 Clint Hill, Stockport County FC | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Clinton Scott Hill[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1978-10-19)19 October 1978 (age 47)[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Huyton, England | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Stockport County (assistant manager) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1994–1997 | Tranmere Rovers | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1997–2002 | Tranmere Rovers | 140 | (16) |
| 2002–2003 | Oldham Athletic | 18 | (1) |
| 2003–2008 | Stoke City | 80 | (3) |
| 2007–2008 | →Crystal Palace (loan) | 13 | (3) |
| 2008–2010 | Crystal Palace | 101 | (2) |
| 2010–2016 | Queens Park Rangers | 185 | (5) |
| 2011 | →Nottingham Forest (loan) | 5 | (0) |
| 2016–2017 | Rangers | 24 | (3) |
| 2017–2018 | Carlisle United | 38 | (1) |
| Total | 588 | (34) | |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Clinton Scott Hill (born 19 October 1978) is an English former professionalfootballer who played as adefender. He is assistant manager ofLeague One sideStockport County.
Hill began his career with local sideTranmere Rovers in 1997. He broke into the first team and became a regular as Rovers reached theLeague Cup final in 2000. Hill was sent-off however as Tranmere lost 2–1. He remained atPrenton Park until 2002 when he joinedOldham Athletic and after impressing there he was signed byChampionship sideStoke City. His first season with Stoke was cut down due to injuries which hampered his time at the club. He left forCrystal Palace after making 84 appearances for Stoke in five years.
At Palace he played well despite the club struggling financially and when managerNeil Warnock joinedQueens Park Rangers Hill followed him in July 2010. In his first season atLoftus Road QPR won the Championship and gained promotion to thePremier League. They went on to ensure survival on the final day of the season, Hill winning the supportersplayer of the year award for his performances this despite playing 25 matches and also spending a short time on loan atNottingham Forest.
Born inHuyton, Merseyside, Hill began his career as a trainee atTranmere Rovers, where he made his debut during a 2–2 draw againstNottingham Forest in the1997–98 season. By the1998–99 season Hill had become a regular starter in the Tranmere side and was part of the team which played in the2000 English League Cup Final atWembley Stadium againstLeicester City. However Hill was sent-off during the game and Tranmere lost the match 2–1.[3] Hill made 140 appearances during his five years in the Tranmere first team.
A£250,000 move toOldham Athletic in 2002[4] saw him make just 17 league starts in one season before it was cut short when Hill broke his leg during aLeague Cup tie againstCrystal Palace in December 2002, which kept him sidelined for the remainder of the2002–03 season. Hill scored one league goal for the Latics, ironically against Tranmere.[5] Hill was then given a £120,000 move toStoke City during the summer of 2003.[6]
Hill's first season atStoke City was disrupted with injury and he was forced to sit out a lot of the2003–04 season,[7] making only nine first team starts and three substitute appearances. However Hill impressed during his second season at Stoke with his defensive ability and won the club's player of the year award for the2004–05 season.
However, Hill's career at Stoke was hindered by recurring knee injuries, he damaged hisanterior cruciate ligament towards the end of the2004–05 season which prevented him from playing again until late into the2005–06 season,[8] however he made an immediate impact on his return, forging a strong partnership withMichael Duberry incentral defence.
He found himself unable to hold down a regular first place during the2006–07 season, withDanny Higginbotham andMichael Duberry preferred to him as first choicecentral defenders andAndy Griffin occupying the left-back slot. He made the majority of his appearances during the 2006–07 season as a stand-in left-back. However, Hill's season was brought to a premature end when he required a further operation on the same knee he injured in 2005.
He remained at Stoke for the first half of thefollowing season, although he joinedCrystal Palace on loan in October. Ironically, his last outing for Stoke was a late appearance as a substitute in a victory at Palace.
