George Pilkington

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George Pilkington
George Pilkington 10-03-12.png
Pilkington playing for Luton Town
Personal information
Full name George Edward Pilkington[1]
Date of birth 7 November 1981 (1981-11-07) (age 30)[1]
Place of birth Rugeley, England
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[1]
Playing position Defender
Club information
Current club Luton Town
Number 6
Youth career
000?–1998 Everton
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1998–2003 Everton 0 (0)
2002–2003 → Exeter City (loan) 7 (0)
2003–2008 Port Vale 224 (11)
2008– Luton Town 127 (11)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 16:40, 27 February 2012(UTC).
† Appearances (Goals).

George Edward Pilkington (born 7 November 1981) is an English footballer who captains Conference National club Luton Town, playing as a defender.

He started his career at Everton 1998, staying at the club for five years without ever making a first team appearance. In 2002 he enjoyed a short loan spell at Exeter City. In 2003 he signed with Port Vale, a club where he spent another five years; this time as a key member of the first team, he was made Player of the Year in 2005–06. After making around 250 appearances for the club, he moved on to Luton Town. After a faulty start due to injuries he managed to become the rock in the Luton defence. He has been awarded the Player of the Season award at both Port Vale and Luton Town.

Contents

[edit] Career

Born in Rugeley, Staffordshire, Pilkington started his career as a trainee at Everton's Finch Farm, but did not make a first-team appearance for the club. He was sent on loan to Exeter City in November 2002 and played in twelve games, including in the FA Cup against Premier League side Charlton Athletic, which Exeter lost 3–1. He was released by Everton at the end of the 2002–03 season.

Pilkington signed for Brian Horton's Port Vale in June 2003.[2] He became one of the first names on the first eleven during his first season, making 49 appearances in the 2003–04 campaign. At the end of the season, he and fellow rising star Billy Paynter signed long-term contracts at Vale Park.[3]

On 17 September 2004 he saw his first red card at Brentford, during a 2–0 defeat.[4] However he was generally productive again in 2004–05, as new manager Martin Foyle selected Pilkington for 48 appearances over all competitions.

The 2005–06 saw Pilkington make 53 appearances, as he became an ever-presence in the league. On 29 April 2006 he scored twice in ten minutes to end his thirty month goal drought in a 3–1 victory over Chesterfield.[5] He signed a new two-year contract the following month, after which he was named club captain, following the departure of Tony Dinning.[6] Vale fans voted him Port Vale F.C. Player of the Year.[7]

The 2006–07 season was a 'topsy-turvy' campaign, as Pilkington captained his side to a mid-table finish, with a decent League Cup run to boast about – besting Championship sides Preston North End, Queens Park Rangers and Norwich City – before taking Premier League Tottenham Hotspur to extra time.[8] Once again he was an ever-present player, with 53 appearances to his name.

The 2007–08 was a disaster for the club and the player, as new manager Lee Sinnott stripped Pilkington of the captain's armband, and led the club to relegation into League Two.[9] Despite this, Pilkington said he was keen to stay at the club,[10] though it was soon decided that he would leave the club in the summer.[11] He had made over 250 appearances for the club.[11]

Pilkington joined Luton Town on a free transfer in August 2008.[12] A series of recurring injuries picked up throughout the season limited Pilkington's playing chances, though he returned for the final run-in of games on 17 March 2009. Pilkington played in the Luton side that beat Scunthorpe United 3–2 in the Football League Trophy final at Wembley Stadium.[13] However he suffered relegation for his second successive season, as Luton lost their Football League status.

The next season, in which Luton contested their football in the Conference National, saw Pilkington play in every league game. He also scored his first goals for the club, accumulating six in total, and won four end-of-season awards, including Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year.[14] At the end of the season, Pilkington signed a two-year extension to his contract, keeping him at Luton until 2012,[15] and was named as club captain for the 2010–11 season.[16] He played 56 games in the campaign, helping his team to the semi-finals of the FA Trophy and to the Conference play-off final; he scored a penalty in the final's shoot-out, held at the City of Manchester Stadium, but AFC Wimbledon won 4–3 to deny Luton a place in the Football League. Pilkington was given the Players' Player of the Year award, and was also named as man-of-the-match more than other Luton player that season.[17]

[edit] Statistics

As of 27 February 2012.
Club performance League Cup League Cup Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
England League FA Cup League Cup Total
2002–03[18] Exeter City Third Division 7 0 4 0 0 0 12 0
2003–04[19] Port Vale Second Division 44 1 3 0 1 0 49 1
2004–05[20] Port Vale League One 43 0 2 0 1 0 48 0
2005–06[21] Port Vale League One 46 2 5 0 1 0 53 2
2006–07[22] Port Vale League One 46 6 1 0 4 0 53 6
2007–08[23] Port Vale League One 45 2 3 1 1 0 50 3
2008–09[24] Luton Town League Two 18 0 1 0 2 0 22 0
2009–10[25] Luton Town Conference National 46 6 6 0 0 0 53 6
2010–11[26] Luton Town Conference National 45 4 5 0 0 0 56 4
2011–12[27] Luton Town Conference National 20 1 2 0 0 0 23 1
Career total 359 21 31 1 10 0 418 22
Notes

