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When Derby County appointed Tommy Docherty as manager in September 1977,
the flamboyant former Manchester United boss set about rebuilding a
side which stood in twenty-first place in the First Division. Seven
months and many incomings and outgoings later it was perhaps no surprise
when, short of attacking options, Docherty paid his former employers
£275,000 for twenty-four year old winger Gordon Hill. The six time capped
England international made an immediate impression, his early goal
against Arsenal on the last day of the 1977/78 season earning the "Rams"
a 3-0 victory and a twelth place finish. Although Hill scored the only
goal of the League Cup game against Leicester City in August 1978, a
last minute knee injury sidelined him for the next two months. His
return sparked an upturn in form which saw a struggling Derby gain eight
points from six fixtures; Gordon's stunning volley against
Wolverhampton Wanderers setting up a 4-1 victory on November 4th.
Unfortunately, Docherty's side could not maintain any real momentum and
by January 1979 they looked likely to be dragged into the relagation
battle. And so it proved, three wins in the second half of the season
resulted in a nineteenth place standing just above the drop zone but
enough to produce Docherty's resignation. For Hill, injured again
against Preston in the FA Cup third round, there was nothing but
frustration. He managed just one more appearance, as a substitute,
against Queen's Park Rangers - a season's total of just fourteen games.
With Colin Addison in the managers chair, County won just one of their
first six games in the 1979/80 season. Hill, unhappy after Docherty's
departure, scored an own goal against his former club at Old Trafford
and subsequently found himself out of favour.
Recalled against Stoke
City, he scored twice in a 3-2 defeat but played just two more games
before rejoining Docherty, this time at Queens Park Rangers, in a
£150,000 deal. In all competitions Gordon made twenty-seven appearances
for Derby, including two as a substitute. He netted six goals and
although criticised for a lack of consistency, his time at the Baseball
Ground was in reality blighted by injury and the fact that County were
at the time a team in decline. (Mike Cockayne)
1973–1975 Millwall 91 (22)
1975 Chicago Sting (loan) 21 (16)
1975–1978 Manchester United 101 (39)
1978–1979 Derby County 24 (5)
1979–1981 Queens Park Rangers 14 (1)
1981–1982 Montreal Manic 36 (18)
1981–1982 Montreal Manic (indoor) 16 (29)
1982 Chicago Sting 26 (9)
1982–1983 Chicago Sting (indoor) 11 (10)
1983 San Jose Earthquakes (indoor) 4 (2)
1983 New York Arrows (indoor) 22 (10)
1983 Inter-Montreal
1983–1984 Kansas City Comets (indoor) 50 (50)
1984–1985 Tacoma Stars (indoor) 19 (11)
1985–1986 Twente 19 (4)
1986 HJK Helsinki 2 (2)
1986–1988 Stafford Rangers ? (?)
1988 Northwich Victoria 24 (8)
1991 Nova Scotia Clippers ? (?)
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