Thanks to Dave Rowntree for many of the player images after 1984.
Can you help? This page is the result of the best endeavours of all concerned. If you spot a mistake or know of facts to add, or have a better photo, please get in touch using 'Contact Us' (top, right).
Back to GoS-DB Hub Find Another Player
KEITH HILL
Born: 17 May 1969
Came from: Blackburn Rovers Went to: Rochdale
First game: 23 September 1992 Last game: 16 April 1996
Appearances: 151 (145/6) Goals: 2
One day Keith Hill was a young centre-back living the Premier League dream with Blackburn Rovers, the next he was playing against Luton Town in the League Cup as a Plymouth Argyle player. Rovers boss Kenny Dalglish considered Hill and Craig Skinner dispensable enough to include them as makeweights in the deal that took Argyle skipper Nicky Marker to Ewood Park, though Hill still took some persuading to drop down two divisions. Had his childhood friend Skinner not already been on-loan at Home Park, it's likely Hill would have stood his ground and scuppered the whole deal.
As it was, the young centre-back took his place in Shilton's new-look defence, where he formed an effective partnership with Andy Comyn. However, the signing of Peter Swan following the playoff failure of 1993-94 was the low point of Hill's Home Park career. Shilton held his central defenders responsible for the playoff defeat to Burnley, but it was Hill who was shunted aside to make way for the expensive Swan. The then 25-year-old still managed to make 32 league appearances in the ensuing relegation season of 94-95, but most of those were at left-back. He was expected to leave the club in Neil Warnock's summer cull of 1995, but he remained to make 21 appearances in the famous Wembley season of 95-96, before being allowed to join Rochdale in 1996. Spells at Cheltenham, Wrexham and Morecambe followed, before he returned to Spotland as coach and then manager; he became the first Dale boss in 36 years to achieve promotion with the club in 2010.
YOUR CONTRIBUTION
If you can add to this profile, perhaps with special memories, a favourite story or the results of your original research, please contribute here.
APPEARANCE DETAILS [reselect competitions]
The details below reflect appearances in the following selected competitions: Southern & Western Leagues, English Football League, Football League, Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, Minor Cups
Excluded: Football League (1939), War Leagues
I'm very grateful to many who have helped write GoS-DB's player pen-pictures, and to Dave Rowntree, the PAFC Media Team and Colin Parsons for their help with photos. Thanks also to staff at the National Football Museum, the Scottish Football Museum and ScotlandsPeople for their valuable assistance.
The following publications have been particularly valuable in the research of pen-pictures: Plymouth Argyle, A Complete Record 1903-1989 (Brian Knight, ISBN 0-907969-40-2); Plymouth Argyle, 101 Golden Greats (Andy Riddle, ISBN 1-874287-47-3); Football League Players' Records 1888-1939 (Michael Joyce, ISBN 1-899468-67-6); Football League Players' Records 1946-1988 (Barry Hugman, ISBN 1-85443-020-3) and Plymouth Argyle Football Club Handbooks.
Greens on Screen is run as a service to fellow supporters, in all good faith, without commercial or private gain. I have no wish to abuse copyright regulations and apologise unreservedly if this occurs. If you own any of the material used on this site, and object to its inclusion, please get in touch using the 'Contact Us' button at the top of each page.