[edit] Honours

Individual

Luton Town

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2009). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2009–10. Mainstream Publishing. p. 334. ISBN 9781845964740. 
  2. ^ "Vale land Pilkington". BBC Sport. 24 June 2003. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/port_vale/3016642.stm. Retrieved 16 July 2010. 
  3. ^ "Duo boost Port Vale". BBC Sport. 4 March 2004. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/port_vale/3533937.stm. Retrieved 16 July 2010. 
  4. ^ "Brentford 1-0 Port Vale". BBC Sport. 17 September 2004. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/3647026.stm. Retrieved 16 July 2010. 
  5. ^ "Port Vale 3-1 Chesterfield". BBC Sport. 29 April 2006. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/4933650.stm. Retrieved 16 July 2010. 
  6. ^ "Pilkington is handed Vale armband". BBC Sport. 2006-05-26. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/port_vale/5020270.stm. Retrieved 2008-06-01. 
  7. ^ "Awards". port-vale.co.uk. 5 May 2006. http://www.port-vale.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10381~825951,00.html. Retrieved 24 October 2011. 
  8. ^ Mitchener, Mark (11 December 2006). "Skipper wants Valiant effort". BBC Sport. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/port_vale/6167161.stm. Retrieved 16 July 2010. 
  9. ^ "Pilkington to sweat on contract". BBC Sport. 29 February 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/port_vale/7269732.stm. Retrieved 16 July 2010. 
  10. ^ "Pilkington wants to stay at Vale". BBC Sport. 11 April 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/port_vale/7342704.stm. Retrieved 16 July 2010. 
  11. ^ a b "Pilkington leaves Vale on a high". BBC Sport. 2008-04-28. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/port_vale/7364683.stm. Retrieved 2008-06-01. 
  12. ^ "Luton Town bring in 11 new faces". BBC Sport. 2008-08-08. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/luton_town/7549885.stm. Retrieved 2009-12-01. 
  13. ^ "Luton 3-2 Scunthorpe (aet)". BBC Sport. 2009-04-05. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7975143.stm. Retrieved 2009-12-01. 
  14. ^ "Awards a plenty for Pilks". Luton Town F.C.. 2010-04-25. http://www.lutontown.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10372~2035210,00.html. Retrieved 2010-04-30. 
  15. ^ "Luton skipper George Pilkington signs new two-year deal". BBC Sport. 18 May 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/luton_town/8690135.stm. Retrieved 16 July 2010. 
  16. ^ "Pilkington extends contract". Luton Town F.C.. 2010-05-18. http://www.lutontown.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10372~2054888,00.html. Retrieved 2010-05-18. 
  17. ^ "Two Trophies for Tyler". lutontown.co.uk. http://www.lutontown.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10372~2351061,00.html. Retrieved 10 March 2012. 
  18. ^ "Games played by George Pilkington in 2002/2003". Soccerbase. http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=32578&season_id=132. Retrieved 10 September 2011. 
  19. ^ "Games played by George Pilkington in 2003/2004". Soccerbase. http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=32578&season_id=133. Retrieved 10 September 2011. 
  20. ^ "Games played by George Pilkington in 2004/2005". Soccerbase. http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=32578&season_id=134. Retrieved 10 September 2011. 
  21. ^ "Games played by George Pilkington in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=32578&season_id=135. Retrieved 10 September 2011. 
  22. ^ "Games played by George Pilkington in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=32578&season_id=136. Retrieved 10 September 2011. 
  23. ^ "Games played by George Pilkington in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=32578&season_id=137. Retrieved 10 September 2011. 
  24. ^ "Games played by George Pilkington in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=32578&season_id=138. Retrieved 10 September 2011. 
  25. ^ "Games played by George Pilkington in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=32578&season_id=139. Retrieved 10 September 2011. 
  26. ^ "Games played by George Pilkington in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=32578&season_id=140. Retrieved 10 September 2011. 
  27. ^ "Games played by George Pilkington in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=32578&season_id=141. Retrieved 10 September 2011. 
  28. ^ "Pilkington wins player of month prize". Luton & Dunstable Express. 2009-09-01. http://www.ldexpress.co.uk/ldexpress-sport-lutontownfc/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=445646. Retrieved 2009-12-01. 

[edit] External links
Luton Town F.C. – current squad
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=George_Pilkington&oldid=481238301"
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