We Hated Jimmy Hill, But, He Was Never A Poof

HOW like Jimmy Hill, arguably the most-innovative man in British football in the 20^th century, to have the inevitable end to his long battle against the ravages of Alzheimer's Disease occur on a Saturday, so he grabbed all the pre-match headlines.

Because, if ever a journeyman footballer's career was written in headlines and controversy, it was Hill's, as he repeatedly tore-up and re-wrote the game's script. One can only wonder what English football might now be like, had the "blazers" who run the game ever allowed Hill into their tent for any length of time. But, given the way he tore at its fabric, as Players Union boss, revolutionary manager, the man who almost single-handedly re-invented television coverage of the game and no-nonsense club chairman – the grey men in grey suits who ran things were always going to do their best to limit his potential for improving matters.

He came from humble origins in Belham, where his father was a food delivery driver. He won a place at Thornton Grammar School, in Clapham, and, in later life he was president of the school's Old Boys Association.

His football ambitions then stretched no further than success for the Crystal Palace team he supported, and it was not until the stockbroker's clerk did his National Service as clerk in the Royal Army Service Corps that his own football ambitions began to surface, as he held his own against the professionals who served with him. Even then, his leadership potential was being seen, as he was promoted to Corporal and considered for officer training.

Back in civvie street, he played as an amateur for Reading, before, in 1949, Brentford took a chance on him and in three years at Griffin Park, playing alongside future England manager Ron Greenwood, he blossomed. Hill himself paid tribute to the encouragement he received at Brentford from former Rangers, Arsenal and Scotland wing-half Archie MacAuley and, after 87 games for 'ford, in 1953 he moved downriver to Fulham, where he would spend the remainder of his career.

His arrival at Craven Cottage coincided with that of the club's greatest player, future England captain Johnny Haynes. Haynes took the number ten shirt, Hill, the number eight. The club was then in the Second Division, but, as several great players began to arrive – the future Sir Bobby Robson, England full backs Tommy Langley and George Cohen, England striker Bedford Jezzard and finally, in 1958, Scotland winger Graham Leggat, Fulham's star rose.

In 1958, Hill scored in every round as Fulham reached the FA Cup semi-final, where they lost in a Highbury replay to the post-Munich Manchester United. In truth, he was not a prolific goalscorer, but, a five-goal haul against Doncaster Rovers shows, he knew the way to the net.

Season 1958-59 saw Fulham promoted to the top tier, finishing tenth in their first season there, with Tottenham the only London side above them.

They slipped to 17^th the following season, but, in Hill's defence, he was starting to fry other fish at this time. As Chairman of the Professional Footballer's Association, the players' union, he had started a campaign to lift the maximum wage, which limited English players to just £20 per week during the season.

This was a long and bitter campaign, and it took a full-scale strike, organised by Hill, to bring the club directors to their senses, before they capitulated and ushered-in the huge salaries which are paid today. As Gary Lineker, for one, noted after Hill's death was announced – every present-day player should be grateful to Hill for his work in ending the maximum wage.

But it was time, after some 300 games, for Hill to move onto the next stage of his career. With Robson, he had been one of the first players to qualify from England manager Sir Walter Winterbottom's FA coaching courses. A knee injury hastened the change and, in 1962 he became the latest man to pass through what had been something of a revolving door, to the Manager's office at Coventry City.

Not since the Luftwaffe visited had Coventry undergone a change such as Hill brought about. He changed everything, not least the strip, turning to sky blue as his blue sky thinking produced: "The Sky Blue Revolution", slumbering, Third Division Coventry woke up to showbiz razzamatazz, a new realisation of the commercial possibilities of football and Highfield Road became the first all-seater stadium in England.

Success on the field took a wee bit longer. City escaped Division Three as Champions in 1963-64. spent two seasons consolidating in the middle of Division Two, before, in May, 1967, they won promotion to the top-flight in England, the old Division One.

It was time for Hill to move on to the third stage of his career. He had a short spell with the BBC, as Technical Adviser on their football club-based soap opera 'United', before he joined London Weekend Television, as Head of Sport, even having a short spell as Deputy Head of Programmes. It was at LTV that he remodeled how television covered the game, not least when, during ITV's coverage of the 1970 Mexico World Cup, Hill chaired the first pundit's panel.

