Mark Hill (English footballer) explained

Mark Hill
Fullname:Mark Stephen Hill
Birth Date:21 January 1961
Birth Place:Perivale, England
Position:Left back
Youthyears1:1977–1979
Youthclubs1:Queens Park Rangers
Years1:1979–1980
Clubs1:Queens Park Rangers
Caps1:0
Goals1:0
Years2:1980–1982
Clubs2:Brentford
Caps2:56
Goals2:3
Years3:1982–1984
Clubs3:Wycombe Wanderers
Caps3:68
Goals3:3
Years4:1984–1989
Clubs4:Maidstone United
Caps4:184
Goals4:9
Years5:1989–1992
Clubs5:Slough Town
Caps5:71
Goals5:1
Years6:1992–1994
Clubs6:Hendon
Caps6:47
Goals6:0
Clubs7:Wealdstone
Clubs8:Walton & Hersham
Manageryears1:1999
Managerclubs1:Walton & Hersham (joint-caretaker)

Mark Stephen Hill (born 21 January 1961) is an English retired professional footballer, best remembered for his five years as a left back in non-League football with Maidstone United. Earlier in his career, he played in the Football League for Brentford.

Playing career

Queens Park Rangers

A left back, Hill began his youth career with Queens Park Rangers and signed a professional contract at the end of the 1978–79 season. Despite Rangers' relegation to the Second Division, he failed to make a first team appearance during the 1979–80 season and departed Loftus Road at the end of the campaign.[1]

Brentford

Hill joined Third Division club Brentford in July 1980, as one of new manager Fred Callaghan's first signings. Aged only 19, Hill held a regular place in the first team during the 1980–81 season and made 42 appearances, scoring three goals.[2] He scored on his debut versus Charlton Athletic and scored one goal for and against the Bees in front of the ATV cameras during a 3–2 win at Walsall a fortnight later. Hill fell out of favour in the following season and made just 20 appearances before his release in June 1982. He made 62 appearances and scored three goals during his two seasons at Griffin Park.

Wycombe Wanderers

Hill dropped into non-League football to join Isthmian League Premier Division club Wycombe Wanderers during the 1983 off-season.[3] He had an excellent start to life at Loakes Park, reaching the first round proper of the FA Cup, the final of the Isthmian League Cup and winning the first silverware of his career as the Chairboys cruised to the 1982–83 Premier Division title. The club declined a place in the Alliance Premier League and Hill remained with the Chairboys until the end of the 1983–84 season.

Maidstone United

Hill transferred to Alliance Premier League champions Maidstone United in 1984.[4] He was a regular pick during a five-year spell with the club and in the 1988–89 season was part of the team which won the Kent Senior Cup and finished top of the renamed Football Conference, which secured promotion to the Football League for the first time in the club's history.

Slough Town

Hill dropped to the Isthmian League Premier Division to transfer to Slough Town during the 1989 off-season.[5] Given the captain's armband, he had an excellent first season, leading the team to the league title and promotion to the Conference. Hill remained with the Rebels until the end of the 1991–92 season and made 93 appearances for the club, scoring three goals.

Hendon

Hill returned to the Isthmian League Premier Division to join Hendon during the 1992 off-season.[6] He made 64 appearances and scored one goal during two mid-table seasons for the club.

Later years

Hill ended his career with spells at Isthmian League clubs Wealdstone and Walton & Hersham.[7] He served Walton & Hersham in, at different times, the roles of player, assistant manager and joint-caretaker manager.[8]

Personal life

Hill spent 12 years working for Akai and as of 2012, had spent the previous 17 years working for LG Electronics in Slough, Berkshire.[9] As of 2014, his son Lucas was a member of Wycombe Wanderers' development centre.[10]

Career statistics

Club! rowspan="2"
SeasonLeagueFA CupLeague CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Brentford1980–81Third Division3832020423
1981–82Third Division1800020200
Total5632040623
Slough Town1989–90Isthmian League Premier Division110416[11] 0211
1990–91Conference281002[12] 0301
1991–92Conference320406[13] 1421
Total71181141933
Hendon1992–93Isthmian League Premier Division220207[14] 0301
1993–94Isthmian League Premier Division250404[15] 1340
Total47060111641
Career total1744161402522197
  1. Book: Haynes, Graham . Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006 . Coumbe . Frank . Yore Publications . 2006 . 978-0955294914 . Harefield . 77.
  2. Book: 100 Years Of Brentford . Brentford FC . 1989 . 0951526200 . White . Eric . 396.
  3. Web site: Hurman . Dale . Blues miss out on Wembley . 15 June 2015 . wycombewanderers.co.uk.
  4. Web site: Owen . Callum . 16 November 2021 . Stones Gold: Mark Hill . 21 May 2024 . Maidstone United FC . en-US.
  5. Web site: Mark Hill . 15 June 2015 . SloughTownFC.net – The Official Website of Slough Town FC.
  6. Web site: Former Staff – Mark Hill . 15 June 2015 . Greensnet – Official Hendon FC.
  7. Book: Croxford, Mark . The Big Brentford Book of the Eighties . Lane . David . Waterman . Greville . Legends Publishing . 2011 . 978-1906796716 . Sunbury, Middlesex . 324–325.
  8. Web site: Brave Swans miss chances to topple St Albans . 26 March 2020 . News Shopper . en.
  9. Web site: 19 August 2012 . Maidstone United – Double Winning Side 1988–89 . 15 June 2015 . The Non League Football Paper – Daily football news.
  10. Web site: From the Parent's Point of View: Mark Hill . 31 March 2019 . Parents4Sport.
  11. 2 appearances in FA Trophy, 2 appearances in Isthmian League Cup, 1 appearances in Berks & Bucks Senior Cup, 1 appearance in ClubCall Cup
  12. 1 appearance in Conference League Cup, 1 appearance in Berks & Bucks Senior Cup
  13. 3 appearances in FA Trophy, 2 appearances and 1 goal in Conference League Cup, 1 appearance in Berks & Bucks Senior Cup
  14. 5 appearances in Isthmian League Cup, 2 appearances in FA Trophy
  15. 3 appearances and 1 goal in Isthmian League Full Members Cup, 1 appearance in Isthmian League Cup

Honours

Slough Town