Liam Chilvers
Chilvers warming up for Port Vale in 2013
Personal information
Full name Liam Christopher Chilvers[1]
Date of birth (1981-11-06) 6 November 1981 (age 42)[2]
Place of birth Chelmsford, England[3]
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[4]
Position(s) Centre back
Youth career
1989–2000 Arsenal
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000–2004 Arsenal 0 (0)
2000–2001 → Northampton Town (loan) 7 (0)
2001–2002 → Notts County (loan) 9 (1)
2002–2003 → K.S.K. Beveren (loan) 5 (0)
2003 → Colchester United (loan) 6 (0)
2003–2004 → Colchester United (loan) 32 (0)
2004–2006 Colchester United 75 (3)
2006–2010 Preston North End 97 (2)
2010–2012 Notts County 38 (0)
2011 → Port Vale (loan) 12 (0)
2012–2013 AFC Telford United 8 (0)
2012–2013 → Port Vale (loan) 20 (2)
2013–2014 Port Vale 14 (0)
2014 Hyde 3 (0)
Total 326 (8)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Liam Christopher Chilvers (born 6 November 1981) is an English former footballer who played as a centre back.

A graduate of the Arsenal Academy, he won the FA Youth Cup with the club in 2000. After turning professional he spent four weeks of the 2000–01 season on loan at Northampton Town, three months on loan at Notts County in the 2001–02 season, and the first half of the 2002–03 season on loan at Belgian side K.S.K. Beveren. He spent the second half of the 2002–03 season and the whole of the 2003–04 campaign on loan at Colchester United, after which he was allowed to join the club permanently. He stayed at Colchester for the next two years and helped the club win promotion into the Championship, before he transferred to Preston North End in July 2006. He spent four years with the club, though was out of action for a year due to injury. He re-joined Notts County on a permanent basis in July 2010, and was loaned out to Port Vale in September 2011. He signed with AFC Telford United in September 2012, before beginning a second loan spell with Port Vale in November 2012, which was made into a permanent move two months later. He helped Vale win promotion out of League Two in 2012–13. He joined Hyde in September 2014.

Career

Arsenal

Born in Chelmsford, Essex, Chilvers entered the Arsenal Academy at the age of seven, and featured in their FA Youth Cup final win over Coventry City in 2000.[3] On 22 December 2000, he joined Second Division club Northampton Town on a four-week loan. He made his debut the next day, in a 2–1 win over Peterborough United at London Road. He started six further games for the "Cobblers", only one of which ended in defeat, before returning to Highbury at the end of his loan spell. Unable to extend the loan deal, Town boss Kevin Wilson was "sorry to see Liam go".[5]

Chilvers joined Notts County on a three-month loan spell in November 2001,[6] and made eleven appearances for the club. He scored his first senior goal on 1 December, scoring a consolation goal in a 3–2 loss to Bristol City at Ashton Gate.[7]

Chilvers scored in a pre-season friendly for Arsenal against Stevenage in 2002.[8] He then spent the first half of the 2002–03 season on loan at Belgian Pro League club K.S.K. Beveren, who had a partnership with Arsenal at the time; John Halls, Graham Stack, and Steve Sidwell also were sent on loan to the Belgian side.[9] He was sent off on his debut – a 6–1 defeat by Sint-Truidense.[9] He made four further appearances out of position as a full-back, before he returned to England – by that time his three Arsenal colleagues had returned to London and the Beveren manager had given up trying to speak to Chilvers in English.[9] He later admitted he did not enjoy his experience, though he did get to play alongside Yaya Touré and Emmanuel Eboué.[9]

Colchester United

On 24 January 2003, he joined Colchester United on loan until the end of the season, after impressing manager Steve Whitton on a trial.[10] He only made six appearances. At the end of the campaign Arsenal and Northampton Town agreed a transfer that would see Chilvers sign a three-year deal at Northampton; however, Chilvers backed out on the deal in the final stages of negotiations.[11]

He returned to Colchester United on loan at the start of the 2003–04 campaign, initially on a three-month deal.[12] He made his League Cup bow against Rotherham United at Millmoor on 23 September, and was sent off for the first time in his professional career for a professional foul in the last minute of a 1–0 defeat; Colchester stated that they would appeal the ban.[13] He retained his first team place after serving his suspension, and the loan deal was extended until the end of the season.[14] Chilvers made a total of 45 appearances in league and cup throughout the campaign.

Chilvers was released by Arsenal in June 2004, and so quickly agreed to join Colchester United on a permanent basis.[15] Manager Phil Parkinson said that "Liam's a quality player. He's got the chance to go a long way in the game."[16] He was sent off the second time in his career when he received two yellow cards in a goalless draw with Port Vale at Vale Park on 8 March 2005; Vale also had two players sent off in what was described as 'a dour game'.[17] He netted his second senior goal on 16 April, his ninetieth-minute strike at the Galpharm Stadium winning the U's a share of the points with Huddersfield Town.[18] In all he made 48 appearances in 2004–05.

