Jimmy Hill – A Tribute

On Saturday 19th December 2015, the footballing world was shocked by some devastating news. The legendary Jimmy Hill has passed away aged 87. I may never have met Jimmy, nor was i around when he changed our game forever, but you don’t need to see it with your own eyes to appreciate the greatness of a true gentleman. I was going to write a review of Coventry’s 1-1 draw at home to Oldham, a game we should have won, but to be quite honest, the game and the result are not important to me. What’s important is that we treasure the memory and the deeds of an architect of our game. In this post, i will reflect on the accomplishments of a true footballing icon and what he means to so many people. Welcome to my tribute to the late, great, James William Thomas Hill.

Jimmy made an impact on the pitch as well as off it. After his national service, he made his debut with Brentford in 1949 in a Forward position. He played at Griffin Park for 3 years, scoring 10 goals in 83 appearances. But the best of his playing days were spent across London, beside the Thames, at Fulham, where he would go down in history as one of the club’s greatest players. Scoring 41 goals in 359 appearances, Jimmy would become a fan favourite as he helped the club win promotion to the old First Division in the 1958-59 season. He also made history by scoring 5 goals in a single match against Doncaster Rovers, a feat few can replicate even today. During his playing career, Hill would become the Chairman of the Professional Footballer’s Association, the footballer’s trade union, and would change the game forever with his foresight, his beliefs and his desire for a fairer, better game. One of his first acts as Chairman was to campaign against the Football League’s maximum wage cap. A professional footballer could only earn up to £20 per week, meaning the vast majority had to work during weekdays, train during the evenings and play at the weekend. Hill’s campaign was successful, and in 1961, the maximum wage was abolished. He also played a huge role in changing the league points system, with teams now receiving 3 points for a win rather than 2. But this was only the beginning.

Jimmy retired from playing in 1961, and set his sights on management. He was contacted by the chairman of Coventry City, Derek Robins about becoming the club’s new manager. Curious about the opportunity, Jimmy took a trip to Highfield Road to witness City lose to non-league Kings Lynn in an FA Cup match. Never one to turn down a challenge, Jimmy accepted Robins’ offer and so began a golden era for the Midlands club, at that time languishing in Division 3. Before Hill’s arrival, Coventry’s home strip was a darker shade of blue. This would soon change. City players Dietmar Bruck and Ernie Machin acted as catwalk models in Jimmy’s office as the boss decided on the first ever sky blue Coventry City shirt. The team were then dubbed ‘The Sky Blues’, by the Coventry Telegraph newspaper, a name which has stuck with the club ever since. This new nickname also gave Jimmy a crucial ingredient in his next project, the Sky Blues Song. The now infamous club song was modeled on the Eton Boating song, and although the lyrics have been tinkered with over the years, it remains a battle cry to Coventry fans across the world. The first ever matchday programme was also introduced during Jimmy’s time at Highfield Road, pre match entertainment also arrived under his tenure and he even asked his parents to run a bar for the fans at Highfield Road.

On the field, Jimmy is by far and away the club’s most successful manager ever. The Sky Blues won 2 promotions during Jimmy’s tenure; the 3rd Divsion crown in 1963-64 and the 2nd Division title in 1966-67. He was adored by players and fans alike, but sadly, all good things come to an end. With just weeks to go until the start of Coventry’s 1st ever 1st Division season, Jimmy asked Derek Robins for a new contract, a 10 year contract to be precise. Mr Robins wouldn’t entertain the idea, so Jimmy departed, bringing his hugely successful tenure to an end, but old Jim wasn’t done with Coventry just yet.

He would return to Coventry, firstly as Managing Director in 1975, then as Chairman. Jimmy continued to change Football during his time in office. Highfield Road was converted into England’s first ever all seater stadium in 1981, although this didn’t last. Leeds United fans would tear up a good portion of the new seats during their visit, and with the move proving unpopular with home fans too, seating areas would return. There were also moments of controversy, none more so than the end of the 76-77 season, when many claimed Hill had instructed his players to simply pass the ball around at the back during the last minutes of the last game of the season in order to safeguard a result which would guarantee survival. Hill was never charged. As well as his beloved Coventry, Hill would take the role of Chairman at QPR and Charlton in later years.

Jimmy moved in to broadcasting shortly after leaving Coventry as manager. Initially, he joined as an advisor for a football series called “United!”, which documented the life of fictional 2nd Division side Brentwich United. Needless to say, the programme was not a success, so Jimmy moved to London Weekend Television, where he would become Head of Sport between 1968 and 1972. Under his leadership, LWT introduced the first known football pundits panel, now a stable in modern football broadcasting. It wasn’t long before Jimmy’s trademark chin was a regular on our screens, when he became the host of BBC’s Match of the Day. He would make over 600 appearances on the show as host or pundit. In many ways, Jimmy revolutionized football broadcasting. His technical knowledge of the game, his love for the sport and his natural charisma made him the perfect host. He would go on to cover many historic events including the Hillsborough Disaster. He handed the presenting reigns at Match of the Day over Des Lynam, but would stay on as a pundit and analyst. His departure from the programme came in 1999 when he jumped ship to Sky Sports, hosting Jimmy Hill’s Sunday Supplement, a football show reviewing the weekend’s action and headlines. Jimmy’s retirement from broadcasting came in 2007 when he was replaced as host of Sunday Supplement. The programme still airs to this day.

Since retirement, Jimmy stayed very much loyal to the game he loved, attending matches across the country. He received an OBE in 1994 and a CBE in 1995 for services to sport. But Jimmy’s greatest battle was still to come. In 2008, Jimmy Hill was diagnosed with Alzheimers Disease. The diagnosis was not made public until 2013, with the footballing world none the wiser. Even when Jimmy attended the unveiling of his statue at Coventry’s new home, The Ricoh Arena, he appeared his normal, joyful self. But sadly, this horrible illness claimed one of our most treasured figures. Jimmy passed away on the morning of Saturday 19th December 2015, less than a week before Christmas. His wife Bryony was beside him. 

Few men are as important as football, even fewer are more important than the beautiful game. Jimmy Hill was, is, and forever will be football. We take our game for granted at times, as if its a god given right. We may not have a game at all without Jimmy Hill, certainly not the game we have today. The news of Jimmy’s passing took everyone by surprise on Saturday. Fans of Coventry City, buoyant and cheerful, waiting for 3pm to come around, were left stunned and silent when they heard of the passing of their hero. The game, the result, the performance on the Ricoh Arena pitch all became insignificant. The only thing we wanted to do was mourn the loss of a legend and celebrate the life of a true gentleman. No-one could ever say a bad word about Jimmy. That’s the sort of man he was, and he will forever have a place in the hearts of not just every Coventry City fan, but every single football fan across the globe, for what he gave to each of us. He remains an inspiration to myself. If i can became half the broadcaster, half the presenter, half the man Jimmy Hill was, i will be a very happy man. Rest in peace Jimmy. We’ll miss you

Liam Cook – 19/12/2015