Although born in Wales, Lovell began his career as an apprentice with Crystal Palace in 1977. Playing at the time as a midfielder, he managed 74 Football League appearances in six years at Selhurst Park, during which he also had a spell on loan at Stockport County. In 1983, he moved to Millwall, where manager George Graham played him as a striker during an injury crisis. He went on to score 13 goals in 11 matches and remained a striker for the remainder of his career. In 1986 Lovell was injured whilst playing for Wales and was unable to regain a place in the Millwall team and, after a short loan spell with his hometown club Swansea City, was sold to Gillingham for £20,000. During his time with the Kent club he played over 200 matches and scored nearly 100 goals, finishing as the club's leading scorer in four consecutive seasons and equalling a club record by scoring in seven consecutive matches in 1990. Lovell featured in the club's 1987 Division 3 play-off run in which the Gills defeated then Second Division side Sunderland over two legs before losing to Swindon over two legs and a replay in the final. He scored four goals in Gillingham's 8–1 defeat of Southend United in 1987 but bizarrely failed to find the net at all when the team won 10–0 against Chesterfield the following Saturday. After a brief loan spell with AFC Bournemouth in 1992, Lovell dropped into non-league football, where he played for nine different clubs in nine years, including three separate spells with Sittingbourne. In 2000, he played for Deal Town when they defeated Chippenham Town 1–0 in the last FA Vase final at the original Wembley stadium. He finally retired in 2001.
Managerial career
Lovell's first managerial job came at Sittingbourne, where he was player-manager from February 1995 until September 1996, during which he led the team to the Southern League Southern Division championship. He then moved on to Gravesend & Northfleet where he was manager for a year. After a spell as Football in the Community Officer for Gillingham Lovell returned to management with Hastings United in 2003 but left the club in 2004 after a drop in form. In 2005, he returned for a second spell managing Sittingbourne, a post he held until October 2007, when he left to take over at Ashford Town, where he remained until the club's demise in August 2010. In December 2014 he was appointed co-caretaker manager of Gillingham alongside Andy Hessenthaler, Darren Hare and Mark Patterson following the sacking of Peter Taylor. The "Gang of Four", as they came to be known, remained in charge of the club until Justin Edinburgh was appointed as manager in February 2015. Lovell remained at the club in the role of first team coach. In May 2016 it was announced that he had left the club. In June 2016, he was appointed as assistant manager of National League side Bromley, where he would work alongside former Gillingham teammate Neil Smith. Lovell returned to Gillingham as a coach in January 2017 under Adrian Pennock. When Pennock was sacked in September 2017, Lovell continued as coach under the temporary managership of Peter Taylor, and became caretaker manager on 12 October when Taylor left the club. After four wins in his seven matches as caretaker, Lovell was confirmed in the position with a contract until the end of that season. Lovell was named the League One Manager of the Month award for January 2018, having led Gillingham to four league wins in four games in that period. His contract was further extended, to the end of the 2019–20 season, in April 2018. In January 2019 Lovell led Gillingham to victory over Premier League side Cardiff City in the 3rd round of the FA Cup, earning a 4th round draw against his home town club Swansea City, who eventually knocked the Gills out of the tournament. With two matches remaining in the season, and the team effectively safe from relegation in 13th place, Lovell was sacked from the role in April 2019, with a year of his contract remaining.
Personal life
Lovell's father Alan was also a footballer, although he only managed a single professional appearance for Stockport County. Lovell's son Mark also became a footballer, turning professional with his father's old club Gillingham in 2001. He also made only one professional appearance before dropping into non-league football.
Managerial statistics
Lovell's first spell in management at Gillingham was as part of a team of four joint caretaker managers, along with Andy Hessenthaler, Darren Hare, and Mark Patterson.
