Overview
Thomas Lilley (13 December 1899 – 1964) was a professional footballer who played as a full back. He made 85 appearances in the Football League playing for Huddersfield Town, Nelson, Hartlepool United, Sunderland and Fulham, and spent two seasons in the Scottish League with St Mirren. He also played non-League football for Methley Perseverance, Annfield Plain, Herrington Colliery Welfare, Shiney Row Swifts and the Sunderland District Omnibus Company works team.
Life and career
Lilley was born in 1899 in Newbottle, County Durham, a son of John Lilley, a coal miner, and his wife Sarah. Having acquired a reputation as "one of the best backs in the West Riding League" while playing for Methley Perseverance, and attracted offers from Third Division North clubs Chesterfield and Hartlepools United, To the disappointment of Third Division North clubs Chesterfield and Hartlepools United, who had made "good offers" for his services, the trial proved successful. Lilley made his Football League debut on Christmas Day 1922, standing in for right-back Ned Barkas for a First Division match against Birmingham that finished goalless. He played twice more during March, and was retained for the next season, but made no more first-team appearances.
The match ended as a 4–4 draw, and Lilley did not make another appearance until the new year, according to the Lancashire Daily Post, showed himself to be a "full back of great steadiness and resource". He played regularly from mid-January to April 1924 when, after an unexpected defeat at home to Port Vale put Nelson in increased danger of relegation, he lost his place to his namesake Bob Lilley. Nelson were relegated, and Lilley moved on again, to Hartlepools United of the Third Division North. He began the season at left-back, but broke a collarbone in collision with an opponent in his seventh match and was out for a couple of months. After three weeks back in the team, he fell heavily and broke it again.
He returned to the side, completed the last six matches of the season without incident, signed on for another year, was ever-present in Third Division matches as Hartlepool finished sixth in the 1925–26 table, it was later reported as £750. It was his only senior appearance for the club, and he was transfer-listed at a fee of £350. Lilley signed for Scottish First Division club St Mirren. and remained in it, helping the team reach the semi-final of the Scottish Cup and finish eighth in the League. He signed on for another season, was a regular at left back throughout, and turned down the club's offer of another year. He was transfer-listed at £750, returned to England and signed for Fulham of the Third Division South. Lilley played in Fulham's first seven matches, after which another recent arrival, Joe Reid, took his place.
He appeared twice more in December, but those were his last, and his contract was cancelled at the end of the season. Lilley returned to the north east of England where he was appointed captain of North-Eastern League club Annfield Plain. He moved on to Herrington Colliery Welfare in February 1932, and in August, became one of three professionals on the books of another Wearside League club, Shiney Row Swifts. By late 1933, he was playing as an amateur for the Sunderland District Omnibus Company team in a local midweek league. He also played bowls competitively. The 1939 Register finds him living in Catherine Terrace, New Herrington, with his wife, Elizabeth, and working as a colliery stoneman. He died in 1964 at the age of 64; his death was registered in the Durham Northern district.