Dixie McNeil

Who is Dixie McNeil?

Dixie McNeil is a former English footballer and manager, who played as a striker.

As a schoolboy, McNeil signed for his local club Leicester City F.C. after playing for local club Holwell Works. However he did not fit into the First Division side's plans and was released. He made his football league debut for Exeter City F.C. in the 1966-67 season against Wrexham, a club he would later play for and manage. Despite scoring in one third of the matches he played, he was released at the end of the season, dropping down into the Southern League with Corby Town, a club closer to home. However the club was relegated in Dixie's first season despite his goals, and the following season he caught the attention of Northampton Town who paid £5,000 for him in May 1969.

He spent two and a half seasons at the County Ground, scoring a goal in the famous FA Cup match against Manchester United, where George Best scored six times. He then joined fellow Fourth Division side Lincoln City F.C. where he really began to demonstrate his goalscoring abilities. Indeed he would be top scorer at a club for the next five seasons; twice at Lincoln and three times at Hereford United the club for whom he became something of a legend after signing for a £15,000 fee. He helped them achieve promotion to the Second Division, then the second tier of English football, in 1975-76. He was also the top goalscorer of the top four divisions of English football for that season. Hereford were to finish bottom of the Second Division despite Dixie scoring nearly a goal every other game.