MCMP Page recently caught up with former Blues defender Andy Hill to talk about his time with the Blues.
1. You got your first taste of life in Manchester as a teenager after joining City rivals United, what are the early memories of life in Manchester, and as an Old Trafford apprentice?
I began my life in Manchester back in 1980, moving from Sheffield and living in digs on Derbyshire Lane, Stretford with my then United colleague Clayton Blackmore and 2 City apprentices Wayne Mumford and Rob Jones. That was my first taste of the rivalry between the two clubs. Let's say there was a lot of banter between us. Life was going well I was making good progress in my career and represented England at youth level. Until a difference of opinion with Ron Atkinson when he withdrew me from the England squad, because he didn’t agree of Graham Taylor’s methods (the then England Youth Manager) an argument that subsequently had a bearing on my future.
2. It would take you the best part of ten years before you returned to Manchester when City boss Peter Reid made you his first signing as a manager, initially on a three month loan period before making the move permanent in March 1991 when City paid Bury £200,000, how did you first hear of City interest in you?
Yes, it did. I moved on to Bury in 1984. The club was receiving substantial investment and times were good. Then out of the blue in December 1990 the investment stopped and all the squad were put up for sale. I knew City were looking at me they had watched me in the playoff semi-final the previous season and their scouts were regular visitors to Gigg Lane.
A few days after the squad had gone up for sale I was informed City wanted to talk to me. I had initial discussions with Peter Reid at Maine Road but we couldn’t agree on terms and I left without signing. Negotiations resumed the next day and because of my desire to play at the highest level, I agreed to a 2-year deal which in real terms was worth less than my Bury contract. There was a loan agreement between the 2 clubs for their own business reasons, but personally, I had agreed a 2 years contract and I was a City player. What many people do not know is the day after I signed for City I received a call from former Blue Jamie Hoyland asking me if I would be interested in joining Sheffield United and if I was, Dave Basset was keen on signing me. The Blades were my team growing up in Sheffield but even though technically I may have been able to get out of the contract I had signed at City due to the loan agreement between the two clubs, I was grateful to Peter for giving me the opportunity to play at the highest level and stayed loyal to him and turned the approach down.
3. At the age of 26 when you joined City, did you think the chance of First Division football had passed you by?
No not at all, that was always my personal goal but we had a very good side at Bury and had the team not been broken up due to the money issues I believe the club could have achieved that goal in its own right taking myself with it. However, once that dream was distinguished it was always going to be time for me to move on.
4. How do you recall your early days at Maine Road and which players made the first impression on you?
My early days at Maine Road were mixed, the 1st team were preparing for the weekends game and although I trained with them, on Friday when the squads went up on the board and I was in the A team squad away at Bolton 11 am KO (keeping my feet firmly on the floor). For the 1st few months it was a case of being patient and biding my time but at times it was like being on the outside looking in. In general, the lads in the dressing room were great. Tony Coton made an immediate impression on me being a little eccentric and Clive Allen was just impeccable in everything he did. In regards to playing ability Mark Ward was the one that stood out for me, his work ethic desire and will to win was tremendous.
5. Your City debut came in a 2-0 Zenith Data Cup Systems win at Sheffield United, 22/01/91, what are the memories of this match and do you remember who scored City’s goals that night?
Sheff Utd being my boyhood team I remember it well. I recall we had played them the previous game at Maine Road winning 2-0 with Wardy scoring 2 in both games.
6. In just your second League start for City, you net your first City goal in a 2-1 win at Leeds United, tells us about the goal and how pleased were you with the start you had made at Maine Road?
I remember all of my goals this one was a headed goal from a corner flicked on by big Niall at the near post. I steamed in at the far post scoring from close range. It had taken a while to break into the 1st team but I felt I made a good start in my first few games and I was determined to keep my place.
7. How did you find the transition from Third to First division football and how it did feel to finally become a First Division player?
The pace of the game over prolonged periods was the biggest difference that I found, also the intensity of the training day in day out plus the increased competition for places meaning that you had to be at your best most if not all of the time.
I like to think I had a good pedigree; I was used to playing with very good players at my previous clubs so in that sense this was not an issue. During my time at Bury, I played with international and former 1st division players the likes of Martin Dobson Brian Flynn and Leighton James plus many others, players whom I learned from and that had a big influence on me. As mentioned earlier it was always my ambition to be a 1st Division/Premier League player so I was and still am very proud and satisfied that I achieved my aim.
8. How did you find your first pre-season as First division player compared to previous years at Bury?
It was very interesting the training wasn’t as intense on the running side of things and a lot more was emphasised on working with a ball. The friendly games, however, were different instead of playing your way in each game, because of the competition for places you needed to perform from the get-go. Also, most of the pre-season was done abroad, which was something new to me other than the annual week in the Isle of Man tournament.
