Player
In 1971, Hill began his club career with Staines Town F.C. of the Athenian League as a seventeen year old. In 1972, he moved to Southall F.C., playing a few youth games there while his brother was on trial at the club. He drew the attention of Millwall F.C. and signed with them in 1973. Known to The Lions fans as Merlin, Hill had outstanding skill that earned him wide recognition. The Millwall youngster entertained the fans with some incredible shooting and dribbling and it was not long before scouts from the big clubs noticed him. He played 91 league games for Millwall, scoring 22 goals. After spending the summer of 1975 on loan with the North American Soccer League's Chicago Sting, and being named All League, Hill subsequently signed for Manchester United in November 1975 for £70,000, a massive bargain for manager Tommy Docherty, forming a wing partnership with Steve Coppell.
Hill helped United reach the 1976 FA Cup Final, scoring both goals with typical long-range efforts in the semi-final at Hillsborough Stadium against Derby County. He was also part of the 1977 FA Cup champions. Hill left United for Derby County for £250,000 in 1978. He spent two seasons with Derby County, most of it sidelined with a knee injury before moving to Queens Park Rangers in 1980. He left England for the Montreal Manic of the NASL in 1981. After a successful first season with the Manic, he began the 1982 season in Montreal, but after five games the Manic sent him to the Chicago Sting. In the fall of 1982, the Sting entered the Major Indoor Soccer League for the winter indoor season. Hill began the season with the Sting, moved to the San Jose Earthquakes after eleven games. In January 1983, the Earthquakes turned around and traded Hill and Gary Etherington to the New York Arrows in exchange for Steve Zungul. In the summer of 1983, Hill played for Inter-Montreal of the Canadian Professional Soccer League. In the autumn of 1983, Hill signed with the Kansas City Comets of MISL. He played one season with the Comets, then began the 1984–85 season before being released. In December 1984, he signed with the Tacoma Stars.
He joined FC Twente in the Dutch Premier Division, for the 1985–86 season, playing 19 times and scoring four goals. He spent the summer of 1986 in Finland with HJK Helsinki, scoring two goals in as many appearances before returning to England where he played under his former team-mate Stuart Pearson at Northwich Victoria, before retiring from the game. Now Gordon trains his own club (United F.C) in Texas to seal the deal
Read more about this topic: Gordon Hill (footballer)
Famous quotes containing the word player:
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—Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1845)