Jimmy Hill

[colcliff]

As I hear that Jimmy Hills health is fading is it not about time they gave this man a knighthood
Not perhaps the most gifted of players , but has probably done more to change the face of football than many others
I think  its about time  that a petition was taken up and sent to parliament  especially  when there are many others who have done a lot less that get these awards

[Berserker]

Oh if I signed something like that my husband would never speak to me again

[bog]

I was there when Jimmy was getting a fearful barracking in an Easter promotion game with Sheff Weds. He then blasted home a hat trick and we won 6-2. Then there was the 5 he scored in an away game at Doncaster in 1958. His idea of three points for a win was laughed at at first but now it is used around the world. And he took Coventry City out of the wilderness as their manager. And he was behind the scraping of the minimum wage for footballers.

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[TonyGilroy]

For services promoting rebel tours to apartheid South Africa perhaps.

[westcliff white]

do you mean maximum wage? getting rid of a minimum seems quite sad as they could pay them far less

[bog]

He has his critics but he ended the draconian contracts players played under when head of the player's union. Okay it has gone to far the other way now but too many players back then earnt nothing for their talents.

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[epsomraver]

For services promoting rebel tours to apartheid South Africa perhaps.

As old school you should be aware of the great services he did for our football club, behind the scenes and not looking for the limelight and praise, don't know what you are talking about re S Africa, but another time different attitudes?

[TonyGilroy]

I don't think you get a knighthood for services to Fulham.

[Woodlawn]

Without Jimmy Hill there would have been no Fulham Fc Remember it was him who got AF involved,
Services to football, off the pitch, I think Jimmy would be the first to admit he didn't always do a lot on it  But the fans adored him for his fun attitude and effort every game he played

[colcliff]

 I notice we criticise Jimmy for his tour of Africa  but at that time a good many players went out to play in africa including our own Johnny Haynes and Tony Maceado
and it is not for services to Fulham  but football in general
footballer, manager , chairman, , referee,  football pundit , 
it was Jim behind the 3 points for a win
Jim who broke the minimum wage ( may have gone to far now )
one of the first advocate of coaching badges for coaching young footballers
changed the way football  on the box was portrayed
although you may not agree with everything he has done  there are a lot of people who have done far less and a lot worse  who have got knighthoods

[TonyGilroy]

Without Jimmy Hill there would have been no Fulham Fc Remember it was him who got AF involved,
Services to football, off the pitch, I think Jimmy would be the first to admit he didn't always do a lot on it  But the fans adored him for his fun attitude and effort every game he played

I thought it was Bill Muddyman who got MAF involved and Hill walked off in a strop and it took 10 years to get him to even watch a match at Craven Cottage.

[Rupert]

Without Jimmy Hill there would have been no Fulham Fc Remember it was him who got AF involved,
Services to football, off the pitch, I think Jimmy would be the first to admit he didn't always do a lot on it  But the fans adored him for his fun attitude and effort every game he played

I thought it was Bill Muddyman who got MAF involved and Hill walked off in a strop and it took 10 years to get him to even watch a match at Craven Cottage.

You are right about the Muddymans getting MAF involved, Hill resigned when this happened as he feared Mo did not have the club's best interests at heart and was only interested in re-developing the ground as luxury housing.
Funnily enough, a lot of supporters had similar fears, especially in the early days.

When Hill saw what Mo was doing to get us to the Premiership he was man enough to admit he had been wrong and did return to the ground.
He is far from perfect, but he would be the first to admit it, and I agree with the OP, a knighthood would be deserved.

[Jonaldiniho 88]

Hasn't hodgeson also said his biggest regret was playing in South Africa during those times? Don't know enough about jimmy to argue for or against but he definitely wasn't alone. Doesn't justify it just thought I'd mention it.

[mullers]

I agree with colcliff and Rupert, like any human being he's made mistakes, but he's undeniably a Fulham man and has had a massive influence on the modern game locally, nationwide and around the world. And I forgave him for everything he might have got wrong when he ran along the touchline geeing up the Hammersmith before we beat Chelsea. One of a kind.

[Jamie88]

Given all he has done for this club I would like to see a statue erected next to the Maestro outside the ground

[TonyGilroy]

The Muddymans rescued the club and, very reasonably, insisted on JH being on board because they were well aware that they had no expertise in running a football club.

Times were awful for us and the job must have been tough but even then I was disappointed that we didn't seem to be getting any benefit from having the well respected Hill in charge.

We survived but only just. We'd have been moved out of Craven Cottage if Cabra Estates hadn't gone bust. Dicks and Mackay were dreadful managers, the Cabra windfall was wasted and a crook was employed to "manage" our fund raising schemes.

Hill didn't want to sell to MAF.

If Hill had said "no" to the Muddymans the club probably would have folded but that apart (and of course that was massive) Hill's overseeing of the club's fortunes was actually pretty dismal.

[domprague]

Also created the first all-seater stadium. How many funders of political parties do far worse than play football in South Africa?

[TonyGilroy]

Also created the first all-seater stadium. How many funders of political parties do far worse than play football in South Africa?

He organised rebel tours, for great personal profit, at a time when ALL international sporting bodies were boycotting South Africa.

It wasn't a last pay day for an over the hill, down on his luck, player.

[Logicalman]

For services promoting rebel tours to apartheid South Africa perhaps.

A little harsh there Tony. If we look at all the sportsmen/women who have been recognized for the contributions to sport, not to mention the Political figures and those in other walks of life, then how many can be held up to such a high standard? Very few I would feel.

JH did a lot of good in the sport of football, not just Fulham, and a mistake is a mistake, if we base our opinions of people solely on those that never make mistakes, then we would be very lonely in this world.

[Logicalman]

Also created the first all-seater stadium. How many funders of political parties do far worse than play football in South Africa?

He organised rebel tours, for great personal profit, at a time when ALL international sporting bodies were boycotting South Africa.

It wasn't a last pay day for an over the hill, down on his luck, player.

Perhaps not ALL. What about the Kiwi tours? I seem to recall they took part during this troubled time.