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Players Index Page Last Updated
12 August 2025
 
 

Bobby McNeal

West Bromwich Albion FC

2 appearances, 0 goals

P 2 W 1 D 0 L 1 F 3: A 3
50% successful

1914

captain: none
minutes played:
180

Timeline

  Robert McNeal
Birth Thursday, 15 January 1891 at 11 Hobson Colliery in Tanfield, County Durham
  registered in Lanchester January-March 1891
Baptism Sunday, 15 February 1891 in Burnopfield
 

According to the 1891 census, Three-month old Robert is the only child of John and Hannah Elizabeth (née) Bell. They live with her widowed mother, Elizabeth Bell, at an unnamed street in Hobson. His father is a coal miner.

 

According to the 1901 census, Robert is the eldest of three children now living at 9 Bowes Street in Burnopsfield Colliery. His father is still working in the coal mines.

 

According to the 1911 census, Robert is now a professional footballer boarding with the Rhodes family at 23 Alfred Street in West Bromwich. He is one of three Albion footballers, alongside Bob Pailor and John Marshall.

Marriage to Emily Elizabeth Howell, on Tuesday, 25 February 1913, at Christ Church in West Bromwich, Staffordshire, living at 33 High Street in Smethwick
  registered in West Bromwich January-March 1913
Children Bobby and Emily McNeal have at least two daughters together. Rita Marion (b.1914) and Jeanne Lily (b.5 August 1921).
  According to the 1921 census, Robert, a professional footballer (for West Bromwich Albion FC), is now married to Emily Elizabeth and they have one daughter, Rita. They live at 115 Brompton Lane in West Bromwich.
His father died on 4 December 1925.
  According to the 1939 register, Robert, a beer house keeper and manager, and Emily E. are still married, living at 15 Dudley Street in West Bromwich, along with their daughter, Jeanne.
Their daughter, Rita, died at the end of 1940. His mother died in the spring of 1953.
Death Tuesday, 15 May 1956 at 2 Dagger Lane in West Bromwich, Staffordshire, of Congestive Cardiac Failure, Hypertension and Arteriosclerosis
aged 65 years 121 days registered in West Bromwich April-June 1956
Obituary
 
Funeral  
  His wife, Emily, died in Great Barr, 19 June 1978

Source

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] &

Playing Career

Club(s) Played for Hobson Wanderers FC before being picked up by West Bromwich Albion FC in June 1910. He guested for Port Vale FC and Middlesbrough FC during the war period. Eventually retired through injury in May 1926.
League honours
370 appearances, 9 goals
West Bromwich Albion FC 1910-24 370 appearances, 9 goals
debut (division two): 8 October 1910 West Bromwich Albion FC 2 Leeds City AFC 0.
last: 27 December 1924 Notts County FC 0 West Bromwich Albion FC 2.

Club honours
Football League Division Two winners 1910-11 (29ᵃ 1ᵍ);  Division One Champions 1919-20 (42ᵃ 2ᵍ), runners-up 1924-25 (12ᵃ);
FA Cup runners-up 1911-12 (8ᵃ);
FA Charity Shield winners 1920;
Individual honours Football League (five appearances)
Distinctions None
Height/Weight 5' 6", 10st. 10lbs [1912].

Source

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990].

England Career

Player number One of three who became the 379th players (380) to appear for England.
Position(s) Left-half
First match No. 118, 16 March 1914, Wales 0 England 2, a British Championship match at Ninian Park, Sloper Road, Cardiff, aged 23 years 60 days.
Last match No. 119, 4 April 1914, Scotland 3 England 1, a British Championship match at Hampden Park, Mount Florida, Glasgow, aged 23 years 79 days.
Major tournaments British Championship 1913-14
Team honours None
Individual honours None
Distinctions None

Beyond England

After retiring from playing, McNeal coached West Bromwich Albion FC for a spell. Afterwards, he became a West Bromwich licensee. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.165.

 

Bob McNeal - Career Statistics
Squads Apps comp. apps Mins. Goals goals ave.min comp. goals Capt. Disc.
2 2 2 180 0 0 min 0 none none
minutes are an approximation, due to the fact that many matches rarely stick to exactly ninety minutes long, allowing time for injuries and errors.

 

Bob McNeal - Match Record - All Matches - By Type of Match
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
Away - British Championship 2 1 0 1 3 3 =0 0 1 1.50 1.50 50.0 =0
All 2 1 0 1 3 3 =0 0 1 1.50 1.50 50.0 =0

 

Bob McNeal - Match Record - Tournament Matches
British Championship Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1913-14 2 1 0 1 3 3 =0 0 1 1.50 1.50 50.0 =0
BC All 2 1 0 1 3 3 =0 0 1 1.50 1.50 50.0 =0
All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 2 1 0 1 3 3 =0 0 1 1.50 1.50 50.0 =0
All 2 1 0 1 3 3 =0 0 1 1.50 1.50 50.0 =0

 

Bob McNeal - Match History
 Club: West Bromwich Albion F.C. - 2 full appearances

F.A. International Select Committee - 2 full capsx

Age 23
1 118 16 March 1914 - Wales 0 England 2, Ninian Park, Cardiff BC AW Start lh
2 119 4 April 1914 - Scotland 3 England 1, Hampden Park, Glasgow AL Start lh

Notes

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CG