Derek Lilley ⭑ From A-Z since '92
Bench on Saturdays, reserves in midweek — not that Derek Lilley was complaining. In the reserves he had the pleasure of being coached by Eddie Gray, in a team that went from the ridiculous — playing alongside Rush, Brolin and Palmer — to the sublime.
This is part of my (eight year long, it'll fly by) attempt to write about every Leeds United player since 1992. For more about why I'm doing this, go back to Aapo Halme, and to read all the players so far, browse the archive here.
Missed part one about David Rocastle? You can read it here.
Derek Lilley's career in England was bookended by two holiday encounters, one good, one bad.
The first was on his mind as soon as he signed for Leeds United, in March 1997, and may even have contributed to him choosing Yorkshire ahead of interest elsewhere. Four years earlier, on holiday in the Dominican Republic with his future wife Shona, Derek had met a young pair of honeymooners from Dewsbury, both season ticket holders at Elland Road.
"We all got on really well, and Anne and Dave [Thorpe] told me a lot about United," Lilley told the Yorkshire Evening Post. "Unfortunately I lost their address, but it would be nice to meet up with them again."
At that time, Derek Lilley had been a breakthrough sensation in the Scottish First Division — and a full-time welder at Babcocks in Renfrew. He was on the verge of giving up the day job for a pay cut and full time football with Greenock Morton, hoping to follow in the footsteps of teammates like David Hopkin. Hopkin had earned big moves to Chelsea and Crystal Palace and, as Lilley prospered as a full-time professional, he started attracting interest from England too.
Blackburn Rovers' manager Kenny Dalglish took a look, in the same summer he spent £5m buying Chris Sutton to partner Alan Shearer. Celtic and Rangers were watching carefully, Chelsea were interested, Morton manager Allan McGraw was pushing him for Scotland's Under-21s.
"Lilley is so strong physically and he is fast. That is a winning combination," said McGraw. A practical-minded striker, who shaved his head because it was easier than washing his hair, Lilley's game was about forcing defenders into mistakes, and forcing himself into positions where he could score. "He is brave, works throughout the full game, and is so difficult to shake off the ball when he gets going."
Amid the praise were the goals, 61 in 180 games for Morton, 45 in 95 since turning pro. The interest in Lilley was too much for Greenock to resist when the March transfer deadline came around in 1996/97, leaving the only questions where to and how much?
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