Lyons played for Hednesford Town and Bridgtown Amateurs before joining Aston Villa as a professional in April 1907 after a trial three months earlier.

[4] The "Villans" ended the 1907–08 campaign in second place in the First Division, nine points behind champions Manchester United.

He played at Stamford Bridge in the 1910 FA Charity Shield, which ended in a 1–0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion.

He played against Sunderland in the 1913 FA Cup final at Crystal Palace, which ended in a 1–0 victory for Villa.

Villa dropped to 14th place in 1914–15, and league football was suspended due to World War I.