Perhaps the BBC continued to attract the bigger match-coverage audiences, but, when it came to the talking heads, it was no contest. The ITV panel of Chairman Hill, Manchester City manager Malcolm Allison, Manchester United's Scottish midfielder Paddy Crerand, Wolves' Northern Ireland striker Derek Dougan and Arsenal's England full-back Bob McNab was the only show in town, as they bickered, argued but, under Hill's shrewd guidance, dissected the games.

The BBC knew a diamond when they saw one and quickly poached Hill to present Match of the Day, before, when Des Lynam took over, he stepped aside to become THE television match analyst. He was opinionated, he caused rows, but, he was listened to. Hill particularly shone during the big tournaments such as World Cups and European Championships, where his forthright views were often echoed by the fans.

During this time he became a hate figure for the Tartan Army, not least after he appeared to chuck cold water on the quality of David Narey's goal against Brazil during the 1982 World Cup.

Careful analysis of what he said, however, kills the myth: "Some might call it a toe-poke" is not the same as: "That was a toe-poke", while his follow-up line about it being a good goal for Scotland is overlooked.

With the Daily Ranger in the vanguard, Hill became a hate figure to the Tartan Army and for many years afterwards: "We hate Jimmy Hill......." you know the ridiculously wrong and slanderous second line, was on the Tartan Army's Hampden play list.

But, he didn't merely appear on TV. He had started a weekly football magazine: 'Jimmy Hill's Football Weekly', he wrote columns for the Daily Express and a handful of football books, including a well-received autobiography. He worked for the (English) Sports Council, and was a trustee of the Stable Lads Association and patron of a Labrador Rescue Society.

He also found time, in September 1973, to become an emergency linesman during an Arsenal v Liverpool game at Highbury. How typically Hill, to have qualified as a referee as he immersed himself in football.

From the BBC, he was poached to Sky, where his Sunday morning programme; 'Jimmy Hill's Sunday Supplement' was essential viewing for the football anorak, as he and his guests dug deeply into events in the game.

He went back to Coventry as Managing Director and Chairman, before leaving to, after a brief spell as Charlton Chairman, returning to Craven Cottage, to save Fulham from bankruptcy and a touted merger with Queen's Park Rangers, which would have seen Craven Cottage lost to football.

Briefly, he was elected to the Football League's management committee, but, a maverick free-thinker like Hill was never going to be comfortable amongst the "blazers", a fact which was English football's loss.

He rode to hounds, before cancer of the colon put paid to that. He joined a gentleman's club in St James' and became a playing member at the All-England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, thus allowing him to tread the hallowed lawns of Wimbledon.

Then, in 2008, his Alzheimer's was diagnosed and his long descent began. He admitted in his autobiography to "serial adultery" during his first two marriages, to teacher Gloria Flude, whom he married in 1951, and Heather, his former secretary, whom he married in 1962.

With Gloria, he had two sons, Duncan and Graham, and a daughter, Alison. His marriage to Heather, produced a son, Jamie, and a daughter, Joanna, before, in 1991 he married Bryony, his former secretary and manager who survives him.

He was made OBE, Coventry City erected a statue of him outside the Ricoh Arena in 2011, he was there to unveil it, while he was inducted into the Football League Hall of Fame.

He was a maverick, he was opinionated, he but, he was the consumate professional football man. If two goals and a "maybe" in a World Cup final qualifies an English journeyman footballer for a knighthood, perhaps Hill's immense contribution to the game, including the introduction of the three points for a win system, deserved, at the least, a place in the House of Lords.

He does, however, for all the abuse he took, hold a warm place in the hearts of the Tartan Army, who knew a genuine caring football man when they saw one. Plus, the fact he, proud and passionate England supporter though he was, he refused to climb on board the "England are wonderful" band wagon with so many other media men - pointing-out, frequently to criticism from other pundits who had nothing like his qualifications, England's failings; well this helped the TA to admire him.

Football has indeed, lost one of its all-time greats.