Mark Lillis - Tales of Blue

[Blumooniac]

He played for City in 1985 / 86
Not St Mark's in 1880 / 82. ;)

Cheeky. Lol. St Mark's in Didsbury.

 

[City_Shirts]

My memory is going. Thought Mark played after Paul Stewart but just checked and it was the other way round. True Blue. Didn't he go to St Mark's?

Mark went to Derby during the summer of 1986 with Paul Stewart arriving during March 1987, largely thanks to the money funded from the sale of Clive Wilson to Chelsea, who remained with us until the end of the season.

 

[ancoats]

I've always thought Trevor Christie gets a harsh deal from us blues as when he signed hopes were high of him being the 20-goal a season striker we craved and needed to help build on our second season back in the First Division, not since Brian Kidd in the 70’s had a Blues striker achieved that target so the pressure was on Christie to produce, a tally he had previously reached with Notts County during the 83/84 season which then first attracted interest from City.
A goal on his home debut against newly-promoted Wimbledon and a brace against Norwich gave Trevor three strikes in his first four games with his City future looking bright, but with the man who signed him, Billy McNeill, shocking Maine Road by walking out on City to join Aston Villa after just seven games into the new season opened the door for fellow Scot Jimmy Firzzell to take over the hot-seat and Trevor’s time at City was ruthlessly ended after just 10 games into a three year contact when Frizzell told him it was time to leave which was pretty much the case for another striker in Gordon Davies.

pretty sure it would have been up to Swales, because no manger under him was allowed to buy and sell players
Swales had full control on everything, that's why managers never lasted long in the job, Billy McNeill walked because of Swales and the control and the money, i truly believe Billy McNeill was the best manager around at the time even better than Fergie at Aberdeen,

Billy McNeill was building something special and had 6 or 7 young players from the youth setup that was the best in England, but it needed time and a little money in the right places, But Swales got involved and fucked it up.

I can think of 2 strikers of the top of my head that Swales bought and sold, when the better option would have been to keep them, Trevor Francis, Paul Stewart, Swales really did fuck up and cashed in

 

[LongsightM13]

I've always thought Trevor Christie gets a harsh deal from us blues as when he signed hopes were high of him being the 20-goal a season striker we craved and needed to help build on our second season back in the First Division, not since Brian Kidd in the 70’s had a Blues striker achieved that target so the pressure was on Christie to produce, a tally he had previously reached with Notts County during the 83/84 season which then first attracted interest from City.
A goal on his home debut against newly-promoted Wimbledon and a brace against Norwich gave Trevor three strikes in his first four games with his City future looking bright, but with the man who signed him, Billy McNeill, shocking Maine Road by walking out on City to join Aston Villa after just seven games into the new season opened the door for fellow Scot Jimmy Firzzell to take over the hot-seat and Trevor’s time at City was ruthlessly ended after just 10 games into a three year contact when Frizzell told him it was time to leave which was pretty much the case for another striker in Gordon Davies.

Yeah that was weird given his track record, he was second top scorer in the top flight behind Ian Rush only a couple of seasons earlier. We sold him at a massive loss as well iirc

 

[LongsightM13]

Another good un Mark, really nice guy is Mark Lillis, not sure but I think he went to Saint Roberts in Longsight as a kid.

He played for the St Roberts parish Sunday League team who were a brilliant and successful side and renowned across Greater Manchester, but he didn’t go to the school as far as I can remember.
As someone else said I think he might have been a Fallowfield lad and went to St Marks (later Barlow) on School Lane in Didsbury
The St Roberts team he played in at Slade Lane was run by perennial City reserve captain Noel Bradley, who at one time held the record for Central League appearances at City. Don’t think he ever made a first team appearance despite being at the club for years in the era of one substitute, though I think he later played a couple of seasons at Bury.
Lillis would have played alongside my neighbour Mick Farrelly, a massive blue who went on to play 100-odd games for Preston then scored the winner for Altrincham at Wembley in the FA Trophy in 85 or 86.
Sadly both Mick and Noel passed away during the pandemic, RIP

 

[DelToro]

He played for the St Roberts parish Sunday League team who were a brilliant and successful side and renowned across Greater Manchester, but he didn’t go to the school as far as I can remember.
As someone else said I think he might have been a Fallowfield lad and went to St Marks (later Barlow) on School Lane in Didsbury
The St Roberts team he played in at Slade Lane was run by perennial City reserve captain Noel Bradley, who at one time held the record for Central League appearances at City. Don’t think he ever made a first team appearance despite being at the club for years in the era of one substitute, though I think he later played a couple of seasons at Bury.
Lillis would have played alongside my neighbour Mick Farrelly, a massive blue who went on to play 100-odd games for Preston then scored the winner for Altrincham at Wembley in the FA Trophy in 85 or 86.
Sadly both Mick and Noel passed away during the pandemic, RIP

I went to school with Mike Farrelly and played alongside him in the school team. He was somewhat better than me.

 

[LongsightM13]

I went to school with Mike Farrelly and played alongside him in the school team. He was somewhat better than me.

St Roberts or Xaverian?
He was a top man, grew up next door to him. So sad. Radcliffe Borough, where he ended up coaching, had a match day in his memory earlier this year

 

[DelToro]

St Roberts or Xaverian?
He was a top man, grew up next door to him. So sad. Radcliffe Borough, where he ended up coaching, had a match day in his memory earlier this year

Xavs

 

[LongsightM13]

Xavs

Of course, I think we might have had a PM conversation previously?

 

[Tolmie scores]

Mark was a Kippax boo boy for a while but won us over by sheer hard work and effort in every game he played. You couldn’t help but like him.

Huddersfield Town away Fa cup 3rd round i think..Lillis amazing