Leighton Phillips

Hi guys and any ladies,

I wonder if anyone can help me. What it is, I am trying to research the career of my second cousin, on my dad's side of the family, Leighton Phillips. They both come from Briton Ferry. Even though I am a Liverpool fan, I have wanted to do this for some time.

From looking at 2 excellent books about your club, which I would recommend to any 'Bluebird' (Cardiff Who's Who by Dean Hayes and also When Football Was Football Cardiff City - A nostalgic look at a century of the club) I have found out that Leighton started his career with you under the superb Jimmy Scoular.

I would love to hear any stories about him or just how he played. Any information, anecdotes, memories at all would be just fantastic and this would apply to him playing for Wales. I just wish I could have seen him playing in the flesh myself but I did not actually start to watch live football until the back end of 1981-82 season when I was lucky enough to go to Ninian and see the game 2-3 game v Luton - some of you may recall it? A great game but crap result. However, I was on the pitch a year later celebrating the promotion back to Div 2, v Orient!

My first Welsh game was also un-forgettable - a 1-0 win over Denmark, at Ninian, when Southall (the best keeper I've ever seen) made a one handed save in the corner at the Canton Road End. Brilliant.

Anyhow, any help at all would be great.

Thanks for reading,

Andy

Hi there, Leighton lives not far from me, in Neath, he has a pint in my local pub. I last saw him last Friday. He comes to the CCS with my two mates & myself, not on a regular basis. He is still in contact with Gary Bell & most of his ex Villa team mates. He will be 70 in September. Hope that is of use to you

Leighton was one. Of my favourite players. I saw him play many times for City. He was in the same Cardiff side as Toshack whonwe soldvto lLiverpool of course.
We later sold Leighton to Aston Villa where I believe he finished his career but I’m Not totally sure about that.
Leighton was a very classy player. Very cool and an excellent defender. He would always play the ball out of defense a little reminiscent of Van Dyke actually.
He was also very solid defensively. He started out in mid field but it was as a central defender that he excelled.
A great player and he won many caps for Wales.

Leighton was one. Of my favourite players. I saw him play many times for City. He was in the same Cardiff side as Toshack whonwe soldvto lLiverpool of course.
We later sold Leighton to Aston Villa where I believe he finished his career but I’m Not totally sure about that.
Leighton was a very classy player. Very cool and an excellent defender. He would always play the ball out of defense a little reminiscent of Van Dyke actually.
He was also very solid defensively. He started out in mid field but it was as a central defender that he excelled.
A great player and he won many caps for Wales.

Leighton, was transferred to Swansea after the Villa, then played for Charlton, then ended his career with Exeter. Ankle injuries made him retire , he had an op earlier this year to repair one of his ankles, he will also have an op on the other ankle.

He was excellent for us, starting as a midfield player in took about 4 seasons for him to become a regular. He really played regularly after John Toshack left, filling in in midfield as sometimes Bobby Woodruff moved up front. After Brian Harris left City Leighton dropped pack to partner Don Murray in the centre of defence but was so good he would fill in anywhere. he alternated between central defence and midfield one rthe next few seasons. Early in 1974/5 we sold both Murray and Phillips and ended up getting relegated. We got £100,000 for him and he had been our best player for about 3 seasons.

He did well at Villa and at Swansea after that, by the time he joined Charlton he was almost at then of his career and had 7 games I think for Exeter before packing in. Despite starting with City and playing for us for about 8 our nine years I think he actually ba Swansea fan, although I have seen him down CCS a few times.

I wish we had someone like him now.

Hi guys,

I can't thank you enough for all the responses that I've got - just fabulous.

It's great to know that he still follows football and is still so well thought of.

Shame about the result today but good luck for the rest of the season - I always like to see all Welsh clubs do well and of course Wales in any sport or competition for that matter...

Any more stories or anecdotes would be just great,

All the very best,

Andy