He received interest from Barnsley in September 2005, though he remained put at Colchester.[19] He made another 40 appearances in 2005–06, and found himself on the scoresheet in games at Milton Keynes Dons and AFC Bournemouth.[20][21] He helped the club to win promotion into the Championship as League One runners-up.[22] During the campaign he picked up eight bookings.

Chilvers playing for Preston North End in December 2009.

Preston North End

Chilvers joined Preston North End on a two-year contract in July 2006, with an option for a further two years.[23] He fitted in well at the Championship club, and made 49 league and cup appearances in 2006–07, finding his way onto the scoresheet in games at Ipswich Town and Barnsley.[24][25] Preston finished one point outside of the play-offs.[26] At the end of the season he signed a new contract, which would see him tied to the club until June 2010.[27]

Preston struggled for form in the 2007–08 season, which resulted in manager Paul Simpson being sacked and replaced with Alan Irvine.[28] Chilvers made 31 appearances and was a key first team member until he ruptured his Achilles tendon in a pre-match warm-up in March. A difficult injury that also required surgery, he was initially expected to be out of action until December 2008.[29][30][31] However, Chilver was 'impatient', and strived to return from his injury as soon as possible.[32] A 'model patient', he returned to training in August 2008, a whole three months ahead of schedule.[33] However, he still missed almost the whole of the 2008–09 campaign, and only appeared as a last minute substitute in a 2–1 win over Birmingham City at St. Andrew's on 25 April. He played 26 games in 2009–10, however, manager Darren Ferguson did not offer him a new contract at the end of the season.

Notts County

Following a trial with Peterborough United,[34] Chilvers signed for former club Notts County, now in League One, on a two-year contract on 23 July 2010.[35] He lost his first team place after he was sent off for a professional foul in a League Cup defeat to Premier League Wolverhampton Wanderers on 21 September.[36] He returned to the starting eleven in November, though only played two games from December through to February. He returned to action to post a total of 27 appearances in 2010–11. However, manager Martin Allen informed Chilvers that he could leave the club, despite the player still being under contract.[37]

He did not play a competitive game for the "Magpies" at the start of the 2011–12 season, though he did play the second half of the club's 1–1 friendly draw with Juventus at the newly opened Juventus Stadium.[38] Instead Chilvers joined Port Vale on a monthlong loan on 22 September.[39] After four good performances the loan deal was extended until 24 December.[40] He stated his hopes to win a permanent contract at the club,[41] and the Port Vale coaching staff also indicated that they would look to sign Chilvers permanently, leaving the final decision on the move to be made by Notts County.[42] He played a total of twelve matches for the "Valiants", though he was forced to leave the pitch early on the final game of his spell after he picked up a groin injury.[43] His hopes of a more long-term move to Port Vale were ended after manager Micky Adams revealed that he did not have any money available to sign any players either permanently or on loan during the January transfer window.[44] He did though find himself back in first team contention at Meadow Lane, particularly after Keith Curle replaced Allen as manager in mid-February. In May 2012 he was released by the club, along with 12 other players.[45]

AFC Telford United to Port Vale

Chilvers joined AFC Telford United of the Conference National in September 2012.[46] His stay with the "Bucks" was on a short-term basis, to provide cover for a number of defenders who were out injured.[47] He made his League Two debut on 15 September, in a 3–3 draw with Cambridge United at the Abbey Stadium.[48] He re-signed on loan to Port Vale in November 2012 with the view to a possible permanent transfer in January.[49] Once the loan deal expired, he signed a contract with Port Vale lasting until the end of the season.[50] He scored two goals on 13 April in a 2–2 draw with Rochdale at Spotland, the first being an awful first-half own goal and the second being an 89th-minute header that would have won the game for the Vale if not for a late equaliser from Rochdale.[51] He admitted that he thought the goal had secured promotion for the club, though Rochdale's equalizer and a late goal elsewhere meant that Vale had to wait another week for the chance to secure promotion.[52] He agreed to sign a new one-year deal in the summer.[53]

He started the 2013–14 season on the bench, before returning to the first team on 7 September to help the Vale record their first clean sheet of the season against Carlisle United.[54] He was limited to 17 appearances across the season and was released in the summer.[55]

Hyde

Chilvers featured for Forest Green Rovers in a pre-season friendly win over Brimscombe & Thrupp on 29 July 2014.[56] He signed with Scott McNiven's Conference North club Hyde in September 2014.[57] He made his debut for the club on 20 September, in a 5–1 win over Lowestoft Town at Ewen Fields, Hyde's first home win since April 2013.[58]

