Joe Neal (born 22 October 2000) is an English semi-professional footballer who plays as a forward for Needham Market.
Playing career Cambridge United Neal joined the Cambridge United Academy in 2008 and signed his first two-and-a-half-year professional contract in February 2019. He was handed the contract after impressing on loan at Southern League Premier Division Central side Royston Town the previous month. He made his debut in first-team football on 19 January, in a 1–0 defeat at Kettering Town and scored a brace on his home debut three days later in a 4–4 draw with Lowestoft Town. In total he scored three goals in 18 games for Steve Castle's "Crows".
He began the 2019–20 season on loan at Needham Market, having scored a brace for the club in a pre-season friendly. He went on to score five goals in 29 appearances for Richard Wilkins's "Marketmen". He played four games on loan at St Neots Town in January 2020; "Saints" manager Barry Corr said that "I expect him to score goals".
He was loaned out to Biggleswade Town and scored a hat-trick in a 7–4 win over Leiston on 29 September 2020. He was recalled to Cambridge after the 2020–21 season was cancelled at Southern League level due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England, having scored five goals in ten games for Chris Nunn's "Waders". He made his first-team debut for Cambridge on 10 November 2020, coming on as a 79th-minute substitute for Harvey Knibbs in a 1–1 draw with Peterborough United in an EFL Trophy game at the Abbey Stadium; Cambridge went on to lose the penalty shoot-out 3–1.
On 17 May 2021, Cambridge United announced they would not be offering Neal a new contract.
Biggleswade Town Neal signed permanently for Biggleswade Town on 2 August 2021.
St Albans City Neal signed permanently for St Albans City on 15 February 2022.
AFC Sudbury Neal signed permanently for AFC Sudbury on 1 July 2023.
Style of play Neal is a free-kick specialist.
Statistics
ClubSeasonLeagueFA CupLeague CupOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsCambridge United2018–19EFL League Two00000000002019–20EFL League Two00000000002020–21EFL League Two0000001010Total0000001010Royston Town (loan)2018–19Southern League Premier Division Central161002200183Needham Market (loan)2019–20Southern League Premier Division Central191314132295St Neots Town (loan)2019–20Southern League Division One Central4200000042Biggleswade Town (loan)2020–21Southern League Premier Division Central85100010105Total4794163526215Biggleswade Town2021–22Southern League Premier Division Central26111021333115St Albans City2021–22National League South160000000160St Albans City2022–23National League South362000000362A.F.C. Sudbury2023–24Southern League Premier Division Central34142100213815A.F.C. Sudbury2024–25Southern League Premier Division Central0000000000Career total15936728410618347
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