Liam Michael Dickinson (born 4 October 1985) is an English semi-professional footballer who plays as a striker for Droylsden. 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