Neil Duffy

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Cornelius “Neil” Duffy (born 5 June 1967) is a Scottish football coach and former professional player. He played mainly as a defender and midfielder for Dundee United, Falkirk, Dundee, Ayr United and Dumbarton. He later moved into coaching and management.

Early life
Duffy was born in Glasgow and grew up in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. His father, also named Neil Duffy, was a professional footballer in Scotland and South Africa. Neil started playing local amateur football with Shamrocks, where his father coached.

Playing career
He began his professional career with Dundee United at age 17 after a first‑team trial in 1985, but homesickness sent him back to South Africa for a time. He later returned to Dundee United and also played for Shamrocks. Duffy had spells with Falkirk (1990–1993), Dundee (1993–1996), Dundee United again (1996–1999), Ayr United (1999–2002) and Dumbarton (2002–2004). While with Dundee, he helped the team reach the 1995 Scottish League Cup Final. He also played for Ayr United in two Scottish Cup semi‑finals and the 2002 League Cup Final. Duffy finished his playing career at Dumbarton, retiring in 2004 after his last appearance, which ended with a red card.

Coaching and management
After retiring, Duffy worked with Ayr United’s youth academy. He became Troon’s under-19 coach in May 2013, then assistant manager in August 2015. He left Troon in December 2015 and was named manager of Whitletts Victoria on December 15, 2015, a role he held until resigning in January 2018. He later became manager of Viewfield Rovers in the SSMAFL.