Kevin Dillon (English footballer)
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 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kevin Paul Dillon[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 18 December 1959[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Sunderland,[1] England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[2] | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1977–1983 | Birmingham City | 186 | (15) |
| 1983–1989 | Portsmouth | 215 | (45) |
| 1989–1991 | Newcastle United | 62 | (0) |
| 1991–1993 | Reading | 101 | (4) |
| 1993–1995 | Stevenage Borough | 12 | (2) |
| 1995–1996 | Yeovil Town | 41 | (4) |
| 1996–1997 | Fareham Town | ||
| Total | 617 | (70) | |
| International career | |||
| 1977 | England Youth[3] | 1 | (0) |
| 1980 | England U21 | 1 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2003 | Reading (caretaker manager) | ||
| 2003-2009 | Reading (assistant manager) | ||
| 2009–2011 | Aldershot Town | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Kevin Paul Dillon (born 18 December 1959) is an English former professional footballer born in Sunderland. He played in the Football League for Birmingham City, Portsmouth, Newcastle United and Reading, and was capped once for England under-21. He was first-team manager of League Two club Aldershot Town from November 2009 to January 2011.
Dillon began his football career as an apprentice at Birmingham City and signed pro forms in July 1977. He made his debut four months later against Leicester City, when he was the last player to be given a debut by Sir Alf Ramsey.[4] In the 1980–81 season Dillon made his only England under-21 appearance, against Romania.[5]
After 186 league appearances, he left St Andrew's in March 1983 and joined Third Division club Portsmouth. He was involved in Portsmouth's Third Division title run-in that season and he also played his part, as Portsmouth finished fourth in Second Division in both the 1984–85 and 1985–86 seasons. Portsmouth were finally promoted to the First Division in the 1986–87 season, when they finished as runners-up to Derby County. Pompey only stayed in the top flight for one season, as they finished 19th and were relegated. Dillon had made 206 league appearances for Portsmouth before leaving Fratton Park in July 1989.
Dillon joined Newcastle United and in his first season there, they finished third in the Second Division, before losing out to Sunderland in the play-off semi-finals.
In the summer of 1991, Dillon joined Reading on a free transfer. He spent three years at Elm Park and won the Division Two title in the 1993–94 season before joining Stevenage Borough.[6] He was also both the youth and reserve team manager whilst at Stevenage Borough. He then joined Yeovil Town and finally had a brief spell at Fareham Town at the end of the 1996–97 season.