Paul Ifill

Paul Ifill
Paul Ifill
Born	Paul Everton Ifill; October 20, 1979 (age 47); Brighton, England
Occupation(s)	Footballer, Football manager
Years active	199x–2020s (player), 2015–present (manager)
Known for	Playing as right winger/midfielder, managing Wellington Olympic and Samoa women's national team

Paul Everton Ifill (born 20 October 1979) is a retired professional footballer who currently manages Wellington Olympic, a team competing in the New Zealand Central League. Known predominantly as a right winger or midfielder, he was frequently characterized as a traditional winger.

Originating from Brighton, England, Ifill began his football journey in the youth ranks of Watford but, after failing to secure a professional deal, he joined non-league side Saltdean United. Subsequently, he was acquired by Millwall, where he spent close to seven years before moving to Sheffield United in 2005. Following two seasons there, he transferred to Crystal Palace for another two-year spell. In 2009, Ifill relocated to New Zealand to represent Wellington Phoenix in the A-League until 2014, with his playing days curtailed prematurely due to injury. On the international stage, he earned ten appearances for Barbados, netting six goals.

Ifill wed his long-time partner Elle Ifill (née Isaac) in December 2018, and they have two daughters named Romy and Bethany.

Club career

After being released from Watford's youth setup at age 16, Ifill returned home to Brighton, where he pursued a physical education course and competed in non-League football with Saltdean United, playing alongside his father.

Millwall

Following a recommendation from former Millwall player Dennis Burnett, scouts Jeff Burnige and Mick Beard identified Ifill’s potential and signed him as a centre-forward for Millwall. When an injury jeopardized his contract, manager Billy Bonds granted him one month to demonstrate his value; Ifill responded impressively by scoring six goals across two matches. Later on, injuries prompted a positional shift to midfield, although persistent back problems affected his speed until a specialist at Harley Street diagnosed and treated an underlying pelvic nerve issue. He was a member of the squad that reached the 2004 FA Cup final, ultimately losing 3–0 to Manchester United.

Sheffield United

In May 2005, after making over 200 league appearances for Millwall, Ifill transferred to Sheffield United for a fee of £800,000. During his debut season, the club achieved promotion to the Premier League by finishing as runners-up. However, under manager Neil Warnock, Ifill’s playing time diminished in the top tier and he was placed on the transfer list. In January, he moved on to Crystal Palace for an estimated £800,000.

Crystal Palace

Despite the arrival of Warnock at Palace, Ifill faced ongoing fitness challenges. On 18 August 2008, both he and teammate Carl Fletcher were listed for transfer. Ultimately, on 6 May 2009, he was released along with eight other players.

Wellington Phoenix

On 21 July 2009, Ifill inked a two-year deal with New Zealand’s Wellington Phoenix, competing in Australia’s A-League. His impact was immediate as he scored early on, including decisive goals against Perth Glory and Adelaide United. Shortly after netting against Adelaide, he extended his contract through the 2011–12 season with an option for an additional year.

Throughout the 2009 campaign, Ifill played a pivotal role by scoring and assisting during a record-breaking 6–0 triumph over Gold Coast United. He found the net in three consecutive fixtures, aiding Wellington Phoenix’s ascent in the league standings. By December, his contributions had helped elevate the team into seventh place amid a tightly contested table.

In early 2010, Ifill continued delivering important goals and assists—highlighted by converting a penalty that secured a 1–0 victory over Gold Coast United and scoring twice in the final regular-season game against Central Coast Mariners. He equaled club legend Shane Smeltz’s record by tallying 12 goals during the regular season.

During the playoffs, Ifill scored in both shootouts and extra time as Wellington Phoenix advanced past Perth Glory and Newcastle Jets but was limited during their preliminary final defeat at the hands of eventual champions Sydney FC.

In December 2010, he sustained an ankle sprain accompanied by ligament damage following an injury initially feared to be a broken leg; this sidelined him for approximately six weeks. On 8 December 2011, Ifill secured a two-year contract extension with Wellington Phoenix.

Wairarapa United

Paul Ifill resumed his football career in 2020 by signing with Central League club Wairarapa United.

Christchurch United

In November 2021, Ifill took on a dual role as player and coach at Southern League team Christchurch United.

Coaching career

Ifill embarked on a player-coach position at Wairarapa United in the Men's Central League during 2015, while concurrently managing two Paul Ifill Football Academies located in Nelson and Masterton.

In February 2021, he was named head coach of the Samoa women's national football team.

By November 2021, he assumed the head coaching position at Christchurch United, guiding the squad to back-to-back Southern League championships and securing the 2023 Chatham Cup title after a penalty shootout victory against Melville United. After the season concluded, he resigned to accept the role of Director of Football at Wellington Olympic.

International career

Qualifying through his parental heritage, Ifill represented Barbados internationally. He featured in two 2004 FIFA World Cup qualification matches versus St Kitts & Nevis. Later, he was recalled for the 2007 Caribbean Nations Cup qualifiers, where he achieved a hat-trick in a commanding 7–1 Gold Cup qualifying triumph over Anguilla.

During Barbados' semifinal Group G stage in January 2007, Ifill netted two goals across three matches, contributing significantly to their progression to the finals held in Trinidad and Tobago. Every one of his international goals was scored throughout the 2006–07 Caribbean Nations Cup, which served as the qualifying tournament for the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Ifill captained Barbados in two fixtures during the 2010 World Cup qualifiers against the USA, which resulted in a combined 9–0 defeat. His international playing career concluded in 2010 following an incident where a Barbados Football Association official misplaced his passport.

Career statistics

Year	Appearances	Goals
Barbados
2004	2	0
2005	0	0
2006	6	6
2007	0	0
2008	2	0
Total	10	6

**Paul Ifill International goals**
#	Date	Opponent	Venue	Final Score	Outcome	Competition
1	20 September 2006	Template:Fb	Antigua Recreation Ground	1–1	Draw	Caribbean Nations Cup 2006/07
2	24 September 2006	Template:Fb	Antigua Recreation Ground	7–1	Win	Caribbean Nations Cup 2006/07
3
4
5	21 November 2006	Template:Fb	Barbados National Stadium	3–0	Win	Caribbean Nations Cup 2006/07
6	28 November 2006	Template:Fb	Barbados National Stadium	1–1	Draw	Caribbean Nations Cup 2006/07
Last updated 1 September 2010

Honours

Millwall

Football League Trophy finalist: 1998–99
Football League Second Division title: 2000–01
FA Cup finalist: 2003–04

Wellington Phoenix

NE Super Series Championship finalist: 2012

Managerial

Christchurch United

Southern League titles: 2022, 2023
Chatham Cup triumph: 2023
English Cup (Christchurch) victory: 2023

Wellington Olympic

Central League championship: 2024
Chatham Cup success: 2024

Individual Honours

Mainland Football Men's Team Coach of the Year: 2022, 2023

External links