Rhys Wilmot (born 21 February 1962) is a Welsh football coach and former professional footballer who is youth academy goalkeeping coach at

Football League One The English Football League One (often referred to as League One for short or Sky Bet League One for sponsorship purposes, and known as the Football League One from 2004 until 2016) is the second-highest division of the English Football Leag ...

side

Plymouth Argyle Plymouth Argyle Football Club is a professional football club based in the city of Plymouth, Devon, England. As of the 2021–22 season, the team are competing in League One, the third tier of English football. They have played at Home Park, ...

. As a player Wilmot featured as a goalkeeper in a 17-year career spanning from 1980 to 1997 for clubs

Arsenal An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, or issued, in any combination, whether privately or publicly owned. Arsenal and armoury (British English) or armory (American English) are mostly ...

, Hereford United, Leyton Orient,

Swansea City Swansea City Association Football Club (; cy, Clwb Pêl-droed Cymdeithas Dinas Abertawe) is a professional football club based in Swansea, Wales that plays in the Championship, the second tier of English football. Swansea have played their ho ...

, Grimsby Town, Crystal Palace and Torquay United.

Playing career

Wilmot started out at

, joining as a schoolboy in 1977 before turning professional in 1980. Mainly an understudy to Pat Jennings, George Wood and then John Lukic, Wilmot had loan spells at both Hereford United and Leyton Orient. He had to wait six years until his Arsenal first-team debut, against

Aston Villa Aston Villa Football Club is a professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, England. The club competes in the , the top tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1874, they have played at their home ground, Villa Park ...

on 28 March 1986. He had six games deputising for Lukic in 1986–87 before another loan spell, this time at

. Unable to break into the first team properly, he left Arsenal in 1989 for

. During his time in Devon Rhys Played under Peter Shilton until he was sold for a sum of £87,500. He later played for Grimsby Town, Crystal Palace and Torquay United.

Coaching career

Wilmot was in the role of a youth academy goalkeeping coach at

, and on 26 June 2013 was promoted as the first team goalkeeping coach. On 15 June 2015 Rhys left his position as first team goalkeeping coach due to a backroom staff restructuring under then manager John Sheridan. He returned to his old role within the club's youth academy. Wilmot served as a part-time coach for two consecutive seasons, after the departure of James Bittner, often being unable to travel to away games as he balanced his coaching job with working for Devon and Cornwall Police. On 23 May 2018 it was announced that Wilmot would be returning to a full-time coaching role at

for the 18-19 season, under manager Derek Adams.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Wilmot, Rhys 1962 births Living people Welsh men's footballers Arsenal F.C. players Hereford United F.C. players Leyton Orient F.C. players Swansea City A.F.C. players Plymouth Argyle F.C. players Grimsby Town F.C. players Crystal Palace F.C. players Torquay United F.C. players Premier League players Footballers from Newport, Wales Men's association football goalkeepers Association football goalkeeping coaches Plymouth Argyle F.C. non-playing staff