Neil Shipperley

Chelsea

Shipperley got his break in football at the age of 15, when playing for Spartan League side Brook House in the Middlesex Charity Cup. The tournament's patron, celebrity astrologer Russell Grant, was friends with Chelsea chairman Ken Bates, whose club sent a team to the tournament. Shipperley bettered Chelsea centre-back Frank Sinclair for strength and pace, and was scouted by the club. An article in The Independent in January 1994 predicted that Shipperley could become Chelsea's first homegrown star striker since Peter Osgood in the 1960s. In the inaugural Premier League season of 1992–93, Shipperley made his professional debut towards the end of the campaign. On 10 April, he came on as a 65th-minute substitute for Robert Fleck in a 1–0 loss at his future club Southampton, and two days later on his first start and first game at Stamford Bridge he scored their last goal in a 4–2 win against Wimbledon.

Southampton and Crystal Palace

Shipperley was signed for Southampton by Alan Ball for a record fee of £1.25 million on 6 January 1995. New manager Graeme Souness signed Norwegian Egil Østenstad, prompting Shipperley to drop to the First Division by signing for Crystal Palace for a £1 million fee in October 1996. He scored 13 times for the Eagles over the rest of the season as they were promoted via the play-offs, including one on 10 May in a 3–1 home win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the first leg of the semi-finals. In 1997–98, he scored seven times…

On 20 May 2009, it was announced that Shipperley had become manager of Bedfont in the Combined Counties League. In the summer of 2010, Shipperley was appointed manager of Walton Casuals in the Isthmian League Division One South. In October 2011, after 15 months in the role he re resigned from the role. On Boxing Day 2011, Shipperley was confirmed as the successor to Steve Ringrose at North Greenford United a post he held until May 2012 when he resigned to look for management experience at a higher level, though he returned in October 2012 following the sacking of Jon-Barrie Bates. He made an appearance as a player against Leighton Town in the final game of the 2012–13 season. Shipperley's second spell as manager at North Greenford United came to an end when he resigned in February 2014 following a 4–1 defeat to Dunstable Town.

Shipperley's father was Dave Shipperley, who played for many years at centre back for Charlton Athletic and Gillingham. In December 2019, Shipperley was found guilty of public masturbation and intentionally exposing himself to a mother and her 16-year-old daughter. He was given a 12-month community order, ordered to complete 120 hours' unpaid work plus costs and compensation. He was also made subject to a five-year sexual offences notification requirement order. Shipperley had been receiving counselling for personal issues, including the death of his father and gambling addiction, as well as debts.

Crystal Palace

Football League First Division play-offs: 1997, 2004