A lever assembly includes a lever pivotally coupled to a housing for movement in a fore-and-aft direction and in a transverse direction. A guide plate is fixed to an end of the housing and has a guide slot which receives the lever. The guide slot has a fore-and-aft extending main slot. The guide slot also has first, second and third fore-and-aft extending sub-slots spaced apart from the main slot. Each of the sub-slots is connected with the main slot by a transverse extending connecting slot. A sector member is pivotally mounted between the housing and the lever. A first magnet is mounted on the lever. A second magnet is mounted on the sector member. Hall effect sensors are mounted on the housing. The sector member, the magnets and the Hall effect sensors cooperate so that signals are generated representing the position of the lever within the guide slot. A lever return spring is biased to urge the lever towards an aft end of the main slot. A transverse return spring is biased to urge the lever towards the sector member. A centering spring is biased to urge the sector member towards a centered position. Detent mechanisms operate to releasably maintain the lever within the sub-slots.