Related to Leslie Lievesley, who played for Torquay United and managed the Torino team that perished in an air crash in 1949, Derbyshire-born Wilf Lievesley played for Exeter City between 1923 and 1928. Joining from Manchester United, and leaving to play for Wigan Borough, he scored 38 times from 97 league starts during his time at St James’ Park. 

Wilf was one of three brothers who played professional football with Fred playing for Manchester City, Southend United and Rotherham United and Joe, a goalkeeper, appearing for Sheffield United and Arsenal. Joe's son Leslie played for a number of clubs (including Torquay) and later coached the outstanding Torino team of the late 1940s that was wiped out - Les included - in the Superga air disaster in 1949.

Wilf started his career with Staveley Old Boys and then signed for Derby County in 1920 making his only league outing for them in a game at White Hart Lane against Tottenham Hotspur. He then moved to Manchester United in 1922 where he featured in two league games. Exeter City signed the player in the summer of 1923 and he made his Grecians’ debut against Newport County at Somerton Park.

Although he only made 24 league appearances (five goals) in 1924/25, Wilf was part of the team that in March 1925 - after playing an away fixture at Norwich on the Saturday - immediately sailed from Harwich to play a friendly against Zwaluwen (the Swallows) in Amsterdam the following day. Facing a team made up partly of those Ajax players not featuring in an international against Belgium on the same day, City won 5-1 at Het Houten (then home of Ajax) with Wilf netting one of the goals..    

His best season with the Grecians was in 1925-26 when he was City’s leading scorer with 18 goals from 29 league games, which included a hat-trick in a 6-2 home win over Merthyr Town. He remained at St James’ Park until moving to Wigan Borough in 1928 where he scored 14 goals in 26 Third Division North matches. His final League club was Cardiff City where he made just three league appearances.

Wilfred died in the Chesterfield area in 1979.