Mick Hill Passes Away

Mick Hill, who played for Blackpool on loan from Ipswich Town during their 1972 Anglo-Italian Cup campaign, has sadly passed away aged 60.

Hill played for Town from October 1969 until December 1973, making 78 appearances and scoring 20 goals. He joined them from Sheffield United and then moved on to finish his professional career with Crystal Palace, winning two Welsh caps along the way.

Mick Mills, his captain at Ipswich paid this tribute: “Mick was an exceptionally nice lad, who everybody liked.

“He was the smartest dresser at the club and there was always better gear thrown to the back seat of his car than in our wardrobes.

“He was always six months ahead of the latest fashion trends.

“Mick was a decent player with a good touch, but suffered somewhat for taking his off-field approach to life on to the park.

“In those days centre forwards got knocked about a lot and Mick was perhaps not aggressive enough.

“He quickly settled into the Ipswich social scene and was a regular at the Olive Leaf and took part in the pub’s football team – the ‘Heavies’ – social activities.”

The Hereford-born frontman, who started his career with Bethesda Athletic, is remembered by Town fans for scoring the winning goal in a 1-0 home victory over Liverpool in October 1970.

Blackpool fans will fondly remember his brief stint with the Seasiders during the summer of 1972. He starred in the club’s record victory of 10-0 against hapless Lanerossi Vicenza, and netted a fine brace. His final appearance for the Seasiders came in their 3-1 final defeat at the hands of AS Roma in front of 75,000 fans.