Derek Stillie
Personal information
Full name Derek Daniel Stillie[1]
Date of birth (1973-12-03) 3 December 1973
Place of birth Irvine, Scotland
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
1991–1995 Aberdeen
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1994–1999 Aberdeen 22 (0)
1999–2002 Wigan Athletic 44 (0)
2002–2005 Dunfermline Athletic 96 (0)
2005–2007 Dundee United 67 (0)
2007–2008 Gillingham 14 (0)
Total 233 (0)
International career‡
1993–1995 Scotland U21 14 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13:26, 7 May 2008 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 13:26, 7 May 2012 (UTC)

Derek Daniel Stillie (born 3 December 1973) is a Scottish retired footballer, who played as a goalkeeper for a number of clubs in Scotland and England. After retiring from football, Stillie pursued a career in English law, and contested the 2019 UK general election as the Conservative candidate for the Central Ayrshire constituency.

He is currently on the coaching staff at Ayr United.

Football career

Club

Raised in Cumnock,[2] Stillie started his career as a youth player at Aberdeen and signed a professional contract in August 1995 at the age of 21; by that time he had already made his senior debut during the 1993–94 season due to an injury crisis. He was an unused substitute as the Dons won the 1995–96 Scottish League Cup, but did not make any appearances that season with Theo Snelders and Michael Watt ahead of him; he remained a back-up as Nicky Walker came in as first choice for a short period, and then the veteran Jim Leighton took the place. In six years at Pittodrie, Stillie managed only 25 appearances in all competitions[3] and in 1999 he moved to Wigan Athletic. At the Lancashire club he played 57 times, twice helping them reach the Division Two play-offs.

In July 2002, Stillie moved back to Scotland to sign for Fife club Dunfermline Athletic and became a virtual ever-present for the Pars, making a total of 117 appearances after replacing first-choice keeper Marco Ruitenbeek in November 2002. During the 2003–04 season, Stillie was part of the Dunfermline team that were runners-up to Celtic in the 2004 Scottish Cup Final.[2]

Dundee United manager Gordon Chisholm signed Stillie at the start of the 2005–06 season, bringing him to Tannadice Park for an undisclosed fee[4] after first-choice keeper Tony Bullock signed for Gillingham.[5] In May 2007, Stillie confirmed that he would be leaving Dundee United to relocate to England to pursue his English law career,[6] for which he had begun studying during his time with Wigan.[7] He helped the Terrors to a clean sheet in the final day goalless draw at home to Motherwell.

During the 2007 close season, Stillie signed a one-year contract with Gillingham,[8] making his debut in the 4–0 away defeat to Nottingham Forest on 22 September 2007. Stillie announced his retirement at the end of the 2007–08 season to pursue his career as a lawyer.[9]

International

Having played more often for the Under-21s (14 appearances across two seasons)[10] than he had for Aberdeen at club level in the same period in the mid-1990s, Stillie was named in two senior Scotland national squads, latterly in October 2003, but never won a full cap;[11] he was an unused substitute in the Future Cup match versus Germany, also in 2003.

On 5 May 2012, Stillie gained his first international cap for Sealand, playing alongside Ralf Little in a game against the Chagos Islands, conceding three goals as the match finished 3–1.[12]

After football

After retiring as a footballer, Stillie became a lawyer. He acted in defence of the footballers David Goodwillie and David Robertson, who were accused of rape.[13][14] This legal case made history as the first time a rape complainant had successfully sued the accused for civil damages.[15]

In November 2019, Stillie announced that he would be contesting the general election as the Conservative candidate for the Central Ayrshire constituency.[16] Stillie finished in second place as the incumbent MP, Philippa Whitford, was re-elected.[17]

At the 2021 Scottish Parliament election, Stillie was nominated on the Scottish Conservatives list for the West Scotland region.[18] However, as he was placed seventh on the list, he was not one of those elected.[19] He then stood in the South Ayrshire ward of Prestwick at the 2022 Scottish local elections,[20] finishing sixth and failing to get elected.[21][22]

Career statistics

ClubSeasonLeagueCupLeague CupOtherTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Aberdeen1993–944000000040
1994–950000000000
1995–96000000–00
1996–978000000080
1997–98200020–40
1998–99801000–90
Total220102000250
Wigan Athletic1999–00130201030190
2000–011802020–220
2001–02130101010160
Total440504040570
Dunfermline Athletic2002–032106010–280
2003–043707020–460
2004–05380302010440
Total96016050101180
Dundee United2005–06300101020340
2006–073702020–410
Total670303020750
Gillingham2007–08140000020160
Career total2430250140902910

Honours

Aberdeen

Dunfermline Athletic

References

  1. ↑ "Derek Stillie". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  2. 1 2 Ralston, Gary (16 November 2019). "Derek Stillie reveals bust-up after THAT Rangers 6-1 defeat". Daily Record. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  3. ↑ Derek Stillie, AFC Heritage Trust
  4. ↑ "BBC Sport website – 'Stillie on move to Dundee United'". BBC News. 7 July 2005.
  5. ↑ "BBC Sport website – 'Gillingham capture keeper Bullock'". BBC News. 29 June 2005.
  6. ↑ "Stillie will make Tannadice exit". BBC Sport website. 8 May 2007.
  7. ↑ Long arm of the law, Andy Moore, The Guardian, 17 October 2005
  8. ↑ "Gills Sign Stillie". Gillinghamfootballclub.premiumtv.co.uk. 7 May 2013.
  9. ↑ "Stillie hangs up his gloves". BBC Sport. 7 May 2008.
  10. ↑ (Scotland U21 player) Stillie, Derek, FitbaStats
  11. ↑ "Fletcher given Scotland call". BBC Sport. 2 October 2003.
  12. ↑ "Major Roy Bates: The self-proclaimed 'Prince of Sealand'". The Independent. 11 October 2012. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  13. ↑ "Footballers Goodwillie and Robertson ruled as rapists". 17 January 2017 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  14. ↑ "David Goodwillie fails to overturn damages decision". Edinburgh News. 5 October 2016.
  15. ↑ Scott, Marion (5 December 2017). "Rape case appeal for disgraced footballer David Goodwillie". Sunday Post.
  16. ↑ "Ayr United coach to run as Tory candidate for Central Ayrshire in General Election". Ayr Advertiser. 4 November 2019.
  17. ↑ "Ayrshire Central parliamentary constituency - Election 2019". BBC News. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  18. ↑ Sandra, Black. "Scottish Parliamentary election – regional contest West Scotland Region Statement of persons and parties nominated and Notice of poll" (PDF). Renfrewshire Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 May 2021. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  19. ↑ "Elections 2021: West of Scotland [region] [sic],". BBC News. Archived from the original on 16 May 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  20. ↑ Wilson, Stuart (4 April 2022). "Election hopeful makes Prestwick steeple cash pledge". Daily Record. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  21. ↑ Pengilly, Calam (6 May 2022). "South Ayrshire Council 2022 election results". Ayr Advertiser. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  22. ↑ "Declaration of Results Report Ward 2 Prestwick" (PDF). South Ayrshire Council. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
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