MICKY LILL

Born: 03 August 1936

Came from: Everton   Went to: Portsmouth

First game: 18 August 1962   Last game: 19 January 1963

Appearances: 22 (22/0)   Goals: 7

Born in Romford, in Essex, winger Lill began his career with London junior side Storey Athletic and played for West Ham United as an amateur. He was also an England Youth international. His professional career started after he left East London as an apprentice for Division One champions, Wolverhampton Wanderers, in 1954.

Having bided his time at his new club, when his chance came, he took it, scoring within a minute on his Wolves debut in December 1957, in a 2-1 away win at Preston North End. However, he could not secure a regular place in the first team, as Wolves went on to claim the title again. The following season, he scored 12 goals in 18 appearances but was still unable to establish himself fully in the starting line-up, though it did give him the chance to appear in the European Cup during the 1959-60 season. However, unable to make that long-term breakthrough at Molineux, he moved to Everton for £25,000 in 1960, having made 30 appearances and scored 15 times across three years in 'Old Gold'.

He played for two full seasons at Everton - scoring on his debut again, as he did at Wolves, also against Preston North End! The Toffees twice finished in the top five during his time at Goodison Park, during which he made 31 appearances and scored 11 times. He suffered a knee cartilage injury whilst at the club, but having recovered, he lost his place to future Argyle manager Billy Bingham, and, in the summer of 1962, was sold to Second Division, promotion-chasing Argyle, under Ellis Stuttard, for a knock-down price of £11,400.

He made his debut on 18th August 1962 in a 2-0 home win over Grimsby Town, where he broke his habit of a goalscoring debut by failing to find the net. However, he didn't have to wait long and claimed a brace four days later as Argyle romped to a 7-1 evening home win over Preston North End, who by now must have been utterly sick of the sight of him! Lill, however, found it difficult to settle in the south west and ended up spending less than a full season at the club. Despite a one-in-three scoring record in his brief time at Home Park, he was sold to Portsmouth less than a year later.

He spent three unremarkable years at Pompey, playing 39 times and scoring five goals. After being released from his contract at Fratton Park, he had a brief spell with Southern League side Guildford City.

He then made a bold and brave decision to emigrate to South Africa, where he initially played for and then later managed Germiston Callies. Callies were based in the East Rand region of Gauteng and played in the NFL (National Football League), which was the first professional association football league in South Africa, established in 1959 and lasted until 1977, when it was superseded. Callies folded a year later.

Lill played for Callies from 1966 to 1968, making 60 appearances and scoring 32 goals before taking the helm between 1968 and 1973. During his time leading Callies, Lill also persuaded former Argyle teammate, Mike Reeves to join him in 1970.

Reeves eventually returned to the UK and Saltash when his playing days were over, but Lill remained in South Africa. After his time at Callies ended, he moved to take charge of Jewish Guild (based in Johannesburg), a team that once briefly fielded George Best. He later worked as a PE teacher at the Sacred Heart College Observatory, just outside central Johannesburg and remained in his adopted country until sadly, he died of cancer in October 2004, in Johannesburg, aged just 68.