He began his career at Everton in 1979 and had loan spells at Wigan Athletic and Rotherham United, before joining Preston North End in 1983.
Manager Gordon Lee was then sacked and was replaced by Howard Kendall, who took the club to just one place off European football in 1981–82.
Lodge was loaned out to Larry Lloyd's Wigan Athletic and Emlyn Hughes's Rotherham United in 1982–83.
He was transferred to Third Division side Preston North End later in the season, in a move that reunited him with Gordon Lee.
Lodge had made twenty starts and four substitute appearances in league games in his four years at Goodison Park.
[3] Lee left Deepdale in December 1983, and Alan Kelly went on to lead the "Lambs" to a mid-table finish in 1983–84.
Lodge switched to league rivals Bolton Wanderers in the summer but featured just four times for John McGovern's "Trotters" after being sent off against Rotherham United early in the 1984–85 campaign.
[1] Lodge moved on to Les Chapman's Fourth Division Stockport County and scored twice in 15 games for the "Hatters" in 1985–86, in a brief stay at Edgeley Park.
[3] He became caretaker manager the following year after Futcher was sacked, before he returned to his assistant role under new boss Mark Wright.
Lodge then went on to coach at Accrington Stanley and was promoted to the post of reserve team manager by John Coleman.