9. 1991/92 season sees you hold down a regular first team spot and scoring 4 goals during the season. What are you stand out memories of life at City during this campaign?
I was loving life at City during this time I had settled in at the Club, I was playing well and getting plenty of plaudits. This period also coincided with me having to play several games at Centre Back notably away at Anfield where I received Man of the Match. During this time I also received the Famous Grouse Player of the Month from the Manchester Evening News. The MEN also ran an article regarding the Player of the Season and I was at the top of the candidates named in the running. Unfortunately, I was playing with an injury that I had to eventually give in to.
10. Did you wish we could have played Leeds United every week as you usually chipped in with a goal against them?
Sometimes in football, there is a team that you always seem to do well against and at that time we always did well against Leeds and I did usually get on the scoresheet, however, Leeds were a very good side at the time so I don't think that would have continued for long.
11. Which teammate during your City career would you describe as having ‘The worst dress sense’?
There were a few Rick Holden dressed like Jeremy Corbyn but it would have to be Niall Quinn he dressed like me dad.
12. Who were the practical jokers among the teammates you had at City?
Keith Curle and Ian Brightwell were the main ones I can’t tell you any of Ian’s pranks as they are not for print. Keith on the other hand, one day when he was injured caused mayhem. All the 1st team squad had a leased Ford Mondeo which was either white or blue. When we were all out training Keith thought it would be a good idea to randomly move all the cars from their original parking spot and switch the keys around in everyone's pockets. He sat in the canteen grinning all over his face as he watched the chaos evolve as the lads tried to find out who had got who’s key and which car was theirs.
13. What are your memories of City’s 1992/93 FA Cup ¼ Final defeat to Spurs at Maine Road, a lot Blues supporters had the feeling it could be our year, even more so when Mike Sheron had given us an early lead, what went wrong that afternoon?
Not very fond memories we were devastated. Enough said
14. Favourite City goal and why?
Has to be the header v Nott’s Forest at Maine Road. It won the game we went top of the League and it was a fair way out or my goal v Sheffield United at Bramhall Lane which made the goal of week nominations on match of the day the assist was from left back Neil Pointon (both fullbacks contributing to a goal) a bit of a rarity in those days.
15. Peter Reid was dismissed early into the 93/94 season, were you surprised by this decision and did you feel it could impact your City future?
I was very surprised given our progress during Peter’s tenure let’s not forget prior to Peter’s appointment City had spent a good few years yo-yoing from Div1 to Div2. In my mind, Peter Reid did not get the recognition he deserved at City. A lot of fans give Howard Kendal the credit but the fact is Howard Kendall’s best finish at City was 14th. As for me, every player is unsure what to expect when a new manager is appointed.
16. How was your relationship with Peter Reid?
My relationship with Peter was let's say a little up and down. On the football side of things I like to think we got on well and we respected each other. At the end of the day, he gave me my chance to play at the top level and I thank him for that.
However, in regards to the business side of football, we had a few run-ins. Contract negotiations were never straightforward even from day one when we couldn’t agree on initial terms. I signed three different contracts under Peter due to the fact that each one became renegotiable after performance targets were reached.
It was during probably my best spell at the club just before I bowed out through injury after having played several games carrying the injury at the request of Peter that we had our 1st run in. I had reached a performance target written in my contract and my agent went in to talk to Peter about an improved deal only to be told that negotiations would be put on hold until I was fit again and back playing.
Given the fact that I’d played whilst injured for him this stuck in my throat a little bit.
When I got back fit plenty of time went by for negotiations to start but they were not forthcoming I was playing well again in fact Peter informed me just before we played Nott’s Forest away that the then England Manager who ironically was Graham Taylor had enquired about me and was attending the game to run the rule over my performance.
Due to the seemingly lack of willingness to open talks I decided to hand in a transfer request just before the end of that season.
Nothing happened during the summer and we returned for pre-season and Peter came up to me and told me that he was very impressed with the professional way I was conducting myself and that he would talk to me about a new contract over the next few weeks, I asked him right out there and then to his face “why has someone been in for me” and he replied yes Frank Clarke at Nott’s Forest, he has made an enquiry but I’ve told him you’re not available and he’s moved on and signed Des Little so that's dead.
I wasn’t that fussed I didn’t really want to leave and he had stated that he was going to sort things out, unfortunately, he hadn’t kept his word and things had still not been sorted when he was sacked.
I attended Peters leaving party and he apologised and told me it was just business he then told me Sunderland were keen to sign me but not to go there because the club was in a mess how bizarre.
17. What were your first impressions of the new manager Brian Horton?
Brian was great with me one of the first things he did when he came to the Club was deal with my contract situation and I finally agreed to the new improved deal that should have been sorted out when Peter Reid was in charge.
