Des Lyttle

Early career

Born in Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, Lyttle started his professional football career with Leicester City in 1990. After failing to make the first-team, he was released at the end of 1991. Lyttle was picked up by Worcester City in August 1991 on a free transfer. He spent one season with Worcester, and some good performances alerted bigger clubs of Lyttle's ability. In July 1992, he joined newly-promoted Second Division club Swansea City from Worcester for a fee of £12,500. He spent a full season with City and was part of the team that defied the odds to finish fifth in their first season back in the Second Division. Lyttle made 46 appearances for Swansea and found the net on one occasion.

Nottingham Forest

Lyttle was signed by relegated Nottingham Forest for a fee of £375,000 in July 1993 to become one of Frank Clark's first signings, following the end of Brian Clough's 18-year reign. Lyttle was a member of the team that won instant promotion back to the Premier League in the 1993–94 season, finishing second in the First Division. Forest finished in third place the following season, in their return to the Premier League, before falling to ninth place in 1995–96 and then suffering relegation in bottom place at the end of the 1996–97 season. Lyttle stayed with Forest despite the relegation. Forest, however, lost some other players, noticeably Lyttle's defensive partner Stuart Pearce, who joined Newcastle United. Manager, Dave Bassett still…

In May 2010, Lyttle confirmed that he had applied for the vacant AFC Telford United manager's job following the dismissal of Rob Smith; however, former England international winger Andy Sinton was instead appointed.

Tamworth

Following the departure of Tamworth manager Gary Mills and assistant Darron Gee to York City on 13 October 2010, Lyttle was announced as caretaker player-manager. The following day Lyttle brought in former West Bromwich Albion and Tamworth teammate Bob Taylor as a coach to assist him. Despite failing to find victory in his five league games, he was appointed manager on a full-time basis on 30 November after leading the club into the second round of the FA Cup with wins over Grimsby Town and Crewe Alexandra. However, with just four games remaining until the end of the season, Lyttle resigned from the club. Lyttle left his position as he felt it was untenable after claiming the club's board tried to bring in former York manager Martin Foyle as an adviser for the remaining four games.

Hucknall Town

Lyttle returned to football as manager of Hucknall Town, replacing Tommy Brookbanks at the Northern Premier League Division One South club on 13 October 2011. He steered the club to an 11th-place finish in 2011–12, before leaving 'on amicable terms' in May 2012 after the club decided to find a manager with a more in-depth knowledge of the local non-League scene.

York City

Lyttle was appointed as first-team coach at newly promoted…

Playing statistics

Notes Table is incomplete: some season data for Worcester City, Nottingham Forest, Stourport Swifts, and Tamworth are missing.

Managerial statistics

Nottingham Forest

Football League First Division second-place promotion: 1993–94 Football League First Division: 1997–98 West Bromwich Albion

Football League First Division second-place promotion: 2001–02 Tamworth

Conference North: 2008–09