Des Lyttle
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| Des Lyttle | ||
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| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Desmond Lyttle | |
| Date of birth | September 24, 1971 | |
| Place of birth | Wolverhampton, England | |
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | |
| Playing position | Defender | |
| Club information | ||
| Current club | Tamworth | |
| Youth clubs | ||
| 1990–1991 | Leicester City | |
| Senior clubs1 | ||
| Years | Club | App (Gls)* |
| 1991–1992 1992–1993 1993–1999 1998 1999–2000 2000 2000–2003 2003–2004 2004–2005 2005–2007 2007– |
Worcester City Swansea City Nottingham Forest → Port Vale (loan) Watford → West Bromwich Albion (loan) West Bromwich Albion Northampton Town Forest Green Rovers Worcester City Tamworth |
? (?) 46 (1) 185 (3) 7 (0) 11 (0) 9 (0) 67 (1) 27 (0) 36 (0) ? (?) 16 (0) |
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1 Senior club appearances and goals |
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Desmond "Des" Lyttle (born September 24, 1971 in Wolverhampton, England) is a professional footballer, currently playing for Conference North side Tamworth, where he plays as a defender.
Contents |
[edit] Playing career
[edit] Leicester City
Lyttle started his professional football career with Leicester City back in 1990, but after failing to make the first-team, he was released at the end of 1991.
[edit] Worcester City
Lyttle was picked up by Worcester City on August 1, 1991 on a free transfer. Des spent one season with Worcester City, and a number of good performances alerted bigger clubs of Lyttle's ability.
[edit] Swansea City
On July 9, 1992 Lyttle joined newly promoted Second Division outfit Swansea City from Worcester City for a fee of £12,500. Lyttle spent a full season with The Swansea City and was part of the team who defied the odds to finish 5th in their first season back in the Second Division and also reach the 4th round of the FA Cup. Lyttle made 46 appearances for Swansea City and found the net on one occasion.
[edit] Nottingham Forest
Lyttle's performances for Swansea hadn't gone unnoticed and on July 27, 1993 was signed by relegated Nottingham Forest for a fee of £375,000 to become one of Frank Clark's first signings in a bid to make an instant return to the Premier League following Brian Clough's eighteen year reign as manager.
During Lyttle's six year spell with Nottingham Forest he was a member of the team that won instant promotion back to the Premier League in the 1993–94 season finishing second in the First Division. Lyttle and Forest surprised many by finishing in 3rd place the following season, in their return to the Premier League, but more significantly Forest's main source of goals, Stan Collymore was sold Liverpool.
The next two seasons for Lyttle and Forest were indifferent, in the 1995–96 season the team finished in 9th position, but the following season it was clear that following the sale of Collymore, that Forest were goal shy and after a number of disappointing results manager Clark was sacked, prompting player Stuart Pearce to take over as player-manager.
Pearce changed the clubs fortunes slightly, and a new manager was found in March, 1997, when then Crystal Palace manager Dave Bassett took the reins at the City Ground. Bassett added Pierre van Hooijdonk to the squad from Celtic in a bid to add some firepower to the goalshy Forest frontline, but the move never paid off and for Lyttle and Forest relegation was the conclusion, with the club finishing bottom of the table in 20th place.
Lyttle remained loyal to the cause and stayed with Forest, despite the relegation. Forest however lost some other players, noticeably Lyttle's defensive partner, Stuart Pearce who joined Newcastle United. Bassett still managed to guide Forest back to the Premier League at the first time of asking, although Lyttle spent a month out on loan at Port Vale, but returned to help the club finish 1st in the First Division and be promoted as champions.
Lyttle returned with Forest for another crack at the Premier League, but striker Kevin Campbell was sold to Turkish outfit Trabzonspor. This prompted an unhappy Pierre van Hooijdonk to go on strike, because his strike partner was sold. Van Hooijdonk returned a few months later, but after a dismal start to the season manager Dave Bassett was fired in January, 1999. Forest then appointed Ron Atkinson in a bid to save the club, although he was unable to steer the club away from relegation and for the third time in seven seasons Forest were relegated as the bottom club. This was also Des Lyttle's final contracted year with the club and he left to pursue his career elsewhere.
[edit] Watford
Lyttle then joined newly promoted Premier League outfit Watford on July 8, 1999. He failed to fit in at the club however, and was often a substitute. He made only eleven appearances for the club.
[edit] West Bromwich Albion
On March 21, 2000 Lyttle was sent on loan to West Bromwich Albion for the remainder of the season, signing just two days before the transfer deadline. He helped ensure the club's survival in the First Division, and in turn earned himself a permanent contract on June 1, 2000. Lyttle was a regular in the squad during the 2000–01 season, employed by manager Gary Megson as a right wing-back, and combined well with Ruel Fox down the right-hand side to help Albion reach the play-offs. The following season Lyttle lost his place to Slovakian Igor Bališ, with Lyttle used mainly as a substitute during the second half of the season as Albion were promoted to the Premier League.
During 2002–03 Lyttle slipped even further down the pecking order, managing only two starts and two substitute appearances in the Premier League. Following the club's relegation back to the First Division, Lyttle was released by the club in May 2003.[1] In all, Lyttle made 67 appearances for Albion, his only goal for the club coming in a 3–1 home defeat to Fulham on December 9, 2000.
[edit] Northampton Town
Lyttle joined Northampton Town on November 4, 2003 following his release from West Bromwich Albion.[2]. He spent the remainder of the 2003–04 season with Northampton, making a total of 27 appearances before leaving at the end of the season.
[edit] Forest Green Rovers
His next move was to Conference National side Forest Green Rovers on September 4, 2004, beating off competition from fellow Conference National rivals Burton Albion[3]. Lyttle spent one season with Forest Green, making 36 appearances, but was released after not being offered a new contact at the end of the 2004–05 season[4].
[edit] Worcester City
Lyttle then went back to his roots by joining Conference North side Worcester City for his second spell for the club, where he was the club's captain. He spent two seasons with the club but was not offered a new contract by Worcester manager Andy Preece at the end of the 2006–07 season, due to the club's budget having been reduced.[5].
[edit] Tamworth
On July 31, 2007 it was confirmed that Lyttle had joined Conference North side Tamworth. Lyttle had enjoyed a successful trial period with the club, playing in friendly matches against the likes of Birmingham City, Stamford and Gedling Town.
[edit] Honours
[edit] 
Nottingham Forest
Winner
- 1997–98 Football League First Division
Runner-Up
- 1993–94 Football League First Division
[edit] West Bromwich Albion
Runner-Up
- 2001–02 Football League First Division
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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