Neil Finn (footballer)

Neil Finn (born 29 December 1978 in Rainham, Essex) is a former professional footballer. He played one game for West Ham United in the Premier League during the 1995-96 season, aged 17, becoming at that time the youngest player to ever to appear in a Premier League match. He remains the youngest goalkeeper to play in the Premier League.[2]

Neil Finn
Personal information
Date of birth (1978-12-29) 29 December 1978
Place of birth Rainham, Essex, England
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[1]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
West Ham United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995–1998 West Ham United 1 (0)
1998 → Dorchester Town (loan)
1998 Aldershot Town 0 (0)
2004–2010 Romford 126 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:21, 29 July 2021 (UTC)

Career

Finn was a product of the West Ham youth academy,[3] and began his professional career as a trainee in August 1995.[4] After just three reserve games,[3] he became the then youngest player to ever to appear in a Premiership match on New Year's Day 1996 against Manchester City, when first-choice goalkeeper Luděk Mikloško was suspended and Les Sealey was injured.[5] West Ham manager Harry Redknapp declared his anger with the league, saying they had lacked common sense in not allowing him to bring in a more experienced goalkeeper, and claimed he was told he must play an outfield player in goal.[5] Recalling the event in 2017, Finn remembered there was a lot of media attention, while the City fans chanted "who the fucking hell are you?",[6] and in an interview with a West Ham fansite praised Mikloško and Sealey for helping to settle his nerves before the match.[7]

He won a runners-up medal in the 1996 FA Youth Cup final with Frank Lampard and Rio Ferdinand.[3] He was offered a new contract in July 1997, but joined Dorchester Town on loan in March 1998 and was released by West Ham two months later.[4] After a period out of the game, he joined non-league side Romford in 2004.[8]

References
  1. "Neil Finn". Premier League. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  2. "Premier League stats: Arsenal's progress, the youngest player and Spurs see red". BBC Sport. 6 May 2019. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  3. Hogg, Tony (2005). Who's Who of West Ham United. Profile Sports Media. p. 82. ISBN 1-903135-50-8.
  4. "Neil Finn". Soccerbase. Racing Post. Retrieved 15 March 2008.
  5. Nixon, Alan (2 January 1996). "Redknapp is riled by goalkeeping controversy". The Independent. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  6. Tudor, Stephen (6 March 2017). "Heroes just for one day: What is it like to play in the Premier League?". The Set Pieces. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  7. "Exclusive Interview with Neil Finn-at the time-the youngest person to play in the Premier League". The West Ham Way. 11 April 2016. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  8. "Neil Finn". Romford F C Archive. Archived from the original on 23 July 2018. Retrieved 15 March 2008.
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