Cornwall-born Phillips represented England in rugby union at under-15 level before concentrating solely on football. Joining Plymouth as a youth player, he became the youngest player to appear for the Argyle first team aged just 15 years old and went on to make 50 league appearances, including 18 starts, scoring one goal.

The strong, hard-working forward then had spells at Weymouth (2001-2005), where he was top scorer each season, and Exeter (2005-2007) before joining Torquay in the summer of 2007. Forming an impressive strike partnership with Tim Sills, he scored 12 times for the Gulls in the 2007/08 season, with numerous assists, and proved to be an influential and creative front man.

Snapped up by big spenders Rushden & Diamonds for an undisclosed fee at the start of last season, he scored on his second appearance but was transfer-listed along with several team-mates in October. After just thirteen appearances and two goals for the Diamonds, he re-joined former club Weymouth in the January transfer window, scoring once in five appearances, but with the Terras in financial difficulties he became a free agent at the end of February and left along with the majority of first team players.

He signed for Cambridge United on March 2nd for the rest of the season, and made his debut that evening in the draw at Histon.  An injury and the form of Rendell and Holroyd meant his home debut was not until 11th April against Eastbourne, when he opened his account with the equaliser in an important win.

By the end of the season he had scored twice in five starts and three appearances from the bench, and signed a new one-year deal for 2009/10 in the face of interest from other clubs. A pre-season medial ligament (knee) injury ruled him out until early September.