Mickey Lill
Encyclopedia
Mickey Lill was an English
footballer
who played in the Football League
for Wolverhampton Wanderers
, Everton
, Plymouth Argyle
and Portsmouth
.
non-league club Storey Athletic before being spotted by West Ham United
. However, he left for then-Champions Wolverhampton Wanderers
in 1954 still as an apprentice.
The winger made his first team debut on 7 December 1957, scoring in a 2–1 win at Preston North End
. However, he did not feature again that season as Wolves won the league title for a second time. He really broke through at Molineux
in the following campaign as the club successfully retained the League Championship
, making 18 appearances and scoring 12 goals.
Their league triumph gave Lill the chance to appear in the European Cup
during the 1959–60 season, but he still found himself on the sidelines often and left for Everton
in early 1960.
He played for two full seasons at Everton
as the club twice finished in the top five. He was sold in the summer of 1962 to Second Division
Plymouth Argyle
. After less than a season with the Pilgrims, he moved along the South coast to fellow second tier club Portsmouth
in March 1963.
After a little over two seasons at Fratton Park
, followed by one season in the Southern League with Guildford City
, Lill left English football in May 1966 to join Germiston Callies
in South Africa
. He soon became coach of the club after retiring from playing and eventually worked as a PE teacher just outside Johannesburg
.
He died after a battle against cancer in October 2004, aged 68.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who played in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
for Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
, Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
, Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
and Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
.
Career
He began as a trainee at LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
non-league club Storey Athletic before being spotted by West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
. However, he left for then-Champions Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
in 1954 still as an apprentice.
The winger made his first team debut on 7 December 1957, scoring in a 2–1 win at Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
. However, he did not feature again that season as Wolves won the league title for a second time. He really broke through at Molineux
Molineux stadium
Molineux Stadium is a Premier League football stadium situated in Whitmore Reans, Wolverhampton, England. It has been the home ground of Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club since 1889, and has a long and illustrious history as the first 'new build' stadium in Football League history, one of the...
in the following campaign as the club successfully retained the League Championship
English football champions
The English football champions are the winners of the highest league in English football, which is currently the Premier League. Teams in bold are those who won the double of League Championship and FA Cup, or the European Double of League Championship and European Cup in that season.Following the...
, making 18 appearances and scoring 12 goals.
Their league triumph gave Lill the chance to appear in the European Cup
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
during the 1959–60 season, but he still found himself on the sidelines often and left for Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
in early 1960.
He played for two full seasons at Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
as the club twice finished in the top five. He was sold in the summer of 1962 to Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
. After less than a season with the Pilgrims, he moved along the South coast to fellow second tier club Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
in March 1963.
After a little over two seasons at Fratton Park
Fratton Park
Fratton Park is a football stadium in the English city-port of Portsmouth. It has been the home of professional club Portsmouth F.C. since its construction in 1898.-Description:...
, followed by one season in the Southern League with Guildford City
Guildford City F.C.
Guildford City Football Club is a football club based in Guildford, Surrey, England. The club was originally established in 1921, folded in 1974 and were reformed in 1996...
, Lill left English football in May 1966 to join Germiston Callies
Germiston Callies F.C.
Germiston Callies was a South African football club based in Germiston. Founded by Scottish immigrants in 1906.The clubs original full name was Germiston Caledonian Society Amateur Football Club, the name was changed when the club turned professional in 1959...
in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. He soon became coach of the club after retiring from playing and eventually worked as a PE teacher just outside Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
.
He died after a battle against cancer in October 2004, aged 68.