{{short description|English footballer and manager}} {{for|the Arkansas politician|Ricky Hill (politician)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2016}} {{Use British English|date=June 2016}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Ricky Hill | image = RickyHillSpeaker.jpg | caption = Hill in 2012 | full_name = Ricky Anthony Hill | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1959|3|5}} | birth_place = Hammersmith, London, England | height = 5 ft 11 in<ref>{{cite book |title=Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88 |editor-first=Peter |editor-last=Dunk |publisher=Queen Anne Press |location=London |date=1987 |page=226 |isbn=978-0-356-14354-5}}</ref> | position = Midfielder | currentclub = | years1 = 1976–1989 | clubs1 = Luton Town | caps1 = 506 | goals1 = 54 | years2 = 1989–1990 | clubs2 = Le Havre | caps2 = 20 | goals2 = 1 | years3 = 1990–1991 | clubs3 = Leicester City | caps3 = 16 | goals3 = 1 | years4 = 1992 | clubs4 = Tampa Bay Rowdies | years5 = 1993–1994 | clubs5 = Chertsey Town | years6 = 1994–1995 | clubs6 = Cocoa Expos | nationalyears1 = 1977 | nationalteam1 = England Youth | nationalcaps1 = 2 | nationalgoals1 = 0 | nationalyears2 = 1982–1986 | nationalteam2 = England | nationalcaps2 = 3 | nationalgoals2 = 0 | manageryears1 = 1992 | managerclubs1 = Tampa Bay Rowdies | manageryears2 = 1994–1995 | managerclubs2 = Cocoa Expos | manageryears3 = 2000 | managerclubs3 = Luton Town | manageryears4 = 2003–2005 | managerclubs4 = San Juan Jabloteh | manageryears5 = 2011–2014 | managerclubs5 = Tampa Bay Rowdies | manageryears6 = 2022 | managerclubs6 = Montego Bay United | manageryears7 = 2023 | managerclubs7 = Turks and Caicos Islands }} '''Ricky Hill''' (born 5 March 1959) is an English professional football coach and a former player who most recently was the manager of the Turks and Caicos Islands national team.
Hill spent most of his playing career at Luton Town for 14 years, while representing England at Senior, U21 and U18 International levels.<ref name="auto12">{{cite web | url=https://www.besoccer.com/player/ricky-hill-414104 | title=Profile of Ricky Hill: Info, news, matches and statistics | BeSoccer }}</ref> He was the fourth Black player to play for England's Senior National team and the first British South Asian to represent England at the Senior level.<ref name="auto19">{{Cite book |last=Hill |first=Ricky Anthony |title=Love of the game : the man who brought the Rooney Rule to the UK |date=2021 |others=Adrian Durham |isbn=978-1-78531-826-9 |location=London |oclc=1201655692}}</ref>
Hill began his managerial career as a player-coach with the Tampa Bay Rowdies in 1992<ref>{{Cite web |title=1992 Tampa Bay Rowdies Division II and III soccer Roster on StatsCrew.com |url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorsoccer/roster/t-TBRDS/y-1992 |access-date=2022-09-03 |website=Statscrew.com |language=en}}</ref> and in that season saw the Rowdies appear in both the League Championship final and the Professional Cup final,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Strack-Zimmermann |first=Benjamin |title=Tampa Bay Rowdies (1992) |url=https://www.national-football-teams.com/club/5859/1992/Tampa_Bay_Rowdies.html |access-date=2022-09-03 |website=National-football-teams.com |language=en}}</ref> in addition to Hill also being awarded 'Coach of the Year' amongst other notable player accolades such as Best Passer and All-Star First Team.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rowdies' Hill is coach of year, first-team pick |url=https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1992/09/02/rowdies-hill-is-coach-of-year-first-team-pick/ |access-date=2022-09-03 |website=Tampa Bay Times |language=en}}</ref><ref name="auto5">{{Cite web |title=Rowdies sign Ricky Hill to three-year coaching contract |url=https://boxscorenews.com/rowdies-sign-ricky-hill-to-threeyear-coaching-contract-p82611-68.htm |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=boxscorenews.com}}</ref> Spanning 25 years managing various professional clubs across the US, UK, and the Caribbean, Hill made 4 US championship appearances at the professional level, reinforcing his standing as one of the most successful Black coaches in the history of US professional soccer.<ref name="auto19"/>
Most recently, Hill authored ''Love of the Game – Ricky Hill: The Man Who Brought the Rooney Rule to the UK''<ref name="auto19"/> which was nominated as a finalist for the 2022 Sports Books Awards<ref name="auto8">{{Cite web |title=Love of the Game |url=https://sportsbookawards.com/nominee/love-of-the-game/ |access-date=2022-09-03 |website=Sports Book Awards |language=en-GB}}</ref> in association with The Sunday Times (UK).
