He made 354 appearances in the English Football League for Rochdale, Crewe Alexandra, Plymouth Argyle, Stockport County, Blackburn Rovers and Chesterfield, and scored 172 goals.

[3] In February 1966, he moved to Stockport County after scoring 23 times in 69 league games for Argyle and six more in seven cup ties.

[1] He returned to Plymouth Argyle in October 1967 to work as a player-coach under the management of Billy Bingham,[3] having scored six times in 12 league games for Chesterfield.

[5] Lord went on to coach at Crystal Palace and Preston North End,[3] where he also served as caretaker manager in 1973.

[3][8] Lord was the head coach of the Malaysia national team from 1983 to 1985, and applied unsuccessfully for the vacant manager's position at Plymouth Argyle.