Andy Hill (footballer)

Andrew Rowland Hill (born 20 January 1965) is an English former professional footballer who played as a defender in the Football League from 1983 to 1998. He played 464 league games in the Football League and Premier League.

After starting his career as a youth at Manchester United, he went on to play for Bury, Manchester City and Port Vale. He helped Bury to win promotion out of the Fourth Division in 1984–85, played in the FA Youth Cup final for Manchester United in 1982 and the Anglo-Italian Cup final for Port Vale in 1996, and competed in the Premier League with Manchester City.

Hill was born in Maltby, Yorkshire. Upon leaving school in 1981, he began an apprenticeship at Manchester United. He played in the youth side that finished as FA Youth Cup runners-up to Watford in 1982, his team-mates included Clayton Blackmore, Mark Hughes and Norman Whiteside. He also gained England Youth Honours. He later signed as a professional but never got a first team game at Old Trafford under Ron Atkinson, and in July 1984 he signed for Fourth Division club Bury. The "Shakers" secured the fourth and final automatic promotion place in 1984–85, and Hill was voted the club's Player of the Year. Hill was then appointed as captain by manager Martin Dobson, at the age of 19. Bury finished three points above the Third Division drop zone in 1985–86. They then finished comfortably in mid-table in 1986–87, 1987–88, and 1988–89. Sam Ellis then took over as manager, and led the club to the play-offs with a fifth-place finish in 1989–90 – they were then beaten by Tranmere Rovers at the semi-final stage. Under new boss Mike Walsh, Bury finished in the play-off places again in 1990–91, but this time lost to Bolton Wanderers at the semi-final stage. Hill played a total of 317 matches and scored 12 goals for the Gigg Lane club.

He signed for Manchester City in a £200,000 deal in March 1991, who were flying high in the First Division under Peter Reid's stewardship. The "Sky Blues" finished fifth in 1991–92. He started 23 Premier League games in 1992–93, as the Maine Road club posted a ninth-place finish. The club slipped down the table under new boss Brian Horton in 1993–94 and 1994–95.

He joined John Rudge's First Division Port Vale in August 1995 for a £150,000 fee. His first game was a 1–0 Potteries derby win at the Victoria Ground. At the end of the 1995–96 season he played in the 1996 Anglo-Italian Cup Final, as Vale lost 5–2 to Genoa. He made 43 appearances in 1996–97, as the "Valiants" made their highest post-war finish. He played 31 games at Vale Park in the 1997–98 season, before announcing his retirement.

After retiring Hill went into coaching where he has worked for Bury as the Head of Youth Development, the Academy Director at Nevada Wonders Soccer Academy and since then developed his own successful football academy Pro-Vision North West, based in the Greater Manchester area. He was later appointed Head of Development at Bacup Borough.

• Sourced from Andy Hill profile at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)

• Bury F.C. Player of the Year: 1984–85

• FA Youth Cup runner-up: 1982

• Football League Fourth Division fourth-place promotion: 1984–85

• Anglo-Italian Cup runner-up: 1996