[citation needed] He turned professional in January 1973 and on 5 October 1974, made his full league debut, a 2–1 win away to Oldham Athletic.
[citation needed] December 1979 saw Little on the move again, this time to Doncaster Rovers, who paid a club record £25,000 for his services.
[citation needed] Throughout his playing career, Little earned a reputation as a fiercely competitive, tough-tackling midfielder, making him highly respected by supporters and fellow players.
After a 1–0 aggregate win over Bury in the semi-finals, York gained a place in Second Division by beating Crewe Alexandra on a penalty shoot-out at Wembley Stadium.
[3] In April 1999, Little returned to his old club, Southend United, after the resignation of Alvin Martin, helping them to avoid the drop into the Football Conference at the end of the season.
[citation needed] He also helped them survive a serious financial crisis by slashing the wage bill and rebuilding a much cheaper side.
His dismissal on 28 September 2000 came as a surprise as, despite a poor start to the season, it came after a five-game unbeaten run that saw 'the Shrimpers' rise to 10th in the Third Division.
[citation needed] In June 2001, he was appointed Chief Scout at Hull City, managed by his older brother Brian.