Lilley looks to SPL

Jun 24 2009 by Kieran Westbrook, Dumfries Standard Wednesday

QUEENS latest signing David Lilley was attracted back to Palmerston by boss Gordon Chisholm’s high ambitions for the club.

The 31-year-old defender who spent three of his younger years with the Doonhamers, told the Standard that the manager’s plans for the club were the deciding factor in re-signing.

Lilley said: “The gaffer rang me while he was still on holiday to tell me he was interested in bringing me to the club. I was quite impressed with what he had to say.

“He’s got big plans for the club and how he wants the team to play. And it all matches my own ambitions.

“Ideally I would have liked to stay in the SPL, but in the current climate of football, it’s very hard.

“But the first division’s a tight league, and there’ll be four or five teams pushing for promotion next year, and we’ll definitely be one of them.

“Although I’m now 31, I still feel I could play Premier League football, and I’d like nothing better than to do so with Queen of the South next season.”

Lilley left Queens a decade ago and has enjoyed spells with Aberdeen, Kilmarnock and Partick Thistle.

And, although it’s been a while since he’s been in a Queens strip, he’s looking forward to making his return to Palmerston.

He added: “It’s been a long time since I played for Queens and the club has changed a lot, for the better. But it’s a club I always look out for the results of.

“It’s only big Jim Thomson that’s still with the club although I know a few of the older guys.”

Lilley will meet his new teammates when pre-season training starts next week.