Style of play

Chilvers has excellent positional play and leadership skills, and is also a threat from set-pieces.[59]

Personal life

Chilvers is married and has a son named Oscar of whom was born in 2012.[60] He began working at a law office located in Southport after retiring from football in 2015, before becoming as a self-employed tradesman.[61][26]

Career statistics

Club Season Division League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Arsenal 2000–01[62] Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2001–02[63] Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2002–03[64] Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2003–04[65] Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Northampton Town (loan) 2000–01[62] Second Division 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 0
Notts County (loan) 2001–02[63] Second Division 9 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 11 1
K.S.K. Beveren (loan) 2002–03 Belgian Pro League 5 0 – – – – 0 0 5 0
Colchester United 2002–03[64] Second Division 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0
2003–04[65] Second Division 32 0 7 0 1 0 5[a] 0 45 0
2004–05[66] League One 41 1 5 0 2 0 0 0 48 1
2005–06[67] League One 34 2 3 0 1 0 2[a] 0 40 2
Total 113 3 15 0 4 0 7 0 139 3
Preston North End 2006–07[68] Championship 45 2 3 0 1 0 0 0 49 2
2007–08[69] Championship 28 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 31 0
2008–09[70] Championship 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
2009–10[71] Championship 23 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 26 0
Total 97 2 6 0 4 0 0 0 107 2
Notts County 2010–11[72] League One 21 0 2 0 3 0 0 0 27 0
2011–12[73] League One 17 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 19 0
Total 38 0 4 0 3 0 0 0 46 0
AFC Telford United 2012–13[74] Conference National 8 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 10 0
Port Vale 2011–12[73] League Two 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 0
2012–13[74] League Two 20 2 0 0 0 0 1[a] 0 21 2
2013–14[75] League One 14 0 2 0 0 0 1[a] 0 17 0
Total 46 2 2 0 0 0 2 0 50 2
Hyde 2014–15[76] Conference North 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Career total 326 8 31 0 11 0 10 0 376 8
  1. ^ a b c d Appearance/s in the EFL Trophy.

Honours

Arsenal[3]

