Chris Pile (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Christopher James "Chris" Pile (born 4 April 1967 in Huyton
, Liverpool
) is an English
former footballer whose career was curtailed by injury.
A goalkeeper
, Pile never actually made a professional appearance, and in fact only made the bench for one senior game. Uniquely, however, this game was the 1985 European Cup Final
, which saw him become the youngest footballer to be involved in this fixture, generally considered to be the biggest in club football.
Pile came through the Liverpool F.C.
youth system
, and signed professional forms in 1984 at the age of 17. Initially fourth-choice 'keeper, injuries to Bob Wardle and then Bob Bolder
elevated Pile to second place (behind Bruce Grobbelaar
) and saw him facing a possible European Cup
winners medal having just turned 18. Pile was indeed named on the bench for the final, but Liverpool lost to Juventus
in a game overshadowed by the Heysel Disaster
. Pile collected his runners-up medal but his time in the spotlight was coming to an end. Initially, Bolder's departure and Wardle's retirement saw Pile hold on to the number two spot for the next season, but there were no substitute goalkeepers in English domestic football
in those days, and a ban on English clubs from European football resulting from Heysel saw Pile's chances of matchday involvement reduced to almost nothing. Pile was a regular in the reserve team, but then disaster struck in the form of an injury. Needing goalkeeping cover, Liverpool signed Mike Hooper who firmly established himself as second choice. Although Pile recovered, he was unable to dislodge Hooper, and served out his contract before leaving in 1987.
He joined Tranmere Rovers
and then Bury
as a non-contract player, playing reserve team football and impressed sufficiently at Bury to be offered a contract. Unfortunately though, the deal was scuppered when he broke his wrist on the day of signing. Needing regular football, he accepted an offer to move to New Zealand
, a move that he initially expected to be short-term. However, he settled so well, playing for Wellington
side Waterside Karori
, that he was able to ignore reported interest from Scottish giants Celtic
. A couple of years later, personal reasons saw him return to England, and he joined Southport
, where he had some success until he suffered a broken hand, the third of his career. This caused him to quit playing, and he returned to New Zealand where he has remained to this day.
Huyton
Huyton is a suburb of Liverpool within the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley, with some parts belonging to the borough of Liverpool in Merseyside, England. It is part of the Liverpool Urban Area and has close associations with its neighbour, Roby, having both formerly been part of the Huyton with...
, Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
) is an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
former footballer whose career was curtailed by injury.
A goalkeeper
Goalkeeper (football)
In association football, the goalkeeper occupies a position that represents the last line of defence between the opponent's offence and his own team's goal. The primary role of the goalkeeper is to defend his team's goal and prevent the opposition from scoring a goal...
, Pile never actually made a professional appearance, and in fact only made the bench for one senior game. Uniquely, however, this game was the 1985 European Cup Final
1985 European Cup Final
The 1985 European Cup Final was a football match played between Liverpool of England and Juventus of Italy at the Heysel Stadium in Brussels, Belgium on 29 May 1985....
, which saw him become the youngest footballer to be involved in this fixture, generally considered to be the biggest in club football.
Pile came through the Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
youth system
Liverpool F.C. Reserves
Liverpool F.C. Reserves are the reserve team of Liverpool.-Reserve team:Liverpool Reserves play in the FA Premier Reserve League. In their division, the reserves became Champions in 2000. They competed in the Lancashire Combination from 1896 to 1911, with the exception of the 1898–99 season, in...
, and signed professional forms in 1984 at the age of 17. Initially fourth-choice 'keeper, injuries to Bob Wardle and then Bob Bolder
Bob Bolder
Robert John "Bob" Bolder is a former English footballer who played as a goalkeeper.He started his career with local team Dover F.C. before moving to Sheffield Wednesday at the age of just 19. He played over 200 games whilst at Hillsborough. In 1983 he started a two year stint as back-up for Bruce...
elevated Pile to second place (behind Bruce Grobbelaar
Bruce Grobbelaar
Bruce David Grobbelaar is a former football goalkeeper and manager.He played for a number of clubs in a career which spanned for more than 20 years at professional level, most notably Liverpool during their dominant period in the 1980s and early 1990s.-Early years:In his teenage years, Grobbelaar...
) and saw him facing a possible European Cup
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
winners medal having just turned 18. Pile was indeed named on the bench for the final, but Liverpool lost to Juventus
Juventus F.C.
Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont...
in a game overshadowed by the Heysel Disaster
Heysel Stadium disaster
The Heysel Stadium disaster occurred on 29 May 1985 when escaping fans were pressed against a wall in the Heysel Stadium in Brussels, Belgium, as a result of rioting before the start of the 1985 European Cup Final between Liverpool of England and Juventus of Italy...
. Pile collected his runners-up medal but his time in the spotlight was coming to an end. Initially, Bolder's departure and Wardle's retirement saw Pile hold on to the number two spot for the next season, but there were no substitute goalkeepers in English domestic football
Football in England
Association football is a national sport in England, where the first modern set of rules for the code were established in 1863, which were a major influence on the development of the modern Laws of the Game...
in those days, and a ban on English clubs from European football resulting from Heysel saw Pile's chances of matchday involvement reduced to almost nothing. Pile was a regular in the reserve team, but then disaster struck in the form of an injury. Needing goalkeeping cover, Liverpool signed Mike Hooper who firmly established himself as second choice. Although Pile recovered, he was unable to dislodge Hooper, and served out his contract before leaving in 1987.
He joined Tranmere Rovers
Tranmere Rovers F.C.
Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English team based in Birkenhead, Wirral. The club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system...
and then Bury
Bury F.C.
Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the...
as a non-contract player, playing reserve team football and impressed sufficiently at Bury to be offered a contract. Unfortunately though, the deal was scuppered when he broke his wrist on the day of signing. Needing regular football, he accepted an offer to move to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, a move that he initially expected to be short-term. However, he settled so well, playing for Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
side Waterside Karori
Waterside Karori
Waterside Karori AFC is an association football club in Karori, a suburb of Wellington, New Zealand.Waterside Karori was formed in 19881 when Karori Swifts merged with Waterside. These two clubs had contrasting origins: Swifts were founded in 1894 from a Sunday School, and Waterside were founded...
, that he was able to ignore reported interest from Scottish giants Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
. A couple of years later, personal reasons saw him return to England, and he joined Southport
Southport F.C.
Southport Football Club are an English football club, based in Southport, Merseyside. They are currently in the Conference National, and play their home matches at Haig Avenue, which has a capacity of 6,008...
, where he had some success until he suffered a broken hand, the third of his career. This caused him to quit playing, and he returned to New Zealand where he has remained to this day.