It is with deepest regret that we report the sudden passing of Neil ‘Neo’ Edwards, player, coach, husband and father. He was 48 years old.
The legacy he leaves will inspire many to come.
Edwards defined what it was to be a London-raised footballer. His unflinching toughness propelled him to the highest level of play in Europe, a place previously reserved exclusively for Americans. He remained unapologetic about this until the end and has inspired many others to do the same.
Edwards began his football career at the age of 16 with the Finsbury Park Stallions, London. His excitable and gritty nature quickly found him a permanent home in the sport; he knew he was destined for more. He chose to pursue football and made the move south of the river to the acclaimed London Olympians, winning six National Championships in the process.
Edwards’ stand-out performance as a defender earned him a spot on the Great Britain squad as well as NFL Europe’s International Pathway Program with the London Monarchs.
He later went on to play in the professional leagues of both Italy, with the Ancona Dolphins, and Germany, with the Stuttgart Scorpions before returning to the UK and winning two more championships.
Edwards commitment to the game and those around him magnified the type of man he was. This is the real legacy that will be left behind. It will be both mourned and celebrated.
RIP Neil ‘Neo’ Edwards.