East Bengal: A look into the career of Australian defender Scott Neville

After a decade-long experience in the A-League, 31-year-old Australian right-back Scott Neville has joined East Bengal on a season-long deal and will compete in the 2020-21 Indian Super League (ISL) season.

Neville re-unites with his former boss at Brisbane Roar, Robbie Fowler, who has joined the Red and Golds as their manager this season. With over 200 A-League matches in his kitty, the defender brings a lot of experience to the ISL new entrants.

Debut

After graduating from Perth Glory’s youth system, Neville joined Sorrento FC in 2006 which competed in the National Premier Leagues Western Australia (a regional league). He spent two seasons there, playing 46 matches.

The defender returned to his parent club Perth Glory and made his professional debut for the club in 2008 against Central Coast Mariners. He was there at the club for the next four seasons, playing in 68 A-League matches. He scored four league goals during that time. He had also become the youngest ever player to captain an A-League side as he had led Perth Glory in 10 matches at the age of 21.

 In 2011, Neville was handed a trial opportunity with English club Portsmouth FC who were competing in the Championship at that time. The defender had trained for two-weeks with Pompey but couldn’t land a deal.

In 2012 he joined Newcastle Jets where he spent three seasons before heading to Western Sydney Wanderers ahead of the 2015-16 season.

He returned to Glory for two more seasons in 2017. During his second stint, he appeared in 41 league matches and scored two goals. He was also a part of Perth Glory’s A-League Premiers winning side in the 2018-19 season.

The defender has appeared in five AFC Champions League matches, four with Western Sydney Wanderers in 2017 and one with Perth Glory in 2018.

Before the start of the 2018-19 season, Perth Glory had played a pre-season friendly game against Premier League giants Chelsea FC in which Neville had featured.

International football

While Neville has never played for the Australian senior national side, he has represented the nation at the U20 and U23 level.

Last Stint

Scott Neville had joined Brisbane Roar from Perth Glory ahead of the 2019-20 A-League season. He appeared in 25 league games last year and had also scored two goals. They reached the semifinals of the Finals series.