From covert operations to recruitment decisions

Trusted, discreet, strategic

Neil led elite serious and organised crime teams at Scotland Yard, managing intelligence-led investigations and covert operations involving critical risk across complex, high-pressure and culturally diverse jurisdictions.

He then led global corporate investigations for FTSE 100 companies, international law firms, family offices, governments and investment groups, before founding Sportective to bring that experience to football.

He excels in developing and directing highly sensitive intelligence and risk-led projects with calm authority, from conception to conclusion, always delivered with discretion, impartiality, and analytical rigour.

Neil offers a rare blend of operational precision and strategic insight. Today he has a growing reputation in elite football for specialist due diligence, intelligence and risk advice that informs player and head-coach recruitment.

Neil’s leadership and integrity continue to set the standard for ethical delivery to Sportective’s international clients.

Interviewing Expertise & Human Intelligence

Neil is an expert interviewing and HUMINT intelligence practitioner; highly experienced in fact-finding, intelligence debriefs, witness testimony and character references. He builds trust, handles sensitive conversations and draws out the information that matters, with tact, neutrality and discretion.

Neil is an expert interviewing practitioner with significant lived experience conducting face-to-face dialogue across a wide array of scenarios, including fact-finding, intelligence debriefs, witness testimony, and character references.

His refined interpersonal skills help build trust, develop relationships, and negotiate sensitive dynamics, ensuring key information is elicited with tact, neutrality, and discretion.

Industry recognition

Neil regularly speaks as a subject-matter expert on football education programmes run by the English and Scottish FAs, UEFA and the Real Madrid Graduate School. He has presented at events hosted by Impect, Training Ground Guru and Premier League scouting groups.

As featured in

The Athletic · The New York Times · L'Équipe · The i Paper · Training Ground Guru · Off the Pitch

The SportectiveTeam

Experienced practitioners. Trusted network.

Neil is supported by experienced investigative and intelligence practitioners and specialist football-industry consultants, with backgrounds in law enforcement, government, military intelligence and professional sport.

We are also supported by a trusted global network of football-industry contacts and in-country associates, selected for their local knowledge and cultural insight. Central oversight combined with local understanding lets us work discreetly across leagues, countries and cultures.

Every assignment is approached independently and impartially, with rigorous attention to detail and reporting that separates evidence from opinion.

Who we work with