West Brom hero Kevin Phillips calls South Shields title his 'biggest achievement yet'

‘Super Kev’, the former Hawthorns hitman who won five promotions, eight England caps and a European Golden Shoe in his 20-year playing career, led Shields to the seventh-tier Northern Premier Division title on Monday.

Phillips, 49, scored 46 goals in 81 games for Albion and won the Championship title under Tony Mowbray. His first job in senior management took him took to the Tyne & Wear outfit in January 2022 and a first full season has yielded a title and promotion.

“This is one, if not the proudest moment of my career,” said Phillips. “My playing career finished eight or nine years ago and I achieved a lot. The players will tell you I very rarely harp on about it because I don’t think it’s right but standing here is the proudest I’ve been in my career.

“I took a challenge on coming up here on my own with my mate Keith (Havelock) 18 months ago, I lost him very early on and it broke me.

“I’ve had five promotions in my career but this is better than all of them, I’ve been the man in charge who has made the final decisions. I’ll really enjoy this one.”

Shields, a professional outfit who regularly play in front of 2,000-2,500 gates, have won 24 of 40 league games this term. Phillips follows his friend and former Albion colleague Jonathan Greening into National League North after Greening led Scarborough Athletic up via the play-offs last term.

“It means so much to the players in there, I didn’t say too much to the players because believe it or not I’m quite an emotional person,” Phillips added.

“You have to hold it in in my person because you can’t let it affect the players in my position, especially when the pressure’s been on.

“I’m absolutely delighted with everybody in that changing room, they’re the ones that got us promoted, me and the staff prepare them and organise them but when they cross the white line it’s over to them.

“It wasn’t a classic but they were determined to not get beat on a heavy pitch against a side that took points off us at the same stage last season.

“We weren’t going to let that happen and defended magnificently well.

“When that final whistle went – I know there’s pressure as a a player but as a manager, wow, I certainly deserve this beer! I’m buzzing and as it sinks in I’ll be able to really reflect on it.

“Everything’s thrown at you over the season, they’ve come against everything and that’s how you win championships.

“It’s never going to be plain-sailing, we’ve come in for some criticism this year which I think is very unjust, you’re not going to win every game, the challenge every week is we bring 1,500 away, 2,000-2,500 to home games, teams raise their levels.

“Our players stood up to it and we’ve won the league with two games to go.”