Neil MacFarlane (born 10 October 1977) is a Scottish professional football coach and former player, who is head coach of Brentford B and Scotland U19. MacFarlane played as a defensive midfielder for a number of clubs at all four levels of the Scottish league system. After his retirement as a player in 2011, he became a coach and was appointed to his first managerial role at English non-League club Kidderminster Harriers in 2018. One year later, he was appointed head coach of Brentford B.
Though still recovering from a cruciate ligament injury suffered while an Airdrieonians player, MacFarlane signed a one-year contract with Scottish Premier League club Heart of Midlothian in July 2002, on a part-time wage.[8] He broke into the team in November 2002 and progressed sufficiently to sign an improved contract in January 2003.[9] MacFarlane signed a new two-year contract at the end of the 2004–05 season and was a regular member of the team through to the early months of the 2005–06 season,[10][11][12][13][14] when he fell out of favour under manager George Burley.[15] A move to Dundee United was blocked by the Hearts board in August 2005 and after suffering a knee injury,[16][17] he made just one appearance under Burley's successor,[14]Graham Rix, before departing the club in January 2006.[15] MacFarlane made 95 appearances and scored one goal during his 3+1⁄2 years at Tynecastle.[5]
Later career (2006–2011)
MacFarlane spent the second half of the 2005–06 season with Scottish Premier League club Aberdeen,[15] before signing a two-year contract with First Division club Gretna in May 2006.[18][19] Injuries restricted him to just eight appearances during the 2006–07 season,[20] but he still received a First Division winners' medal.[21] After his Gretna contract was terminated in May 2007,[20] MacFarlane moved to First Division club Queen of the South on a two-year contract.[22] He had two seasons as a mainstay of the Queens team,[23][24] reaching the 2008 Scottish Cup Final and qualifying for the UEFA Cup,[25] in which he had previously competed while a Hearts player.[12][13] MacFarlane wound down his career with spells at lower division clubs Greenock Morton, Airdrie United and Annan Athletic and retired in 2011.[3]
On 25 May 2018, MacFarlane was announced as manager of National League North club Kidderminster Harriers.[30] He had briefly coached at the club in 2015.[30] Tasked with promotion,[31] MacFarlane presided over 27 matches, winning 12,[32] before he agreed to part ways with the club in January 2019.[33]
Brentford B
On 30 May 2019, MacFarlane joined Brentford as head coach of the club's B team.[26] As a result of first team head coach Thomas Frank testing positive for COVID-19, MacFarlane presided over the first team's 2–1 FA Cup third round victory over Middlesbrough on 9 January 2021.[34] He won competitive cup competitions in each of the 2021–22 and 2022–23 seasons, with the London Senior Cup and Premier League Cups respectively.[35][36]
Scotland U19
In August 2024, MacFarlane was announced as head coach of Scotland U19.[37]
Career statistics
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