Hill's move to joinNeil Warnock's Eagles was for an initial period of two months. After impressing hugely, he then made the move permanent for an undisclosed fee in January 2008.[9] He established himself as first choice left back, and became a fan's favourite due to his professional and committed attitude. After an extremely successful first season at Palace, where they made the Play-off semi-finals, Hill continued his superb consistency in the 2008–09 season. Despite his performances, Palace finished in a disappointing 15th place in the Championship table.[10] An equally disappointing season 2009–10 witnessed Palace in severe financial plight with a consequential ten points deduction and a final position in the division of 21st.[11]
On 1 July 2010, Hill left Palace on a free transfer to join Queens Park Rangers[12] and reunited with his former boss Neil Warnock. On 7 August 2010, Hill made his QPR debut in a 4–0 win overBarnsley where he got his first clean sheet. Hill scored his first goal for QPR againstPortsmouth on 1 February 2011.[13] Hill played over thirty games for the Hoops and made the left back position firmly his. He scored his second goal for QPR in a 2–0 home win againstIpswich Town, in a game where he also set up a goal forHeiðar Helguson to seal the win.[14]
After QPR sealed the Championship title,[15] Hill was able to play in thePremier League for the first time in his career. However, he was sent off on the opening day of the season for a headbutt onMartin Petrov ofBolton Wanderers in a 4–0 defeat atLoftus Road.[16] On 20 September 2011, Hill signed forNottingham Forest on a 93-day emergency loan deal,[17][18] given squad number three.[19] Due to injuries toMatthew Connolly andDanny Gabbidon, Hill was recalled early from his loan spell at Forest.[20][21] Hill played for Forest five times. After his return from the loan spell, and the appointment ofMark Hughes as manager, Hill became a regular in the Rangers starting 11, forming a strong central defensive partnership withAnton Ferdinand. On 10 March 2012, Hill was denied what would have been his first Premier League goal when his header away to relegation rivals Bolton clearly crossed the line, but the linesman failed to spot this and a goal was not awarded. QPR went on to lose the game 2–1. Hill was 'gutted' about having been denied a first Premier League goal.[22]
At the end of the 2011–12 season QPR survived on the final day of the season despite a 3–2 defeat toManchester City. Hill was awarded both the fans and players player of the season awards for his outstanding performances for Rangers in the 2011–12 season.[23] Hill's contract was due to expire in the summer of 2012 however Hill was keen to stay at Loftus Road.[24] In May 2012, Hill was offered a new contract by QPR.[25] On 19 June 2012 Clint signed a new one-year contract extension at the club until 2013.[26]
The2012–13 season saw Hill in and out of the starting 11 under Mark Hughes; however, he has been ever present in the team sinceHarry Redknapp took over as manager with Rangers in deep relegation trouble. He was handed the captaincy by Redknapp taking over fromPark Ji-Sung.[27] QPR failed to move out of the relegation zone and were relegated to the Championship after a 0–0 draw atReading on 28 April 2013.[28]
Hill remained captain for the2013–14 season. He started games at both centre-back and left-back, scoring his first goal in two and a half years in the 1–0 win away toLeeds atElland Road. He scored the winning goal once again on 2 November in a 2–1 victory overDerby County. Hill captained the team at Wembley as Rangers won the Championship Play-off final 1–0 againstDerby County.[29] Hill again signed a one-year deal to captain the club for their season back in the Premier League. On 7 April 2015 Hill scored his first Premier League goal, rising above theAston Villa defence to headMatt Phillips' corner pastBrad Guzan in the 55th minute to make the game 2–2, the final score was 3–3.[30] After appearing 15 times in the 2015–16 season he was told his contract would not be renewed. His last game for the R's was a 1–0 win at home to Bristol City, helping the club finish 12th in their first season back in the second tier.[31]
On 17 June 2016, Hill joinedScottish Premiership sideRangers on a one-year deal preceding his release from Queens Park Rangers.[32] He made his debut for the club in aLeague Cup match againstAnnan Athletic on 19 July.[33] In doing so, Hill became the oldest debutant in the club's history, aged 37 years, 274 days.[34] He broke a twenty-one-year-old record held by goalkeeperBilly Thomson who was aged 37 years, 50 days when he made his maiden Rangers appearance.[35]
