Frank Hill

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Frank Hill

| image =

| fullname = Frank Robert Hill{{Hugman|8976|access-date=20 February 2017}}

| birth_date = {{birth date|1906|05|21|df=y}}

| birth_place = Forfar, Scotland

| death_date = {{death date and age|1993|08|28|1906|05|21|df=y}}

| death_place = Lafayette, California, United States

| height = {{height|ft=5|in=8}}

| position = Right half

| years1 = 1924–1928

| clubs1 = Forfar Athletic

| caps1 = 119

| goals1 = 26

| years2 = 1928–1932

| clubs2 = Aberdeen

| caps2 = 98

| goals2 = 9

| years3 = 1932–1936

| clubs3 = Arsenal

| caps3 = 76

| goals3 = 4

| years4 = 1936–1937

| clubs4 = Blackpool

| caps4 = 45

| goals4 = 8

| years5 = 1937–1939

| clubs5 = Southampton

| caps5 = 51

| goals5 = 3

| years6 = 1944–1948

| clubs6 = Crewe Alexandra

| caps6 = 20

| goals6 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 1930–1931

| nationalteam1 = Scotland

| nationalcaps1 = 3

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 1930

| nationalteam2 = Scottish League XI{{cite web|url=http://www.londonhearts.com/SFL/players/frankhill.html |title=Frank Hill - Scotland Football League Record from 05 Nov 1930 to 05 Nov 1930 clubs - Aberdeen |website=Londonhearts.com |access-date=2017-02-22}}

| nationalcaps2 = 1

| nationalgoals2 = 0

| manageryears1 = 1944–1948

| managerclubs1 = Crewe Alexandra (Player-manager)

| manageryears2 = 1948–1954

| managerclubs2 = Burnley

| manageryears3 = 1954–1956

| managerclubs3 = Preston North End

| manageryears4 = 1957

| managerclubs4 = Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya

| manageryears5 = 1958–1961

| managerclubs5 = Notts County

| manageryears6 = 1961–1965

| managerclubs6 = Charlton Athletic

}}

Frank Robert Hill (21 May 1906 – 28 August 1993){{cite book |last1=Chalk |first1=Gary |last2=Holley |first2=Duncan |last3=Bull |first3 =David |name-list-style=amp |title=All the Saints: A Complete Players' Who's Who of Southampton FC| year=2013| location=Southampton |publisher=Hagiology Publishing|isbn=978-0-9926-8640-6|page=92}} was a Scottish football player and manager.

Playing career

=Forfar and Aberdeen=

Hill was born in Forfar and started his career at Forfar Athletic, joining the club in 1924.{{cite web |url=http://www.fitbastats.com/forfar/player.php?playerid=3166 |title= Forfar Athletic Stats |website=fitbastats.com|access-date=2020-12-03}} He moved to Aberdeen in 1928 and played over 100 Scottish Division One matches. A right-half (which was more or less the equivalent of a defensive midfield position), Hill earned the nickname "Tiger" for his "tigerish" tackling. During his four years at Aberdeen, he also won three caps for Scotland (between 1930 and 1931).{{cite web |title=Scotland players: Frank Hill |url=https://www.londonhearts.com/scotland/players/frankroberthill.html |website=londonhearts.com |access-date=3 December 2020}}

Hill left Aberdeen under something of a cloud, being one of five players dropped by manager Paddy Travers in November 1931. At the time, the reasons were not clear, but the club's official history claims that several players had been involved in a betting scandal. No players were ever charged with any offence, but none of them ever played for Aberdeen again.{{cite book| first=Jack| last=Webster| title=The First 100 Years of The Dons: the official history of Aberdeen Football Club 1903 - 2003| publisher=Hodder and Stoughton| year=2003| isbn=0-340-82344-5| pages=128–131}} Hill had played a total of 106 times for Aberdeen, scoring 10 goals.{{cite book| first=Paul| last=Smith| title=The Legends of Aberdeen| publisher=Breedon Books| year=2007| isbn=978-1-85983-575-3| page=85}}

