McPhillips was reserve goalkeeper for Newcastle and spent eight years at the club. He had very little luck keeping down a first team place. McPhillips replaced
Albert McInroy in the 1933/34 season when he sustained an injury in a 2–0 defeat at Portsmouth on 30 December 1933, which put him out for the rest of the season. He made his debut in the 9–2 win against Liverpool on New Years Day, 1934. Newcastle's form then declined and they ended the 1933–34 season being relegated to the Second Division. he had brief spells with
Guildford City,
Bradford City and he guested for
Hartlepool United during
World War II. ==References==