Steve Phillips (footballer born 1954)
Encyclopedia
Steven Edward "Steve" Phillips (born 4 August 1954) is an English former professional
footballer who had a long career as a forward for a number of teams in the Football League
in the 1970s and 1980s. He scored 200 goals from 562 league appearances.
, London
. He began his football career as an apprentice with Birmingham City
, turning professional in August 1971. His first-team debut, as a substitute
in the 3–2 defeat of Carlisle United
in the Football League Second Division
, came the same month, at the age of 17 years 17 days, which made him at the time the club's second-youngest debutant. He played six more games in the starting eleven before losing his place; the arrival of Bob Hatton
in October meant he failed to regain it. Birmingham's promotion
to the First Division
, and the establishment of Hatton, Bob Latchford
and Trevor Francis
as the forward line of choice, gave Phillips few opportunities in the first team, though he did score his first goal, in a 4–2 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur
in February 1974. After a spell on loan at Torquay United
, Phillips joined Fourth Division
club Northampton Town
in October 1975 for a fee of £5,000.
Phillips scored nine goals from his 51 league appearances for Northampton before moving on to Brentford
in February 1977. In his first full season at Brentford, Phillips finished as the Football League
's leading scorer with 32 goals, and his partnership with Andrew McCulloch
made a major contribution to the club's promotion to the Third Division
. Phillips scored 65 goals from 157 league appearances for Brentford, before they sold him to former club Northampton Town
in August 1980 for a fee of £40,000. He scored 29 goals from 75 league games in this spell at the club, form which led to his inclusion in the PFA
Fourth Division Team of the Year for the 1980–81 season.
After 18 months he moved on again, this time to Southend United
in March 1982, a move which meant he played 48 league games in a 46-game season: having already played 30 league games for Northampton by the time the transfer went through, he added a further 18 for Southend. Phillips was Southend's leading scorer in each of his first three full seasons, an achievement to which was added the club's Player of the Season award in 1984–85. He finished his Southend career with 72 goals from 182 games in all competitions, 66 from 158 in the league. He joined former club Torquay United
in January 1986, and went on to play for Peterborough United
and for Exeter City
and Chesterfield
on loan.
manager Tony Waiters
selected Phillips for the 1973 UEFA Youth (under-18) Tournament
to be staged in Italy
, the Football Association
asked him to reconsider, on the grounds of the player's potential for disruptive behaviour; Waiters insisted on Phillips remaining in the squad. The player showed his unhappiness at not being in the starting eleven, to the extent that Waiters threatened to send him home, but when England reached the final against their East German counterparts, Phillips came off the substitutes' bench to score the winning goal.
.
Professional
A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...
footballer who had a long career as a forward for a number of teams 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...
in the 1970s and 1980s. He scored 200 goals from 562 league appearances.
Club career
Phillips was born in EdmontonEdmonton, London
Edmonton is an area in the east of the London Borough of Enfield, England, north-north-east of Charing Cross. It has a long history as a settlement distinct from Enfield.-Location:...
, London
London
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...
. He began his football career as an apprentice with Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
, turning professional in August 1971. His first-team debut, as a substitute
Substitute (football)
In association football, a substitute is a player who is brought on to the pitch during a match in exchange for an existing player. Substitutions are generally made to replace a player who has become tired or injured, or who is not performing well; there may also be tactical reasons such as...
in the 3–2 defeat of Carlisle United
Carlisle United F.C.
Carlisle United F.C. is an English football club based in Carlisle, Cumbria, where they play at Brunton Park. Formed in 1904, the club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system....
in the Football League 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...
, came the same month, at the age of 17 years 17 days, which made him at the time the club's second-youngest debutant. He played six more games in the starting eleven before losing his place; the arrival of Bob Hatton
Bob Hatton
Robert James "Bob" Hatton is an English former association footballer who played as a centre forward. He played more than 600 matches in the Football League for a variety of clubs and scored at a rate better than one goal in every three matches.Wolverhampton Wanderers recognised his potential and...
in October meant he failed to regain it. Birmingham's promotion
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
to the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
, and the establishment of Hatton, Bob Latchford
Bob Latchford
Robert Dennis "Bob" Latchford is an English former association footballer who played as a centre forward. He made more than 500 appearances in the Football League, playing for Birmingham City, Everton, Swansea and Coventry City in the First Division, and won 12 full caps for England.Latchford was...
and Trevor Francis
Trevor Francis
Trevor John Francis , is a former footballer who won the European Cup with Nottingham Forest and played for England 52 times. He was England's first £1 million player...
as the forward line of choice, gave Phillips few opportunities in the first team, though he did score his first goal, in a 4–2 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
in February 1974. After a spell on loan at Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
, Phillips joined Fourth Division
Football League Fourth Division
The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
club Northampton Town
Northampton Town F.C.