=Arsenal=

In 1932, he was signed by Herbert Chapman's Arsenal, who had just finished as runners-up in both the First Division and FA Cup. He made his debut against Blackburn Rovers on 15 October 1932. At the time, Arsenal were spoilt for wing-halves and Hill competed for his place with Charlie Jones, Bob John, Wilf Copping and Jack Crayston. Despite this, Hill featured in all three of Arsenal's 1933, 1934 and 1935 League title campaigns. He also won the 1934 Charity Shield with the Gunners. Hill usually played at right-half but also deputised at left-half or even on the wing.{{cite web|url=https://www.arsenal.com/historic/players/frank-hill|title=Frank Hill|website=Arsenal.com}}

Hill was squeezed out of the side by Copping and Crayston, and only featured in ten matches in 1935–36, and did not play in Arsenal's FA Cup final victory that season. He requested a transfer and was sold to Second Division Blackpool in the summer of 1936. In all he played 81 games for Arsenal, scoring four goals.{{cite book | last=Harris|first=Jeff|editor-last=Hogg|editor-first=Tony | title=Arsenal Who's Who | publisher=Independent UK Sports | year=1995 | isbn=1-899429-03-4 }}

=Blackpool=

Hill captained Blackpool in the 1936–37 season, helping them to runners-up spot and thus promotion to the First Division. However, he didn't stay in the top flight for long as in September 1937 he joined Second Division side Southampton.

=Southampton=

In May 1937, Hill was recruited by Tom Parker to join Southampton as part of his drive to strengthen the team in an attempt to gain promotion from the Second Division, along with David Affleck (from Clapton Orient), Billy Bevis (from Portsmouth) and Ray Parkin (from Middlesbrough). Southampton paid £2000 for his services and acquired "a half-back with a strong personality and ball-winning abilities".{{cite book | first1=Duncan |last1=Holley |first2=Gary |last2=Chalk | title=The Alphabet of the Saints| publisher= ACL & Polar Publishing | year=1992|pages=165–166| isbn=0-9514862-3-3}} Hill's resolve and leadership helped steer Saints away from relegation during 1937–38, only for him to suffer a series of injuries the following season which sidelined him for long periods.

Hill eventually fell out with the Board of Directors when it was revealed that he had secretly applied for various managerial positions and he left the club in 1939 to take up a position as assistant trainer at Preston North End, although Southampton refused to release his player registration until 1943. He made 53 appearances for Southampton, scoring three goals.

During the Second World War, when football was suspended, Hill served in the Royal Air Force in India.

Managerial career

Hill returned to Britain in 1944 and became player-manager of Crewe Alexandra (making 20 appearances, excluding Football War League games, and playing his last game for Crewe in February 1948){{cite book|last1=Crisp|first1=Marco|title=Crewe Alexandra Match by Match|date=1998|publisher=Tony Brown|location=Nottingham|isbn=1-899468-81-1|edition=2nd|page=79}} until he was 42. He went on to manage Burnley from September 1948 to 1954 then Preston North End from 1954 to 1956.{{cite web|url=http://www.leaguemanagers.com/managers/frank-hill/|title=Frank Hill|website=League Managers.com}}

He then moved abroad in January 1957, coaching the Iraqi military team as well as Iraqi club Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya,{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20161128050222/https://ahdaaf.me/2016/11/04/2016-afc-cup-al-jawiyas-chance-to-make-history/ 2016 AFC CUP: AL-JAWIYA'S CHANCE TO MAKE HISTORY]}}, Ahdaaf.me, Hassanin Mubarak before returning to take over at Notts County in 1958. He helped County to promotion to the Third Division in 1959–60, and moved to Charlton Athletic, who were bottom of the Second Division, in 1961. He saved Charlton from relegation that season and took them to fourth in 1963–64. However, he could not make the good form last and was sacked in the summer of 1965.{{citation needed|date=December 2020}}

Hill finished his career as a scout for Manchester City, before retiring. He moved with his wife Doris and son David to Lafayette, California, USA in 1967 where they owned "Piccadilly Circus Fish'n Chips" and he refereed locally at the college level well into his 70s.{{citation needed|date=December 2020}}

He died in California in August 1993, aged 87.

