Dixie - The Autobiography of Dixie McNeil: The Story of a Wrexham Legend

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This biography of Dixie McNeil captures the genius of the football legend who shot to prominence in the 1970s. It was Wrexham’s second trip to St James’ Park in the FA Cup that season, having faced Newcastle in the previous round - after drawing 2-2 in the previous leg, Wrexham won the replay 2-1. Then, from a re-taken corner, McNeil bundled in the equaliser and it was back to the North East for another replay. Having spent the season giant killing it looked as though they were about to become the victim themselves as non league Blyth Spartans led 1-0 at the Racecourse Ground with the game entering injury time. At the age of 36, he signed for Chirk AAA in the Welsh National League before becoming Wrexham manager in 1985 and helping the club win the Welsh Cup and do well in the European Cup Winners' Cup.

Despite scoring in one third of the matches he played, he was released at the end of the season, dropping down into the Southern League with Corby Town, who were relegated in McNeil's first season. So did Wrexham for whom McNeil is one of a number of links with the Sky Blues, who lifted the FA Cup under Sillett in 1987. However, his optimism is tempered by the knowledge that, despite a loyal following, the competition faced by Wrexham from the four major premiership clubs based in neighbouring Liverpool and Manchester is making it increasingly difficult to attract regular sizeable attendances. In 1985, with his squad decimated by injury, McNeil made a brief appearance as a substitute at Notts County in an FA Cup replay.Dixie McNeil was approaching 30 now and his goalscoring exploits were not enough to provoke interest from the first division. The former Southampton and England winger still had the brains and the touch to lead opponents at this level a merry dance and in McNeil he found the ideal man to profit from his probings. You have to try and read where the other player is going to deliver the ball and you have to attack the space either in front or behind the defender.

McNeil scored again and gave Willie Young a torrid time in a highly physical duel but the Gunners came through to win a thriller 3-2. Les went to take the corner, the flag fell and the linesman told him that he’d have to take it again. Dixie’s work for the BBC and Air Ambulance Wales and incidents from his seven football clubs also feature. Many of the published autobiographies of footballers tend to glamorise the game, but this work, written in collaboration with Peter Read, is very much the story of football at the sharper end. Dixie McNeil had to sit out the clubs excellent march to the 5th round of the League Cup and eventual defeat by Liverpool as he was cup tied after playing in the competition for Hereford.He then joined fellow Fourth Division side Lincoln City in January 1972, where he continued to score goals, 53 of them in 97 league appearances. Most purchases from business sellers are protected by the Consumer Contract Regulations 2013 which give you the right to cancel the purchase within 14 days after the day you receive the item. In 1966 Leicester allowed the nineteen year old McNeil to leave on a free transfer and he moved to Exeter City in the fourth division.

Making his debut against Wrexham, where he was later a great success, on 20 August 1966 he went on to score eleven goals in his only season at St James' Park. McNeil scored in every round that season – in 2-0 wins at home to Burton Albion, and away at Preston and another against Bristol City in a 3-0 replay win after the first leg at Ashton Gate ended in a thrilling 4-4 draw. This biography of Dixie McNeil captures the genius of the football legend who shot tp prominence in the 1970s. On the announcement of his retirement the Shropshire Stars’ David Lovett commented that McNeil “had a tremendous sense of humour,” and added that “now he won’t have to take his teeth out when he goes to work.The third time, I headed the ball in from two yards out at the back post, everyone else seemed to miss it. Overseeing it all was John Sillett, a big, bubbly character who McNeil admitted to being scared of when the team lost.