Right back, Ernie Phillips, aged 30, signed for City in 1954 for a transfer fee believed to be £1,750 from Hull City. It is thought that could have been a record fee at the time for City in an era where fees didn’t always get the attention they do now. He'd made 80 appearances for First Division outfit Manchester City before moving to Boothferry Park (where he made 42 appearances) as part of a swap deal that saw Don Revie head to Maine Road.

A latecomer to professional football, although never the first name on the team sheet, by the time he joined City, he had had a solid career at a higher level.

Made City captain, he played 183 times for City, scoring twice, in an era where full backs defended and rarely crossed the half way line. He played every game in his first 2 seasons and missed just 22 in his last 2 seasons. He played every FA Cup game in City’s 1955 and 1958 cup runs.

A cultured defender, he was noted as being an excellent tackler, especially for his slide tackle and with good distribution. He was equally good in the air.

He returned to his native North East and Ashington, his first club, in 1958. He died in 2004.