Career statistics

= Club =

class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%; text-align: center;" \|+Appearances and goals by club, season and competition{{Cite web \|title=Forfar Athletic Player Frank Hill Details \|url=https://www.fitbastats.com/forfar/player.php?playerid=3166 \|access-date=2023-04-16 \|website=www.fitbastats.com}}{{Cite web \|title=Aberdeen Football Club Heritage Trust - Player Profile \|url=https://afcheritage.org/Team/CurrentSquad/player_show.cfm?player_id=249 \|access-date=2023-04-16 \|website=afcheritage.org}} ! rowspan="2" \|Club ! rowspan="2" \|Season ! rowspan="2" \|Division ! colspan="2" \|League ! colspan="2" \|National Cup ! colspan="2" \|Total
Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals
rowspan="5" \|Forfar Athletic \|1924–25 \|Scottish Division Two \|19 \|0 \|1 \|0 \|20 \|0
1925–26 \|Scottish Division Three \|25 \|0 \|3 \|0 \|28 \|0
1926–27 \| rowspan="2" \|Scottish Division Two \|38 \|22 \|2 \|2 \|40 \|24
1927–28 \|37 \|4 \|2 \|0 \|39 \|4
colspan="2" \|Total !119 !26 !8 !2 !127 !28
rowspan="5" \|Aberdeen \|1928–29 \| rowspan="4" \|Scottish Division One \|14 \|1 \|0 \|0 \|14 \|1
1929–30 \|37 \|1 \|3 \|0 \|40 \|1
1930–31 \|30 \|3 \|5 \|1 \|35 \|4
1931–32 \|17 \|4 \|0 \|0 \|17 \|4
colspan="2" \|Total !98 !9 !8 !1 !106 !10
rowspan="5" \|Arsenal \|1932–33 \| rowspan="4" \|First Division \|26 \|1 \|1 \|0 \|27 \|1
1933–34 \|25 \|0 \|1 \|0 \|26 \|0
1934–35 \|15 \|3 \|1 \|0 \|16 \|3
1935–36 \|10 \|0 \|0 \|0 \|10 \|0
colspan="2" \|Total !76 !4 !3 !0 !79 !4
rowspan="3" \|Blackpool \|1936–37 \|Second Division \| - \| - \| - \| - \| - \| -
1937–38 \|First Division \| - \| - \| - \| - \| - \| -
colspan="2" \|Total !45 !8 !- !- !45+ !8+
rowspan="3" \|Southampton \|1937–38 \| rowspan="2" \|Second Division \|32 \|1 \|1 \|0 \|33 \|1
1938–39 \|19 \|2 \|1 \|0 \|20 \|2
colspan="2" \|Total !51 !3 !2 !0 !53 !3
rowspan="3" \|Crewe Alexandra \|1946–47 \| rowspan="2" \|Third Division North \|15 \|0 \| - \| - \|15 \|0
1947–48 \|5 \|0 \| - \| - \|5 \|0
colspan="2" \|Total !20 !0 !- !- !20 !0
colspan="3" \|Career total !409 !50 !21+ !3+ !430 !53

class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%; text-align: center;"

|+Appearances and goals by club, season and competition{{Cite web |title=Forfar Athletic Player Frank Hill Details |url=https://www.fitbastats.com/forfar/player.php?playerid=3166 |access-date=2023-04-16 |website=www.fitbastats.com}}{{Cite web |title=Aberdeen Football Club Heritage Trust - Player Profile |url=https://afcheritage.org/Team/CurrentSquad/player_show.cfm?player_id=249 |access-date=2023-04-16 |website=afcheritage.org}}

