternoon to truly appreciate the gulf."

Spurs goalkeeping coach Hans Segers kept him out of the Wimbledon team when he was there and Pat Jennings' junior was a young keeper at the club too.

Lost about half a stone on advice of Spurs coaches before season started .. by not eating !

Married to Julie and expecting first child.

Waiting to move into a house in Loughton.

 

 

What they said about Neil Sullivan
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What Neil Sullivan said about ...
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             Appearances

Season League FA Cup League Cup UEFA Cup
1990-1991 (Wimbledon) 1 - - -
1991-1992 (Wimbledon) 1 - - -
1992-1993 (Wimbledon) 1 - - -
1993-1994 (Wimbledon) 1 + 1 as a sub - - -
1994-1995 (Wimbledon) 11 - - -
1995-1996 (Wimbledon) 16 8 - -
1996-1997 (Wimbledon) 36 7 7 -
1997-1998 (Wimbledon) 38 5 1 -
1998-1999 (Wimbledon) 38 3 5 -
1999-2000 (Wimbledon) 37 2 5 -
2000-2001 (THFC) 35 5 3 -
2000-2002 (THFC) 29 4 5 -
2002-2003 (THFC) - - - -
2003-2004 (Chelsea) 4 1 2 -
2004-2005 (Leeds) 46 1 3 -
2005-2006 (Leeds) 45 2 3 -
2006-2007 (Doncaster Rovers) 16 - - -
2007-2008 (Doncaster Rovers) 49 2 3 -
2008-2009 (Doncaster Rovers) 46 4 1 -
2009-2010 (Doncaster Rovers) 45 2 - -
2010-2011 (Doncaster Rovers) 30 2 1 -
2011-2012 (Doncaster Rovers) - - - -

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