18. The appointment of Horton and the emergence of Richard Edghill saw your game time limited, did you feel your time at City could be coming to an end?
At that time I thought my career was coming to an end. Unfortunately not long after Brian arrived I was once again cursed by injury. Initially, it was thought that I had an occurrence of my previous injury but it was more serious than a simple hernia. I ended up having the initial operation redone plus the other side so a double hernia.
After a month or so I was back in training but the pain was still there at this point I was treated for pubic symphysis and injected with cortisone needles via an x-ray machine so they could inject the precise area.
Again after rest, I returned to training but still feeling pain. I continued training for a couple of weeks until one morning I went to get out of bed but I couldn't get up. I was taken by ambulance to the Belmont Hospital where it was diagnosed that I had completely torn the abductors off my pelvic bone. All caused by the probability of continuing to play when the initial injury occurred.
I spent almost 18 months out of the game with a fleeting appearance here and there. Brian’s appointment and the emergence of Richard were irrelevant to the amount of game time I had because of injury I was not available for selection.
19. After 13 sporadic appearances throughout the 94/95 season your time at City comes to an end with a move to Port Vale in August 1995, Horton had been replaced by Alan Ball, was it an option for you stay under Ball?
Brian left at the end of the season 94/95 and my own contract was up. I had played a few games towards the end of that season one was away at White Hart Lane when the squad was down to its bare bones and Brian asked me if I would do a job for him in midfield I did and I got man of the match before he left Brian thanked me for not putting my own interest 1st that night and said that he had recommended that the Club offer me a new deal. I sat down with Francis Lee and Bernard Halford and they offered me a new 2-year deal. However, the way the deal had been drawn up meant that I would have to play in every game to earn the same amount as my previous deal. Given my injury record in a way, I could understand their offer but it was impossible for me to stay on those terms and I turned the offer down. Alan Ball arrived when we went back for pre-season he had a chat with me and said he would speak to the chairman about my situation. In the meantime the squad were due to go to Ireland on pre-season tour and I was put in the squad to travel. This alarmed me because the games would be competitive and I would run the risk of getting seriously injured and being out of contract that would not be a good place to be. I took advice from the PFA. The PFA explained to me that because of my contract situation I had the right to withdraw from any games where there would be paying public but that I still had to report and train where ever the Club asked me to.
I explained this to Alan Ball and it was mutually agreed that I stay behind and continue training with the reserves and youth team. That evening I got a call from Paul Hince of the MEN telling me he had just spoken to the chairman and that he had been told that I had refused to go on the tour to Ireland I explained that this wasn’t the case and relayed to him what the PFA had said and what had been mutually agreed between myself and the Manager. The next day just as the 1st edition of the MEN came out I received a call from a good friend of mine saying have you seen the paper and what have you done. I drove to the newsagents and there it was all over the back page in bold headlines.
'CITY STAR GOES ON STRIKE' Manchester City defender Andy Hill says he will not wear the Blue shirt again unless his contract situation is sorted out. I don’t know who was responsible for the headlines be it Paul Hince or Francis Lee but they were grossly unfair and not true (a case of mis interpratatation?) I have my own view on that.
After those headlines there was obviously no turning back for me or the Club for that matter and my City days were numbered.
20. How does Andy Hill look back on his time at City?
With a lot of pride but also with some regret. I was very proud to wear the City shirt and under Peter Reid we had a team that was capable of competing. We had some very notable victories. However for whatever reason the progress of the team never got chance to continue.
From a Personal point of view I didn’t get the chance to build on the promising start that I made due to the injuries which disappoints me. My career at City somewhat paralleled that of the team during my time there, it started well and was progressing nicely then it took a dramatic turn for the worst.
21. If you had to name the one stand out memory from your time at Maine Road, what would it be?
Making my full debut in front of the Kippax against Wimbledon. Playing in front of a packed out Kippax was very special. When the Blue Moon Anthem was ringing out it made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.
22. What’s the Andy Hill of 2018 up to these days?
I am classed as disabled and I retired from working life 5 years ago due to being diagnosed with Spinal Stenosis (a debilitating condition that restricts the distance your able to walk and the time you can spend stood up on your feet). So I don’t get up to much these days.
23. How would you describe the City supporters during your spell at the club?
I would say the fans were desperate and frustrated. It goes without saying that they were very passionate about their club and team. In my day they got a little glimmer of hope given our back to back league finishes and run in the F.A. Cup during Peter Reid’s reign but it didn’t last long. They never lost faith and come rain or shine home or away the fans would always turn out in numbers.
When Francis Lee took over the fans were filled with optimism which quickly turned into scepticism. To the fans credit in the adversity that was to come they kept and developed a sense of humour that I don’t think any other set of fans have in the country.
Thank you for taking the time to talk and share your memories with the MCMP Page Andy, it’s been a pleasure to hear your memories.
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