Liam Michael Dickinson (born 4 October 1985) is an English former semi-professional footballer who played as a striker.
He began his senior career in non-league football with Irlam. He also played for Swinton Town, Trafford and Woodley Sports, before signing a professional contract with Stockport County in December 2005. He scored the winning goal in the 2008 League Two play-off final, before he won a £750,000 move to Derby County in July 2008. However, he never made a first team appearance for the "Rams", and instead spent time on loan at Huddersfield Town, Blackpool, and Leeds United, before transferring to Brighton & Hove Albion in July 2009. He spent time on loan at Peterborough United, before winning a £150,000 move to Barnsley in June 2010. He never started a league game for the "Tykes", and was instead loaned out to Walsall and Rochdale, before he was allowed to join Southend United via Plymouth Argyle in July 2011.
Playing career
Early career
Dickinson began his career at Blackpool's Centre of Excellence, where he was offered a contract, but he chose instead to sign for Bolton Wanderers, before joining the Blackburn Rovers academy, where he was released at sixteen before signing a full-time contract. He then spent some time out of the game, working full-time as a graphic designer for a graphic design company and playing Sunday league football, before playing in the Manchester League with Irlam FC and then Swinton Town. When he was eighteen he started playing semi-professionally when he signed for North West Counties League club Trafford after a short trial in December 2003. He made 43 appearances for the club, scoring seven goals, until a move to Woodley Sports in 2004 where, despite injury problems, he scored nine goals in 38 appearances.
Dickinson later said of his early career, "Playing football on a Saturday was just an activity for me, a hobby, something you do for fun than an actual career prospect." He also reflected that "If I'd scored two goals in the old days it would have been straight to the pub for sausage and chips and a pint. Now it's a bottle of water and some wine gum – it's not quite the same."
Stockport County
After impressing during a trial in November 2005, Stockport County signed him for £2,000 in December. Though he was signed by Chris Turner, he found his way into the first team under new boss Jim Gannon. He made his debut on 2 January 2006 as a 71st-minute substitute against Cheltenham Town at Edgeley Park, scoring just five minutes later in a 2–2 draw. On 21 March 2006 he signed a contract extension with the club until July 2008. His tally of seven goals in the 2005–06 season played a large part in the club's survival in League Two.
He hit seven goals in 37 games for County in the 2006–07 season. He did not score until Boxing Day in a 2–0 win over Notts County, before adding six more before the end of the season. During the 2007–08 season he had his most prolific term as a Football League player, hitting the net 21 times from 32 starts and winning Stockport's Player of the year award in the process. He got the decisive goal against Wycombe Wanderers in the second leg of the play-off semi-final at Edgeley Park on 17 May. He then scored Stockport's winning goal in the play-off final against Rochdale at Wembley Stadium on 26 May, as Stockport won 3–2 and were promoted into League One.
Derby County
Dickinson signed for Derby County in July 2008 for a fee of around £750,000, becoming Paul Jewell's ninth signing of the 2008–09 pre-season. In order for Dickinson to gain more experience, Jewell sent him on an initial one-month loan to League One club Huddersfield Town, on 19 August 2008. He made his debut in Town's 3–1 defeat by Milton Keynes Dons on 23 August. His first goal for the "Terriers" came in their 2–1 defeat by Millwall on 30 August, in which he fired in a powerful overhead kick. On 13 September, he grabbed his first goal at the Galpharm Stadium when he scored to give Town the lead against Tranmere Rovers in what finished as a 2–1 defeat. Dickinson had his loan spell extended twice by manager Stan Ternent, before returning to Pride Park on 17 November. He said that the loan move reignited his love for the game.