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Steve Lilwall

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Steve Lilwall
Personal information
Date of birth (1970-02-15)15 February 1970[a]
Place of birth Solihull, England
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[3]
Position(s) Left back
Youth career
Silhill
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
198?–1987 Moor Green
1987–1992 Kidderminster Harriers 65 (4)
1992–1995 West Bromwich Albion 73 (0)
1995–1997 Rushden & Diamonds 11 (0)
1997–???? Kidderminster Harriers 7 (0)
Moor Green
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Stephen Lilwall (born 15 February 1970[a]) is an English former professional footballer who made 73 appearances in the Football League for West Bromwich Albion. He also played non-league football for Moor Green, Kidderminster Harriers and Rushden & Diamonds. He played as a left back.

Life and career

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Lilwall was born in Solihull.[5] His uncle, Denis Thwaites, played professional football for Birmingham City in the 1960s.[7] Lilwall played youth football for Silhill[8] before joining Moor Green during the 1985–66 season.[3] In 1987, he moved on to Kidderminster Harriers.[2] Lilwall made his Conference debut in the 1989–90 season, and became a first-team regular during the following campaign.[9] He helped Kidderminster reach the final of the 1990–91 FA Trophy, in which he created two chances for team-mates – both missed – and drew a good save from Wycombe Wanderers' goalkeeper as Kidderminster lost 2–1.[10] Lilwall remained with Kidderminster for a further season, taking his Conference appearance total to 65,[9] and then became Osvaldo Ardiles' first signing as manager of Second Division (third-tier) club West Bromwich Albion for a fee of around £70,000.[1][3]

He went straight into the Albion first team, and by September 1992 Premier League club Liverpool were reported to be "monitoring [his] progress".[11] He was ever-present during his first season,[2] and was a member of the team that gained promotion to the First Division via the play-offs, beating Port Vale 3–0 in the final after Vale had a man sent off.[12] After Alan Buckley became manager and Lilwall fell victim to a succession of injuries, he drifted out of first-team consideration. He left Albion at the end of the 1994–95 season, having made 73 appearances in Football League competition, and signed for Rushden & Diamonds of the Southern League.[2]

Injury also disrupted his time with Rushden & Diamonds. He contributed only seven Southern League games as his team won the 1995–96 Southern League title, and the following season played just four times in the 1996–97 Conference.[2] In 1997, he rejoined Kidderminster Harriers, but appeared only infrequently for the first team, and ended his senior career back at Moor Green.[2]

Lilwall took a degree in Physical Education and Social Psychology at Coventry University, and also earned a diploma in Sports Psychology and the UEFA A Licence football coaching qualification.[2][1] He trained as a teacher, and taught physical education at Ninestiles School in Acocks Green, Birmingham,[13] as well as running a soccer school in the Solihull area.[1]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b Club-based sources including those of West Bromwich Albion Former Players Association and Rushden & Diamonds F.C.,[1][2] a contemporary match programme,[3] and Barry Hugman's PFA Premier & Football League Players' Records 1946–1998[4] all state 15 February 1970 as Lilwall's date of birth. It would appear that the date of 5 February, as given by Hugman's website and Neil Brown's UK A–Z Transfers,[5][6] stems from a typographical error.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Steve Lilwall". Old Baggies. West Bromwich Albion Former Players Association. Archived from the original on 1 March 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Steve Lilwall". RDFC1992. 22 February 2017. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d Jones, Colin (16 May 1993). "Today's visitors: Pen pix". In Walton, Ron (ed.). The Swan (PDF). Swansea City A.F.C. p. 8 – via Swans100.
  4. ^ Hugman, Barry J., ed. (1998). The PFA Premier & Football League Players' Records 1946–1998. Harpenden: Queen Anne Press. p. 329. ISBN 978-1-85291-585-8.
  5. ^ a b "Steve Lilwall". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  6. ^ "Steve Lilwall". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  7. ^ Shaw, Phil (2 July 2015). "Denis Thwaites: Fast and skilful footballer who played for Birmingham City and was murdered in a terrorist attack in Tunisia". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 2 March 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  8. ^ "Historical team pictures: Silhill FC – the first 75 years: 1908 to 1983". A View from the Touchline: Silhill Football Club Fanzine. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  9. ^ a b Harman, John, ed. (2005). Alliance to Conference 1979–2004: The first 25 years. Tony Williams. pp. 393, 401. ISBN 978-1-869833-52-7.
  10. ^ "Wanderers' Magic Moment at Wembley 1991". Chairboys.co.uk. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  11. ^ White, Clive (11 September 1992). "Saunders signs for Villa after compromise deal". The Times. London. p. 32.
  12. ^ Shaw, Phil (31 May 1993). "Football / Play-Off: Albion exploit Vale's misfortune: Swan's dismissal opens the door to the First Division for Ardiles' men". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 26 May 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  13. ^ Evans, Gregg (14 November 2010). "Former PE teacher reveals when he realised Aston Villa's Nathan Delfouneso would make it big". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
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