Colchester United

Port Vale

References

  1. ^ "Liam Chilvers". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  2. ^ "Name: Liam Chilvers". nottscountyfc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 25 September 2011. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  3. ^ a b c "Port Vale: Old pals prepare to clash as Vale take on Gills". The Sentinel. 7 October 2011. Archived from the original on 10 October 2011. Retrieved 7 October 2011.
  4. ^ "Name: Liam Chilvers". pnefc.net. Archived from the original on 11 September 2012. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  5. ^ "Arsenal call in Chilvers loan". BBC Sport. 23 January 2001. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  6. ^ "Notts County sign Gunner". BBC Sport. 2 November 2001. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  7. ^ "Bristol City 3-2 Notts County". BBC. 1 December 2001. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
  8. ^ "Arsenal thrash Stevenage". BBC. 18 July 2002. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  9. ^ a b c d Shaw, Steve (15 October 2011). "Nightmare loan spell was worst six months of Chilvers' career". The Sentinel: The New Green UN. p. 10. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
  10. ^ "Chilvers gets Colchester trial". BBC Sport. 16 January 2003. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  11. ^ "Chilvers stays at Arsenal". BBC Sport. 11 July 2003. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  12. ^ "Colchester keen to keep Chilvers". BBC Sport. 28 August 2003. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  13. ^ "U's plan Chilvers appeal". BBC Sport. 25 September 2003. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  14. ^ "Chilvers commits for season". BBC Sport. 7 November 2003. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  15. ^ "Chilvers joins Colchester". BBC Sport. 8 June 2004. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  16. ^ "Boss happy with Chilvers". BBC Sport. 9 June 2004. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  17. ^ "Port Vale 0-0 Colchester". BBC Sport. 8 March 2005. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  18. ^ "Huddersfield 2-2 Colchester". BBC Sport. 16 April 2005. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  19. ^ "Colchester want to keep Chilvers". BBC Sport. 1 September 2005. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  20. ^ "Milton K 1-1 Colchester". BBC Sport. 20 August 2005. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  21. ^ "Bournemouth 1-2 Colchester". BBC Sport. 22 April 2006. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  22. ^ "Colchester defender is confident". BBC Sport. 26 April 2006. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  23. ^ "Chilvers makes switch to Preston". BBC Sport. 11 July 2006. Retrieved 23 July 2010.
  24. ^ "Ipswich 2-3 Preston". BBC Sport. 17 October 2006. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  25. ^ "Barnsley 0-1 Preston". BBC Sport. 13 January 2007. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
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  28. ^ Salmon, Craig (24 November 2023). "Big Interview part two: From promotion chasers to relegation candidates, Liam Chilvers recounts his second season at Preston North End". Lancashire Post. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  29. ^ "Preston hit by double injury blow". BBC Sport. 13 March 2008. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  30. ^ "Chilvers faces nine-month lay-off". BBC Sport. 10 March 2008. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  31. ^ "Chilvers not back until December". BBC Sport. 18 July 2008. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  32. ^ "Chilvers targets September return". BBC Sport. 1 April 2008. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  33. ^ "Chilvers returns to full training". BBC Sport. 22 August 2008. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  34. ^ "Liam Chilvers nets Peterborough United trial". BBC Sport. 17 July 2010. Retrieved 23 July 2010.
  35. ^ "Notts County complete deal for Liam Chilvers". BBC Sport. 23 July 2010. Retrieved 23 July 2010.
  36. ^ "Wolverhampton 4 - 2 Notts County". BBC Sport. 21 September 2010. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  37. ^ "Graeme Lee one of eight to leave Notts County". BBC Sport. 16 May 2011. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  38. ^ "Juventus 1-1 Notts County: So Much More Than 90 Minutes of Soccer". juventiknows.com. 9 September 2011. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  39. ^ "Port Vale sign Rob Kozluk and Liam Chilvers". BBC Sport. 22 September 2011. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  40. ^ "Port Vale extend loan of Notts County's Liam Chilvers". BBC Sport. 20 October 2011. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  41. ^ "Liam Chilvers wants permanent contract at Port Vale". BBC Sport. 23 October 2011. Retrieved 23 October 2011.
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  43. ^ Shaw, Steve (17 December 2011). "Port Vale 4 Aldershot 0". The Sentinel. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
  44. ^ "Port Vale: Adams accuses board of U-turn on player cash". The Sentinel. 3 January 2012. Archived from the original on 11 January 2012. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
  45. ^ "Curle Confirms Retained List". Notts county FC. 9 May 2012. Archived from the original on 14 June 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
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  47. ^ "Liam Chilvers signs for AFC Telford". Shropshire Star. 14 September 2012. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
  48. ^ "Cambridge 3 - 3 Telford". BBC Sport. 15 September 2012. Retrieved 15 September 2012.
  49. ^ "Telford's Liam Chilvers completes return move to Port Vale". BBC Sport. 22 November 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
  50. ^ Pearson, Guy (10 January 2013). "Chilvers extends Vale stay". The Sentinel. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
  51. ^ "Rochdale 2 - 2 Port Vale". BBC Sport. 13 April 2013. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
  52. ^ "I thought we'd won promotion, says Liam Chilvers". The Sentinel. 15 April 2013. Retrieved 15 April 2013.
  53. ^ "Port Vale: Liam Chilvers signs new one-year contract". BBC Sport. 12 June 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  54. ^ "Clean sheets are so important, says Liam Chilvers". BBC Sport. 10 September 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  55. ^ "Micky Adams announces retained list". Port Vale FC. 2 May 2014.
  56. ^ "Lee Hughes scores two as Forest Green win 4-1 at Brimscombe". Gloucester Citizen. 29 July 2014. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  57. ^ McAnulty, Andy. "Hyde Sign Liam Chilvers". hydefc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 13 September 2014. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
  58. ^ "Hyde 5-1 Lowestoft Town". hydefc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 22 September 2014. Retrieved 22 September 2014.
  59. ^ "Port Vale: Horsfield backs Chilvers to continue fine form". The Sentinel. 21 October 2011. Archived from the original on 22 October 2011. Retrieved 21 October 2011.
  60. ^ "Chilvers eager to grab full-time chance". The Sentinel. 26 November 2012. Archived from the original on 21 April 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2012.
  61. ^ "Profile". LinkedIn. Retrieved 30 August 2015.[permanent dead link]
  62. ^ a b "Games played by Liam Chilvers in 2000/2001". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  63. ^ a b "Games played by Liam Chilvers in 2001/2002". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  64. ^ a b "Games played by Liam Chilvers in 2002/2003". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  65. ^ a b "Games played by Liam Chilvers in 2003/2004". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  66. ^ "Games played by Liam Chilvers in 2004/2005". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  67. ^ "Games played by Liam Chilvers in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  68. ^ "Games played by Liam Chilvers in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  69. ^ "Games played by Liam Chilvers in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  70. ^ "Games played by Liam Chilvers in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  71. ^ "Games played by Liam Chilvers in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  72. ^ "Games played by Liam Chilvers in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  73. ^ a b "Games played by Liam Chilvers in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  74. ^ a b "Games played by Liam Chilvers in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  75. ^ "Games played by Liam Chilvers in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  76. ^ Liam Chilvers at Soccerway
  77. ^ Sherwin, Phil; Johnson, Dave (2013), Port Vale This Side Up: 2012-2013 Promotion Celebration, BGL, ISBN 978-0-9926579-0-1

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