Neil Andrew Heaney was born in
Middlesbrough on 3 November 1971. He played football for
Teesside schools before being signed by London club
Arsenal on schoolboy forms in January 1987. While still at school, he was part of the side that won the
FA Youth Cup in
1987–88, After spells
on loan at
Hartlepool United and
Cambridge United, he made his Arsenal debut as a
substitute against
Sheffield United on 18 April 1992. Heaney made 61 league appearances for Southampton in two and a half seasons, scoring five goals, He left for
Scottish Premier League club
Dundee United for a £175,000 fee in July 2000. He lasted 18 months and made just eight starts before leaving by mutual consent; club chairman
Jim McLean mentioned him in a list of "players on wages that didn't match what they gave the club in return". He returned to English football with
Plymouth Argyle, managed by
Paul Sturrock who had signed him for Dundee United, but lasted less than a year of his 18-month contract before recurrent knee problems forced his retirement. ==Personal life==