Josh Lillis
{{short description|English footballer}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2015}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Josh Lillis
| image = Josh Lillis.JPG
| image_size =
| caption = Lillis playing for Rochdale in 2015
| fullname = Joshua Mark Lillis{{cite web |url=https://www.efl.com/siteassets/efl-documents/202021/efl-squad-numbering-11.09.2020.pdf |title=Notification of shirt numbers: Barrow |publisher=English Football League |page=6 |access-date=17 September 2020}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1987|6|24|df=y}}{{cite web |url=https://www.11v11.com/players/josh-lillis-42145/|title=Josh Lillis |website=11v11.com |publisher=AFS Enterprises |access-date=21 July 2018}}
| birth_place = Derby, England
| height = {{convert|1.89|m|order=flip}}{{cite web |url=https://www.rochdaleafc.co.uk/teams/first-team/goalkeeper/josh-lillis/ |title=Josh Lillis |publisher=Rochdale A.F.C. |access-date=24 July 2018 |archive-date=24 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180724213818/https://www.rochdaleafc.co.uk/teams/first-team/goalkeeper/josh-lillis/ |url-status=dead }}
| position = Goalkeeper
| currentclub = Rochdale (goalkeeping coach)
| clubnumber =
| youthyears1 = 2000–2004
| youthclubs1 = Scunthorpe United
| years1 = 2004–2012
| clubs1 = Scunthorpe United
| caps1 = 39
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2009
| clubs2 = → Notts County (loan)
| caps2 = 5
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2009
| clubs3 = → Grimsby Town (loan)
| caps3 = 4
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2009
| clubs4 = → Rochdale (loan)
| caps4 = 1
| goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2010–2011
| clubs5 = → Rochdale (loan)
| caps5 = 23
| goals5 = 0
| years6 = 2012–2020
| clubs6 = Rochdale
| caps6 = 228
| goals6 = 0
| years7 = 2020
| clubs7 = → AFC Fylde (loan)
| caps7 = 3
| goals7 = 0
| years8 = 2020–2024
| clubs8 = Barrow
| caps8 = 5
| goals8 = 0
| club-update = 18:26, 11 October 2024 (UTC)
}}
Joshua Mark Lillis (born 24 June 1987) is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper. He is currently goalkeeping coach at Rochdale.
He began his career at Scunthorpe United in the League One and Championship. He spent time on loan at Notts County, and Grimsby Town, before making a permanent move to former loan club Rochdale in 2012. In March 2020, he joined National League side AFC Fylde on loan, before moving permanently to League Two Barrow at the end of that season.
Club career
=Scunthorpe United=
Born in Derby, Derbyshire, Lillis worked his way through Scunthorpe United's youth system, and made his début as a professional at Millwall on 22 December 2006. He spent most of his time at the Iron as the understudy of Joe Murphy, but has improved under the coaching of former Sheffield Wednesday stalwart Kevin Pressman.
In January 2009, Lillis went to Notts County on a one-month loan in order to experience more first team action. He made his début in 2–2 draw with Aldershot Town on 20 January 2009. His first clean sheet for the Magpies came on 14 February where Notts County beat Barnet 2–0. He returned to Scunthorpe making 5 appearances and 1 clean sheet.
On 1 September 2009, he signed for Grimsby Town on loan as cover for injured Nick Colgan. He made his début on 5 September 2009 against Port Vale, in a 4–0 defeat. He made four appearances before returning to the Iron. On 30 October he joined Rochdale on an emergency seven-day loan. His début was in a 4–0 win over AFC Bournemouth on 31 October 2009.
In July 2010, he was loaned to Rochdale again for six months.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/r/rochdale/8793268.stm|title=Rochdale sign Scunthorpe United goalkeeper Josh Lillis|date=6 July 2010|work=BBC Sport|publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=12 July 2010}}
Lillis returned to Scunthorpe at the end of his loan spell, but found his chances limited at Glanford Park and was released in May 2012.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18018280|title=Cliff Byrne heads Scunthorpe United departures|date=10 May 2012|publisher=BBC|access-date=10 May 2012}}
=Rochdale=
On 12 June 2012, Rochdale announced that he had signed a two-year deal to return to Spotland where he had previously had a successful loan spell. After impressive displays in Rochdale's 2013/14 promotion campaign, Lillis has since committed himself to Rochdale for a further two years.
On 26 May 2016, Lillis signed a new two-year deal with Rochdale.{{cite web|url=http://www.rochdaleafc.co.uk/news/article/josh-lillis-signs-new-contract-3126893.aspx|title=Josh Lillis Signs New Dale Contract|date=26 May 2016|publisher=Rochdale AFC|access-date=26 May 2016|archive-date=16 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916153234/http://www.rochdaleafc.co.uk/news/article/josh-lillis-signs-new-contract-3126893.aspx|url-status=dead}}
Lillis joined AFC Fylde on loan until the end of the season on 6 March 2020.{{Cite web |url=https://www.afcfylde.co.uk/josh-lillis-joins-the-coasters/ |title=Josh Lillis Joins The Coasters! |date=6 March 2020 |publisher=AFC Fylde |access-date=3 April 2020}}
=Barrow=
Following his release from Rochdale at the end of the 2019/20 season, Lillis joined newly-promoted Barrow as a player-coach in September 2020.{{Cite news|title=Lillis joins Barrow as player-coach|language=en-GB|work=BBC Sport|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54130481|access-date=2020-12-23}}
He was one of three Barrow players to be offered a new contract at the end of the 2022–23 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.barrowafc.com/news/2023/may/barrow-confirm-retained-list/|title=Barrow Confirm Retained List|website=www.barrowafc.com|date=9 May 2023|accessdate=9 May 2023}}
Following the conclusion of the 2023–24 season, the club announced that they had offered Lillis a new contract which would see him become full-time goalkeeping coach.{{cite web|url=https://www.nwemail.co.uk/sport/24292986.barrow-afc-announce-retained-list-10-released/|title=Barrow AFC announce retained list with 10 released|publisher=The Mail|last=Foster|first=Gary|date=1 May 2024|accessdate=11 October 2024}} In June 2024, it was confirmed that he had been unable to agree a new contract with the club.{{cite web|url=https://www.nwemail.co.uk/sport/24416864.bluebirds-keeper-coach-paul-farman-set-depart/|title=Bluebirds keeper and coach Josh Lillis set to depart|publisher=The Mail|last=Foster|first=Gary|date=27 June 2024|accessdate=11 October 2024}}
Coaching career
On 11 October 2024, Lillis returned to former club Rochdale as goalkeeping coach.{{cite web|url=https://rochdaleafc.co.uk/josh-lillis-returns-as-goalkeeping-coach/|title=Josh Lillis Returns As Goalkeeping Coach|website=rochdaleafc.co.uk|date=11 October 2024|accessdate=11 October 2024}}
Personal life
He is the son of former Scunthorpe United player and assistant manager Mark Lillis.
Career statistics
{{updated|end of 2023–24 season}}
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
Honours
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- {{Soccerbase}}
{{Rochdale A.F.C. Player of the Year}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lillis, Josh}}
Category:Footballers from Derby
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Men's association football goalkeepers
Category:Scunthorpe United F.C. players
Category:Notts County F.C. players
Category:Grimsby Town F.C. players
Category:Rochdale A.F.C. players
Category:Barrow A.F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:National League (English football) players
Category:Barrow A.F.C. non-playing staff