LEE PHILLIPS can’t wait to go up against Non-League stalwart Tim Sills in the FA Vase – and see if his former Torquay United strike partner is still hungry for goals.
Phillips’ Exmouth Town take on Sills’ Blackfield & Langley this Saturday on the Road to Wembley.
Both have played at the home of English football – Sills with Gosport Borough in 2014 and twice for Torquay, including when the Gulls beat a Cambridge United side with Phillips in attack in 2009.
The pair struck up a formidable partnership at the Gulls back in the 2007-08 season. Sills, now 37, hit 23 goals and Phillips, 36, found the net 12 times as the south-west club finished third in the Conference and reached the FA Trophy final.
Phillips moved to Rushden & Diamonds and, later, Cambridge the next season, and although their paths have crossed plenty of times since, the Golden Oldies will be back on the same pitch on Saturday.
Phillips told The NLP: “I saw our draw and the name Blackfield and thought, ‘I’m sure I know someone who plays for them’. I looked them up on twitter and lo and behold it’s my mate Sillsy!
“We had a good chat on the phone – he’s enjoying where he is. I haven’t seen in for a long time so it will be good to see him again.
“We had such a good team down there at that time – it was me and Sillsy up top and it was brilliant.
“You know straight away with someone you’re going to play with and we just clicked. He scored a lot of goals that year and we also got on off the pitch as well. For any partnership that’s a good thing.
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“Him and Steve Claridge are the two best strike partners I’ve ever had. It will be good to see him – and see if it’s put on a bit of weight!”
Phillips joined South West Peninsula League Premier Division side Exmouth in the summer as he enjoys the twilight of a career that also took in Weymouth, Exeter?City, Bath City and Chippenham Town.
“It’s brilliant,” said Phillips, who has moved back to his native south-west. “I know the manager, Richard Pears, who used to play for Tiverton and Exeter. I played with Kevin Hill at Torquay and he’s there too.
“We’ve got a great bunch of lads, we’re doing really well this season and hopefully that’s something we can build on and progress.
“I’m enjoying it. You know what the game’s like, at Conference and League Two level it’s so serious. Here, we want to win every week, but if we don’t it’s not the end of the world and we all have a drink afterwards.”
And Phillips, who has four goals this season, isn’t letting anything stop him from being involved against the Wessex?League Watersiders – even two broken wrists!
“I collided with a keeper and put full force on both wrists,” he said. “As soon as I’d got up I knew I’d done something. One is in plaster but the other one wasn’t as bad so I left it as it is. I get the plaster off on Monday so I’ll be ready for the FA Vase.”
