Veteran defender Scott Neville is readying to hang up his playing boots for the final time after announcing his retirement. The 36-year old will bring the curtain down on an 18-year professional career when Brisbane Roar face off with his former club Western Sydney Wanderers tonight.
The outing will provide Scott the opportunity to cap his A-League career by reaching 300 league appearances, becoming just the eleventh player in the competition’s 20-year history to reach that milestone. It will also mark his return from an eleven-month injury lay-off after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament.
“Well, after 18 incredible years in the A-League, I’ve made the decision to retire,” Scott said upon the confirmation of his decision. “The reality is that I can no longer contribute at the level I would like and following major ACL surgery last season it feels like the right time to hang up the boots.”
“I am forever grateful to Brisbane Roar for their support during this transition and for giving me the opportunity to return to the pitch after such a significant injury at my age. Not everyone gets the chance to retire on their own terms or have a send-off in front of friends and family, and for that, I owe a great deal of gratitude to (Brisbane’s chief executive) Zac (Anderson) and (chairman) Kaz (Patafta) for their unwavering support.”
Scott progressed from junior to senior football with Sorrento before stepping onto the A-League stage with Perth Glory at the age of 19. Four seasons with his hometown club were highlighted by an appearance in the infamous 2011/12 Grand Final after which he spent three summers with Newcastle Jets, where he suffered an ACL injury in late 2013.
A move to Western Sydney for 2015/16 provided the right decision, Scott playing in a second Grand Final and, the following season, getting his first taste of Asian Champions League football. He figured prominently across two campaigns with Glory, winning the A-League Premiership and featuring in another Grand Final, both in 2018/19.
Scott then returned to Brisbane, where he played six seasons and collected an Australia Cup runners-up medal in 2023. That spell was interrupted by a season-long loan to Indian club East Bengal (2020/21) and a second ACL injury in early 2024. All up, Neville played 332 professional appearances, scoring 14 goals.
