Mark Lillis Interview

Q1: You were first spotted by chief scout Harry Godwin and signed schoolboy forms at City in October 1974, but then released just over a year later, What reason was given to you for this and do you recall by who ?

Harry Godwin was a fantastic football man and great scout, in them days you signed for a club when you were 14 on School Boys Forms which I did and was one of the happiest days of my life , I did not get an apprenticeship when I was 16, Steve Fleet, another proper football man, gave the news to my Dad. My dad told me to wait in the car outside Main Road and when he came back from the meeting and told me the news I cried like a baby, My Dads words were Son stop crying you will be back here one day if you work hard and believe in yourself.

Q2: Originally you started out as a defender, how and when did the move up field happen ?


Yes Started as a defender for My school team St Marks in Didsbury (Now Barlow High, Oasis lads went there as well) I had a great PE teacher in Mr Connelly and I was captain of Manchester boys from u14s to 16s as a Centre Half when I was at Huddersfield one of the coaches Jimmy Robson EX Burnley centre forward asked the manager Mick Buxton to try me up front and that’s how it started.

Q3: Fast forward just over 10 years after signing schoolboy forms at City and you were back at Maine Road after a transfer tribunal set a fee of £132,000 to finalise the move from Huddersfield Town, When did you first hear of City's renewed interest and was there any chance you'd have turned the move down ?

Yes my contract at HTAFC was up at the end of season and I wanted to play in div 1 one of my goals to play in top flight i always use to ask the secretary assistant who put scout tickets on match days what clubs were watching we had no agents in them days at the end of season I had talks with Sheffield Wednesday, Everton, Chelsea and City , City was not the best offer but there was no way I wasn’t going to sign for the club I loved and brought up with, I would have regretted not to have signed for the rest of my life.

Q4: Who made the most 'first' impressions on you at Maine Road after re-joining ?

I think player wise Neil McNab had so much skill and I ended up being his roommate on overnight trips to away games he helped me settle in with the likes of Paul Power big Mick McCarthy and Sammy mac, also our young u18s were coming through, they won the youth cup that year I remember going to the 1st leg at main road and Tony Book asking me to say a few words to the team before the game as I was a local lad I remember saying just remember lads We never GIVE IN GOOD LUCK. A lot of that team went on to have great careers looking back and I still do, having time for young players keeps me young as well haha.

Q5: It took just two games to hit your first goal for City, a penalty at Maine Road in a 1-1 draw with Leicester, Can you recall the feeling scoring for your boyhood team ?

I remember it well, i had to take it twice as the first one the GK moved so the ref made me take it again but i had already peeled off to the Kippax where my family and friends were to celebrate. It was an unbelievable feeling, if you bottle that feeling and sell it I would be a millionaire

Q6: 15 goals from 51 games in all competions was a healthy return in the First Division, What goal stands out the most for you and why ?


Scoring on my debut and also scoring the winner at Tottenham, 2-1, chipping it over Ray Clemence, in them days the sponsors were Holsten Pills and I got the away team man of the match and it was a crate of Holsten Pills that I shared with the lads on the bus home.

Q7: After just one season back at City and you were gone again, Joining Derby County in a swap deal involving cash and Trevor Christie, When did you first hear that the club were prepared to let you go ?

After i had come back from pre-season in Austria where I had captained the team, I got called in to a late evening meeting at Maine Road in the boardroom, I actually said to my wife this could be two things, I am either getting the captaincy or they are selling me, it was the latter, which was my worst nightmare. Peter Swales and Billy McNeil told me they had accepted a cash offer from derby, I turned this down and said I did not want to leave, in them days there were no agents to advise or support you, and the chairman explained it was a cash deal and it would be great for the club as they needed the money and good move for me, I didn't really have a choice.

Q8: After leaving City was there ever any opportunity or talk of a move back to City ?

No not really, you heard one or two things on the grapevine via the press but nothing ever came of it. I'll go back now if they will have me haha!

Q9: You have been spotted regularly over the years watching City at games, How is your relationship with the City fans today ?

It’s fantastic, the older generation still let on to me, I think it’s because I played with my heart on my sleeve. Last season on my way to a champions league game on the tram some fans started singing "there’s only one Mark Lillis" then quickly moved on to "how high did you wear your shorts, how high did you wear your shorts!" haha.

Q10: What are you up to these days and are still involved in football ?

I have been involved in football since my first contract at Huddersfield in 1977, either playing or a coaching capacity. At the moment I am currently working in India in the Indian Super League (the premier league in India) as Assistant Coach at Chennayin FC, working with John Gregory. We have spent preseason in Thailand and the first game of the season is this weekend so we are looking forward to that. I have played and worked in every league in England and coached internationally as well with Northern Ireland for the Euro 2004 qualifiers.

Q11: Where do you see the current City side finishing up this season and which player do you look forward to seeing the most ?

I believe we will win the league this season. Looking forward to watching all the players and especially Jesus as he is an exciting prospect. It’s great to see Pep giving the young players a chance as well with the likes of Diaz and Foden coming through.
 
Great interview .Mark was never the best player at Maine Road but there was none more committed its always great when a City fan plays for the Blues met him once great bloke with agreat sense of humor.
 
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One of the worst ever decisions made by the club , selling Lillis to Derby for a tosser like Christie and a few quid , always smirk when opposition fans sing WWYWYWS , i witnessed our club selling the fa,ily silver , players like Clive Wilson , Gary Flitcroft , Lillis , SWP all to keep the club afloat , so people get short shrift from me when they accuse City fans of being gloryhunters , we've been there and got the T-shirt , show me a Rag,Dipper or Goon that has been through the shit we have endured.
 
Add Peter Barnes & Gary Owen to that list .like Mark they did not want to leave and they should not have done
 

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