38 Facts About Neil Aspin

Neil Aspin was born on 12 April 1965 and is an English football manager and former player.

Neil Aspin made his debut in the English Football League for Leeds United at the age of 16 in February 1982, which would be his only appearance in the First Division.

Neil Aspin played in the 1996 Anglo-Italian Cup final defeat to Genoa.

Neil Aspin spent July 1999 to January 2001 with Third Division side Darlington.

Neil Aspin played in play-off final defeats with Leeds, Port Vale and Darlington.

Neil Aspin played non-League football at Harrogate Town until retiring as a player in 2004, and then managed the club from January 2005 to April 2009.

Neil Aspin was appointed as manager of FC Halifax Town in April 2009.

Neil Aspin spent two years at Gateshead before he was installed as Port Vale manager in October 2017.

Neil Aspin signed with the club as a schoolboy at the age of 14 and became an apprentice at age 16.

Neil Aspin attended Heathfield Senior High School and won Durham County Schools honours and had trials for England Schoolboys.

Neil Aspin was the subject of a documentary in the Rowan's Report series, aired on ITV on 9 August 1982, a series which focused on some of the country's most successful children.

Neil Aspin played in the game after he postponed his wedding, which had been scheduled to take place on the day of the semi-final.

Port Vale were preparing for their first Second Division campaign in 32 years when Neil Aspin arrived at the club.

Neil Aspin immediately established himself as a firm favourite with the supporters at Vale Park, taking the club's player of the year award and most of the other club's awards at the end of the campaign.

Neil Aspin was voted Player of the Year for a second time for his performances across 51 appearances that season.

Neil Aspin was elected to the divisional Team of the Season, as voted for by members of the Professional Footballers' Association.

Neil Aspin was then handed a free transfer by new manager Brian Horton, who had replaced long-serving John Rudge in January 1999.

Neil Aspin had made 410 league and cup appearances in his ten years at the club and enjoyed a testimonial match featuring Vale supporting pop-star Robbie Williams.

Neil Aspin remained in the English Football League after leaving Port Vale, signing with Darlington in July 1999.

Neil Aspin played ten league games as the "Pools" reached the Third Division play-offs, where they were defeated by Blackpool at the semi-final stage.

Neil Aspin worked as manager John Reed's assistant as he wound down his playing career to focus on coaching.

Neil Aspin was expected to return to Darlington as a defensive coach, only for the move to fall through after the club reversed its decision.

Neil Aspin was popular with supporters due to his commitment and hard-working style of play, which made up for his lack of technical skill.

Neil Aspin was nicknamed "Skull" by Leeds fans, having suffered from hair loss at an early age.

Neil Aspin returned to former club Harrogate Town in his first management role on 18 January 2005.

On 28 April 2009, Neil Aspin was appointed manager of Northern Premier League Division One North club FC Halifax Town.

Neil Aspin was named as Manager of the Month for October 2011 after winning five of their six games.

Neil Aspin was sacked on 17 September 2015 following what the board described as "a prolonged period of indifferent results stretching back to February 2015".

On 27 November 2015, it was announced that Neil Aspin was to be appointed manager of National League club Gateshead on 30 November after signing an 18-month contract.

Neil Aspin stated it was "lovely to come back" to his hometown club.

Neil Aspin signed an extended two-year contract in August 2016.

Neil Aspin was named National League Manager of the Month for February 2017 after leading Gateshead to within touching distance of the play-offs with a series of victories.

Neil Aspin said that his new squad was too big with 33 senior professionals at the club, and added that he would try to find a formation to suit the players at his disposal and that he wanted the team to push further forward to support target-man striker Tom Pope.

Neil Aspin signed a new two-and-a-half-year contract with the club in December 2017.

Neil Aspin remarked that the four centre-backs brought in did not cost the club much financially, and that he would have liked to have strengthened in other areas "but for one reason or another it just hasn't happened".

Neil Aspin has stated that he wants his players to be "honest" by not feigning injury or otherwise attempting to cheat and that he tries to be respectful towards officials.

Neil Aspin has a reputation for honesty in dealing with the media, giving fair assessments of his team's performances.

Neil Aspin married Dianne and had a son, Alex, and daughter, Chloe.