Michael Dillon (Noah Huntley) 1999-2000

First Regular Appearance: 3.1 (#141)  Tuesday 21st September 1999

Last Regular Appearance: 3.39 (#179)  Tuesday 29th February 2000

Duration: EP: 141 - 179  |  SE: 3.1 – 3.39

Squad Number/Position: #2 (Defender) (1999-2000)

Last Seen: Unable to stay at Harchester after Ann falls for Scott, Michael leaves for Charlton after they offer him another deal.

Michael was university material, those around him knew he was destined to finally undertake it once his playing career was finished. In fact, he would have excelled in any intellectual role if his skills in defence hadn't been good enough at the right age. Luckily, a footballing career being his first passion, it was, but only just. He wasn't as talented as others in his teams, or found it easy to make friends with a lot of them due to unfairly being viewed as a snob for being brainy, but he could inspire his team mates when a game was on its head, and had great leadership qualities.

Michael's first professional club was Bristol Rovers, where he began as an apprentice before gaining a contract with the first team in the late 80's. Michael was a great success at Bristol, a favourite with the fans and it was here in 1992 he met his long-term girlfriend Ann Patterson. When Michael left Bristol, Ann followed him as he moved to further Division 1 clubs over the following years, from Swindon to Wolverhampton Wanderers to finally, the Premier League with Blackburn Rovers. At the end of his first season at Blackburn, they were relegated from the Premiership but Michael's performances hadn't gone unnoticed by several of the League's managers. He and Blackburn opted for FA Cup holders Harchester United, and they paid four million pounds for the now twenty-nine year old Michael in 1999.

Michael had big shoes to fill upon his arrival at the club. He had a fair and supportive manager-also-team mate in Luis Amor Rodriguez, and made Michael the club's new captain following the loss of previous stalwart John Black in the Wembley shootings. While Michael may have had to tolerate loud-mouth Scott Lucas's attitude, he earned the respect of the younger players like Sean Hocknell and Leon Richards. Leon asks Michael's advice on proposing to his girlfriend Julie following their win over Ajax in the UEFA Cup. Michael and Ann turn down a flight home on Biloo Kapur's private jet, so Leon and Julie can get home after announcing their engagement. The plane crashes, and Michael and Ann struggle with the guilt of how it could have been them for long after.

The tension doesn't escalate between Michael and Scott, so it is decided that one will have to go, Michael being the oldest was the obvious choice. Charlton were interested, and the sale would enable Harchester to bring in Luis and Ray's old team mate Didier Baptiste into Michael's position. Michael was strongly disappointed at being the one made to go, but accepted the offer which, to Harchester's surprise, fell through when Michael's medical discovered a form of arthritis. Michael and Didier were now vying for the same place in the team. A strain is put on his relationship with Ann, who was spending more time with Scott, now a client of hers. Ann knows Scott has feelings for her, but tries to stop this as she feels guilty for how long she's been with Michael.

Knowing he couldn't compete with hot-property players like Scott and Didier, Michael takes his chance to get back into the team and plays right back, which gives his game a new lease of life. Now feeling a valued part of the team, Michael proposes to Ann on live TV after he is awarded Man of the Match at the Third Round Second leg tie against West Ham. Ann feels pressured into accepting, and goes right up to the day of the wedding before she confesses she cannot marry him and has slept with Scott. Michael feels betrayed and embarrassed, to lose Ann to Scott of all people hurts him deeply. He knows he can't stay in Harchester, and after scoring his only goal with the club, Charlton return with a reduced offer which Michael accepts.