Ron Hillyard
Encyclopedia
Ronald William "Ron" Hillyard (born 31 March 1952 in Brinsworth
, England
) is an English
former football goalkeeper. He spent seventeen years playing for Gillingham
, for whom he holds the record for the most matches played in all competition.
as a junior, and was thrust into the first-team in October 1969, when the club was facing a goalkeeping crisis. Although he made 61 Football League
appearances over the next five years, he was unable to establish himself as a first-team regular and was loaned out to several other clubs. Finally in 1974, Gillingham
manager Len Ashurst
, who had been attempting to sign the Yorkshire
man for his former club Hartlepool United
for three years, was able to secure his transfer to his new club.
For almost the entirety of the next seventeen years, Hillyard was the Kent
club's first-choice goalkeeper, until a back injury forced him to retire in 1991. Two years earlier he had been appointed assistant manager by Damien Richardson
, a post he continued to hold until 1992 when both he and Richardson were sacked.
Hillyard was expected to break John Simpson
's record for the most league appearances for Gillingham but ultimately his career ended 8 matches short of Simpson's tally of 571. Nonetheless, Hillyard set a new record for appearances for the club in all competitions with a total of 657, during which he kept 202 clean sheets.
Hillyard holds the position of goalkeeping coach with Ebbsfleet United.
Brinsworth
Brinsworth is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham, in South Yorkshire, England. It is situated close to the River Rother between Rotherham and Sheffield . At the time of the 2001 census it had a population of 8,950.-History:Brinsworth is located about mile south...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
) is an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
former football goalkeeper. He spent seventeen years playing for Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
, for whom he holds the record for the most matches played in all competition.
Career
Hillyard began his career with York CityYork City F.C.
York City Football Club is an English football club based in York, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football. Founded in 1922, they joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions...
as a junior, and was thrust into the first-team in October 1969, when the club was facing a goalkeeping crisis. Although he made 61 Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
appearances over the next five years, he was unable to establish himself as a first-team regular and was loaned out to several other clubs. Finally in 1974, Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
manager Len Ashurst
Len Ashurst
Len Ashurst is a former footballer, manager and football administrator in England.-Career:As a player, Ashurst was a left-sided defender. He joined Liverpool in 1953 as an apprentice. After being released, he joined Sunderland in 1957, where he would go on to spend 14 years...
, who had been attempting to sign the Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
man for his former club Hartlepool United
Hartlepool United F.C.
Hartlepool United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Hartlepool that currently play in League One. The team won promotion to League One in the 2006–07 season...
for three years, was able to secure his transfer to his new club.
For almost the entirety of the next seventeen years, Hillyard was the Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
club's first-choice goalkeeper, until a back injury forced him to retire in 1991. Two years earlier he had been appointed assistant manager by Damien Richardson
Damien Richardson
Damien John Richardson is an Irish football manager and former player. He currently has no club attachments, having left Cork City at the end of the 2007 season. Richardson formerly managed Gillingham in England and Cobh Ramblers, Shelbourne and Shamrock Rovers in Ireland.Richardson's father...
, a post he continued to hold until 1992 when both he and Richardson were sacked.
Hillyard was expected to break John Simpson
John Simpson (footballer born 1933)
John Lionel Simpson was an English football goalkeeper. He spent fifteen years playing for Gillingham, for whom he holds the all-time record for the most matches played in the Football League....
's record for the most league appearances for Gillingham but ultimately his career ended 8 matches short of Simpson's tally of 571. Nonetheless, Hillyard set a new record for appearances for the club in all competitions with a total of 657, during which he kept 202 clean sheets.
Hillyard holds the position of goalkeeping coach with Ebbsfleet United.