Northampton Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Northampton, Northamptonshire. They currently play in Football League Two, the lowest league division, after being relegated from League One on the last day of the 2008–09 season...
in October 1975 for a fee of £5,000.
Phillips scored nine goals from his 51 league appearances for Northampton before moving on to Brentford
Brentford F.C.
Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
in February 1977. In his first full season at Brentford, Phillips finished as 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...
's leading scorer with 32 goals, and his partnership with Andrew McCulloch
Andrew McCulloch (footballer)
Andrew “Andy” McCulloch is a former English professional footballer who played for Q.P.R., Cardiff City, Oxford United, Brentford, Sheffield Wednesday, Crystal Palace and Aldershot. He played a total of 475 games in all competitions for his seven league clubs, scoring 153 goals in a career which...
made a major contribution to the club's promotion to the Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
. Phillips scored 65 goals from 157 league appearances for Brentford, before they sold him to former club Northampton Town
Northampton Town F.C.
Northampton Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Northampton, Northamptonshire. They currently play in Football League Two, the lowest league division, after being relegated from League One on the last day of the 2008–09 season...
in August 1980 for a fee of £40,000. He scored 29 goals from 75 league games in this spell at the club, form which led to his inclusion in the PFA
Professional Footballers' Association
The Professional Footballers' Association is the trade union for professional footballers in England and Wales. The world's oldest professional sport trade union, it has 4,000 members....
Fourth Division Team of the Year for the 1980–81 season.
After 18 months he moved on again, this time to Southend United
Southend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
in March 1982, a move which meant he played 48 league games in a 46-game season: having already played 30 league games for Northampton by the time the transfer went through, he added a further 18 for Southend. Phillips was Southend's leading scorer in each of his first three full seasons, an achievement to which was added the club's Player of the Season award in 1984–85. He finished his Southend career with 72 goals from 182 games in all competitions, 66 from 158 in the league. He joined former club Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
in January 1986, and went on to play for Peterborough United
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
and for Exeter City
Exeter City F.C.
Exeter City Football Club is an English football club, based in Exeter, which is owned by its fans through the Exeter City Supporters Trust.The club was a member of the Football League from 1920 to 2003...
and Chesterfield
Chesterfield F.C.
Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower...
on loan.
International career
When England youth teamEngland national under-19 football team
-Other matches:-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the friendly match against Denmark.- Recent call-ups :The following players have also been called up to the England under-19 squad and remain eligible.-Past squads:...
manager Tony Waiters
Tony Waiters
Anthony Keith "Tony" Waiters is a former England international football goalkeeper and Canadian national football team head coach...
selected Phillips for the 1973 UEFA Youth (under-18) Tournament
UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
The European Under 19 Football Championship is an annual football competition organised by the sport's European governing body, UEFA. The competition has been held since 1948. It was originally called the FIFA junior tournament, until it was taken over by UEFA in 1955...
to be staged in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, the Football Association
The Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
asked him to reconsider, on the grounds of the player's potential for disruptive behaviour; Waiters insisted on Phillips remaining in the squad. The player showed his unhappiness at not being in the starting eleven, to the extent that Waiters threatened to send him home, but when England reached the final against their East German counterparts, Phillips came off the substitutes' bench to score the winning goal.
After football
In 1999 he opened a bar in Benalmádena, Spain. He is also known as an avid supporter of Málaga CFMálaga CF
Málaga Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Málaga, Andalusia. The team currently plays in Spain's La Liga.Málaga CF is generally seen as the successor to CD Málaga, one of the most historical Andalusian football clubs, by being a near-identical looking football club that even shares...
.