Born in Preganziol, Province of Treviso, Pillon moved his first footsteps into football with hometown team Pro Mogliano, before to join Juventus's youth ranks for three years.
[citation needed] During the summer of 2007, he was announced as new Treviso boss for their 2007–08 Serie B campaign in a third spell at the club for Pillon, with his brother Albino as assistant manager.
[2] On 16 December 2008 Pillon was announced as new head coach of Serie A relegation strugglers Reggina Calcio, being appointed as replacement for Nevio Orlandi, dismissed because of poor results with the amaranto.
[5] Pillon gained nationwide news after he was protagonist of a highly unusual fair play action during a Serie B league game versus Reggina: after his side questionably scored a goal while a Reggina player was lying injured on the pitch, he requested his players to allow the opponent team to score; the game then ended in a 3–1 home loss for Ascoli, and such choice was heatedly criticized by the local fans.
The game events and his reactions, with Pillon defending his actions and declaring himself critical of the belligerent atmosphere in Italian football, were then cited as the reason for him being awarded the 2009 International Fair Play prize.
[12] His stint as Cosenza coach did not however last long, as he submitted his resignations a month later for personal reasons in the midst of the football activities halt caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy.