Phil signed full-time in December `77, having completed his apprenticeship as a plumber. He came to The Spireites from the same Mansfield-based youth club that produced Steve Ogrizovic. A good, skilful player, he held the ball up well and had a productive all-round game,  but he never quite fulfilled the expectations of management and supporters. Exasperated fans would say that he was born offside!

Phil joined Rotherham United in December 1982 in a deal that brought Mick Gooding to Saltergate. It was an odd move, especially since it was rumoured that neither player particularly fancied his new club! Three goals came from 20 Millers appearances before he was farmed out on loan to Cardiff and released in the summer of 1984.

Chesterfield invited him back and he became a key member of the '84-5 Fourth Division championship team, where his particular strengths suited John Duncan's strategy of playing him in away games and Ernie Moss in home matches. Towards the end of his time at Saltergate he took over the Chesterfield Arms, on Newbold Road, while helping Scarborough out of the Conference and into the Football League. The usual ex-Spireite tour of local-non-league sides followed. Phil now runs soccer schools at the Center Parcs complexes in Nottinghamshire and Suffolk and has worked on the youth coaching staff at Chesterfield.

For Chesterfield: 187+23 League appearances, 47 goals.