! rowspan="2" |Club

! rowspan="2" |Season

! rowspan="2" |Division

! colspan="2" |League

! colspan="2" |National Cup

! colspan="2" |Total

Apps

!Goals

!Apps

!Goals

!Apps

!Goals

rowspan="5" |Forfar Athletic

|1924–25

|Scottish Division Two

|19

|20

1925–26

|Scottish Division Three

|25

|28

1926–27

| rowspan="2" |Scottish Division Two

|38

|22

|40

|24

1927–28

|37

|39

colspan="2" |Total

!119

!26

!127

!28

rowspan="5" |Aberdeen

|1928–29

| rowspan="4" |Scottish Division One

|14

1929–30

|37

|40

1930–31

|30

|35

1931–32

|17

colspan="2" |Total

!98

!106

!10

rowspan="5" |Arsenal

|1932–33

| rowspan="4" |First Division

|26

|27

1933–34

|25

|26

1934–35

|15

|16

1935–36

|10

colspan="2" |Total

!76

!79

rowspan="3" |Blackpool

| -

| -

colspan="2" |Total

!45

!45+

!8+

rowspan="3" |Southampton

|1937–38

| rowspan="2" |Second Division

|32

|33

1938–39

|19

|20

colspan="2" |Total

!51

!53

rowspan="3" |Crewe Alexandra

|1946–47

| rowspan="2" |Third Division North

|15

| -

|15

1947–48

| -

colspan="2" |Total

!20

colspan="3" |Career total

!409

!50

!21+

!3+

!430

!53

= International =

class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%; text-align: center;" \|+Appearances and goals by national team and year{{Cite web \|title=Frank Hill {{!}} Scotland {{!}} Scottish FA \|url=https://www.scottishfa.co.uk/players/?pid=113006&lid=1 \|access-date=2023-04-16 \|website=www.scottishfa.co.uk}} !National team !Year !Apps !Goals
rowspan="2" \|Scotland \|1930 \|2 \|0
1931 \|1 \|0
colspan="2" \|Total !3 !0

class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%; text-align: center;"

|+Appearances and goals by national team and year{{Cite web |title=Frank Hill {{!}} Scotland {{!}} Scottish FA |url=https://www.scottishfa.co.uk/players/?pid=113006&lid=1 |access-date=2023-04-16 |website=www.scottishfa.co.uk}}

!National team

!Year

!Apps

!Goals

rowspan="2" |Scotland

|1930

1931

colspan="2" |Total

=Managerial record=

class=wikitable style="text-align: center" \|+ Managerial record by team and tenure
rowspan=2\|Team !rowspan=2\|From !rowspan=2\|To !colspan=5\|Record
{{abbr\|P\|Matches played}}	{{abbr\|W\|Matches won}}	{{abbr\|D\|Matches drawn}}	{{abbr\|L\|Matches lost}}	{{abbr\|Win %\|Win percentage}}
align=left\|Crewe Alexandra \|align=left\|1 July 1944 \|align=left\|September 1948 {{WDL\|102\|45\|19\|38\|decimals=1}}
align=left\|Burnley \|align=left\|September 1948 \|align=left\|1 August 1954 {{WDL\|266\|105\|68\|93\|decimals=1}}
align=left\|Preston North End \|align=left\|1 August 1954 \|align=left\|1 May 1956 {{WDL\|88\|31\|17\|40\|decimals=1}}
align=left\|Notts County \|align=left\|1 October 1958 \|align=left\|1 November 1961 {{WDL\|151\|61\|29\|61\|decimals=1}}
align=left\|Charlton Athletic \|align=left\|1 November 1961 \|align=left\|1 August 1965 {{WDL\|172\|65\|33\|74\|decimals=1}}
colspan=3\|Total{{cite web\|title=Frank Hill – Managerial statistics\|url=http://www.soccerbase.com/managers/manager.sd?manager_id=441\|publisher=soccerbase.com\|access-date=24 April 2012}} {{WDLtot\|779\|307\|166\|306\|decimals=1}}

class=wikitable style="text-align: center"

|+ Managerial record by team and tenure

rowspan=2|Team

!rowspan=2|From

!rowspan=2|To

!colspan=5|Record

align=left|Crewe Alexandra

|align=left|1 July 1944

|align=left|September 1948

align=left|Burnley

|align=left|September 1948

|align=left|1 August 1954

align=left|Preston North End

|align=left|1 August 1954

|align=left|1 May 1956

align=left|Notts County

|align=left|1 October 1958

|align=left|1 November 1961

align=left|Charlton Athletic

|align=left|1 November 1961

|align=left|1 August 1965

colspan=3|Total{{cite web|title=Frank Hill – Managerial statistics|url=http://www.soccerbase.com/managers/manager.sd?manager_id=441|publisher=soccerbase.com|access-date=24 April 2012}}

Honours

=As a player=

;Arsenal{{cite web|url=http://www.11v11.com/players/frank-hill-28851/|title=Frank Hill|website=11 v 11.com}}

Football League championship: 1932–33, 1933–34 and 1934–35
Charity Shield: 1933, 1934{{cite news |url=https://www.footballsite.co.uk/Statistics/CommunityShield/1933-34CharityShield.htm |title=1933/34 F.A. Charity Shield |website=footballsite.co.uk |access-date=2 February 2022}}{{cite news |url=https://www.footballsite.co.uk/Statistics/CommunityShield/1934-35CharityShield.htm |title=1934/35 F.A. Charity Shield |website=footballsite.co.uk |access-date=2 February 2022}}

;Blackpool