Hill scored his first goals for Rangers with a brace in aScottish League Cup tie againstPeterhead on 9 August 2016.[36] He scored his first league goal for the club in a 1–1 draw withRoss County on 6 November.[37] This goal, at the age of 38 years and 10 days, made Hill the oldest scorer in theScottish Premiership since Lee Bullen netted at the age of 38 years and 238 days for Falkirk against Hamilton Academical in 2009. Hill was sent-off for the first time as a Rangers player, in injury time, during a league match againstAberdeen after receiving twocautions.[38] After some solid displays for Rangers, Hill was linked to a move back to Queen's Park Rangers in December 2016, with the Loftus Road club reportedly seeking to sign him on a pre-contract agreement with a view to rejoining them on a free transfer in the summer of 2017.[39]
Hill scored a late equaliser in theOld Firm derby againstCeltic on 12 March 2017, as the match finished 1–1.[40]
Hill signed a short-term contract withCarlisle United in September 2017. In May 2018, he announced his retirement from football after leaving Carlisle United.[41][42]
On 21 May 2018, he was appointed as joint First Team Coach at Fleetwood Town alongside formerRochdale managerSteve Eyre.[43]
Hill left Fleetwood in January 2021 when then managerJoey Barton was relieved of his duties.[44] On 22 February, he followed Barton andAndy Mangan to joinBristol Rovers.[45] On 14 August 2021, following a 2–0 home defeat toStevenage, it was announced that Hill had left the club due to personal family reasons.[46]
In October 2021, Hill was appointed assistant manager atLeague Two clubHartlepool United.[47] Hill left the club a month later following the departure of managerDave Challinor.[48] The following day Hill followed Challinor toStockport County in the role of assistant manager.[49]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Tranmere Rovers | 1997–98[50] | First Division | 14 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 17 | 1 | |
| 1998–99[51] | First Division | 33 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 38 | 4 | ||
| 1999–2000[52] | First Division | 29 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | — | 36 | 7 | ||
| 2000–01[53] | First Division | 34 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 1 | — | 43 | 6 | ||
| 2001–02[54] | Second Division | 30 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 2 | |
| Total | 140 | 16 | 12 | 1 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 170 | 20 | ||
| Oldham Athletic | 2002–03[55] | Second Division | 18 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 25 | 1 |
| Stoke City | 2003–04[56] | First Division | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 12 | 0 | |
| 2004–05[57] | Championship | 32 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 33 | 1 | ||
| 2005–06[58] | Championship | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 14 | 0 | ||
| 2006–07[59] | Championship | 18 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 20 | 2 | ||
| 2007–08[60] | Championship | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | ||
| Total | 80 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 84 | 3 | ||
| Crystal Palace | 2007–08[60] | Championship | 28 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | 31 | 4 |
| 2008–09[61] | Championship | 43 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 48 | 2 | ||
| 2009–10[62] | Championship | 43 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 48 | 1 | ||
| Total | 114 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 127 | 7 | ||
| Queens Park Rangers | 2010–11[63] | Championship | 44 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 45 | 2 | |
| 2011–12[64] | Premier League | 22 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 25 | 0 | ||
| 2012–13[65] | Premier League | 31 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 34 | 0 | ||
| 2013–14[66] | Championship | 40 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3[b] | 0 | 46 | 1 | |
| 2014–15[67] | Premier League | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 20 | 1 | ||
| 2015–16[68] | Championship | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 15 | 1 | ||
| Total | 169 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 185 | 5 | ||
| Nottingham Forest (loan) | 2011–12[64] | Championship | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | |
| Rangers | 2016–17[69] | Scottish Premiership | 24 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 2 | — | 32 | 6 | |
| Carlisle United | 2017–18[70] | League Two | 38 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 1 |
| Career total | 588 | 34 | 38 | 4 | 38 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 670 | 43 | ||
Tranmere Rovers
Queens Park Rangers
Individual
