Andy Hill (footballer)

Andrew Rowland Hill (born 20 January 1965) is an English former professional footballer who played as a defender. In a 15-year career he scored 19 goals in 551 league and cup appearances in the Football League and Premier League.

Andy Hill
Personal information
Full name Andrew Rowland Hill[1]
Date of birth (1965-01-20) 20 January 1965[1]
Place of birth Maltby, England[1]
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[2]
Playing position(s) Right back
Centre back
Youth career
1981–1983 Manchester United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1983–1984 Manchester United 0 (0)
1984–1991 Bury 264 (10)
1990 → Manchester City (loan) 2 (0)
1991–1995 Manchester City 96 (6)
1995–1998 Port Vale 100 (1)
Total 462 (17)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

He began his career as a youth-team player at Manchester United and played on the losing side in the 1992 FA Youth Cup final. He never made a first-team appearance however, and moved on to Bury in July 1984. He was named as Bury's Player of the Year after helping the club to secure promotion out of the Fourth Division in the 1984–85 season. He spent close to seven years at Bury, making 312 appearances, before he was sold to Manchester City for £200,000 in March 1991. He played for City for close to five seasons, including the opening season of the Premier League, before being sold on to Port Vale for £150,000 in August 1995. He played on the losing side in the 1996 Anglo-Italian Cup final and retired in May 1998.

Playing career

Manchester United

Hill was born in Maltby, Yorkshire. Upon leaving school in 1981, he began an apprenticeship at Manchester United. He played in the youth side that finished as FA Youth Cup runners-up to Watford in 1982, his teammates included Clayton Blackmore, Mark Hughes and Norman Whiteside. He also gained England Youth Honours, however fell out with manager Ron Atkinson after Atkinson asked Hill to withdraw from England duty as he disagreed with Graham Taylor's coaching methods.[3] He later signed as a professional but never got a first team game at Old Trafford and signed for Fourth Division club Bury in July 1984.

Bury

The "Shakers" secured the fourth and final automatic promotion place in 1984–85, and Hill was voted the club's Player of the Year. Hill was then appointed as captain by manager Martin Dobson, at the age of 19. Bury finished three points above the Third Division drop zone in 1985–86. They then finished comfortably in mid-table in 1986–87, 1987–88, and 1988–89. Sam Ellis then took over as manager, and led the club to the play-offs with a fifth-place finish in 1989–90 – they were then beaten by Tranmere Rovers at the semi-final stage. Under new boss Mike Walsh, Bury finished in the play-off places again in 1990–91, but this time lost to Bolton Wanderers at the semi-final stage. Hill played a total of 317 matches and scored 12 goals for the Gigg Lane club.

Manchester City

Following a successful loan spell, he signed for Manchester City in a £200,000 deal in March 1991, who were flying high in the First Division under Peter Reid's stewardship. The "Sky Blues" finished fifth in 1991–92, with Hill scoring a career high of four goals in his 41 appearances. He started 23 Premier League games in 1992–93, as the Maine Road club posted a ninth-place finish. The club slipped down the table under new boss Brian Horton in 1993–94 and 1994–95. Hill tore both of his groin muscles towards the end of the 1994–95 season, but was handed a new contract by Horton as a reward for playing out of position in midfield in a 2–1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane on 11 April; however Hill rejected chairman Francis Lee's offer of a new two-year deal as it was on a reduced wage.[4] He told manager Alan Ball that he would not attend the club's pre-season tour of Ireland and Lee leaked this information to the Manchester Evening News.[4]

Port Vale

In August 1995, Hill joined John Rudge's First Division Port Vale for a £150,000 fee.[1] Hill agreed to a lower basic wage than at Manchester City, supplemented by six-monthly signing on fees and a free car from club chairman and garage owner Bill Bell.[4] He made his debut in a 1–0 win over Potteries derby rivals Stoke City at the Victoria Ground on 27 August; he had not met any of his new teammates until the morning of the match.[4] He later featured in the FA Cup fourth round giantkilling over Everton, though nearly missed the game after getting stuck in traffic.[4] At the end of the 1995–96 season he played in the 1996 Anglo-Italian Cup final, as Vale lost 5–2 to Genoa. He made 43 appearances in 1996–97, as the "Valiants" made their highest post-war finish. He played 31 games at Vale Park in the 1997–98 season, before announcing his retirement in May 1998.[4]

Coaching career

After retiring Hill went into coaching where he has worked for Bury as the Head of Youth Development, the Academy Director at Nevada Wonders Soccer Academy and since then developed his own successful football academy Pro-Vision North West, based in the Greater Manchester area.[5] He was later appointed Head of Development at Bacup Borough.[6] However he was forced to retire due after being diagnosed with Spinal stenosis.[3]

Statistics

Source:[7][8]

Club Season Division League FA Cup Other Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Manchester United 1982–83 First Division 00000000
Bury 1984–85 Fourth Division 4331030473
1985–86 Third Division 3525060432
1986–87 Third Division 4211071502
1987–88 Third Division 43210101543
1988–89 Third Division 4302060510
1989–90 Third Division 4621070542
1990–91 Third Division 1201020150
Total 2641012041231712
Manchester City 1990–91 First Division 81001091
1991–92 First Division 3640050414
1992–93 Premier League 2413030301
1993–94 Premier League 1700000170
1994–95 Premier League 1300030160
Total 986301201136
Port Vale 1995–96 First Division 3506060470
1996–97 First Division 3810050431
1997–98 First Division 2702020310
Total 1001801301211
Career total 4621723066255119

Honours
Individual
Manchester United
Bury
Port Vale

References
  1. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 136. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  2. "Manchester City". footballsquads.co.uk. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
  3. "Andy Hill Q&A 21st November 2018". Bluemoon MCFC. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  4. Fielding, Rob (2 July 2020). "You're playing tomorrow morning - Andy Hill on a hectic start to his Port Vale career". onevalefan.co.uk. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  5. Gray, Mikey. "Port Vale – H". where-are-they-now.co.uk. Archived from the original on 5 April 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2011.
  6. "Meet The Management". bacupboroughfc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
  7. Andy Hill at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  8. Andy Hill at Soccerbase
  9. "Anglo-Italian Cup 1995/96". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 12 July 2010.
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