# Joe Neal (footballer)

Joe Neal (born 22 October 2000) is an English semi-professional footballer who plays as a forward for AFC Sudbury.

## 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

    As of match played 27 April 2024
| Club | Season | League | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Cambridge United | 2018–19 | EFL League Two | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cambridge United | 2019–20 | EFL League Two | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cambridge United | 2020–21 | EFL League Two | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Cambridge United | Total | Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Royston Town (loan) | 2018–19 | Southern League Premier Division Central | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 3 |
| Needham Market (loan) | 2019–20 | Southern League Premier Division Central | 19 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 29 | 5 |
| St Neots Town (loan) | 2019–20 | Southern League Division One Central | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| Biggleswade Town (loan) | 2020–21 | Southern League Premier Division Central | 8 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 5 |
| Biggleswade Town (loan) | Total | Total | 47 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 62 | 15 |
| Biggleswade Town | 2021–22 | Southern League Premier Division Central | 26 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 31 | 15 |
| St Albans City | 2021–22 | National League South | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| St Albans City | 2022–23 | National League South | 36 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 2 |
| A.F.C. Sudbury | 2023–24 | Southern League Premier Division Central | 34 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 38 | 15 |
| A.F.C. Sudbury | 2024–25 | Southern League Premier Division Central | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 159 | 36 | 7 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 6 | 183 | 47 |
* ↑ 2 appearances and 1 goal in the FA Trophy and 2 appearances and 1 goal in the Suffolk Senior Cup.
* 1 2 Appearance/s in the FA Trophy.