==Early life== Ricky Hill was born on 5 March 1959 of mixed ancestry.<ref name="auto19"/> While Hill's mother is Jamaican, his father's family is originally from the city of Lucknow in India.<ref name="auto19"/> His paternal great-grandparents moved to Jamaica from India shortly after the turn of the 20th century.<ref name="auto19"/> Hill's father Joseph, one of 11 children, eventually moved to London where he married Hill's mother Doris, a Jamaican whom Joseph had previously attended school alongside in Jamaica.<ref name="auto19"/>
Hill grew up in the London Borough of Brent, in Cricklewood - not far from Wembley Stadium.<ref name="auto19"/> A talented footballer in his early years, Hill attended Anson Road Primary and John Kelly Boys School (now known as the Crest Boys Academy) in Neasden.<ref name="auto19"/> Whilst at John Kelly, Hill was a teammate of former Arsenal and Brighton Hove Albion player Steve Gatting.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.thecrestboysacademy.org.uk/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091028020014/http://www.thecrestboysacademy.org.uk/ | archive-date=28 October 2009 | title=The Crest Boys Academy }}</ref>
At 15, Hill signed schoolboy forms with Luton Town in 1974 after being scouted playing for John Kelly Boys at a game in Hitchin where Luton coaches Roy McCrohan, David Pleat, and Danny Bergara were in attendance.<ref name="auto19"/>
==Club career== ===Luton Town=== Ricky Hill joined Luton Town in 1975, and made 506 league and cup appearances, scoring 54 goals in the process.<ref name="auto12"/> At 17, one month after signing professional terms, Hill came on as a substitute in a Second Division game where he scored a goal and made a goal assist in twenty-two minutes in a 3–1 victory over Bristol Rovers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Luton Town vs Bristol Rovers 1975/1976 {{!}} Hatters Heritage |url=https://www.hattersheritage.co.uk/luton-town-vs-bristol-rovers-19751976 |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=Hattersheritage.co.uk}}</ref> thumb|Ricky Hill (1985) Hill spent 14 years at Luton and played a pivotal role in the club's promotion to the First Division<ref>{{Cite web |title=Luton Town FC history |url=https://www.footballhistory.org/club/luton.html |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=Footballhistory.org}}</ref> in 1981–82 as Second Division champions, where he won back-to-back 'Player of the Year' awards (1980–1982).<ref name="auto4">{{Citation |title=Luton Town FC. 1981-82 Division Two Champions. A review of one of the great Hatters seasons. | date=21 March 2021 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fY0K5Z8_9VM |language=en |access-date=2022-09-04}}</ref> Hill was a part of the 1988 League Cup final-winning team that won their first – and only to date – major trophy as they beat Arsenal 3–2 at Wembley Stadium in front of 98,000 fans.<ref name="auto13">{{Citation |title=1988 Littlewoods Cup Final - Luton Town 3-2 Arsenal | date=23 March 2007 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBzrhjaZnTE |language=en |access-date=2022-09-04}}</ref> They returned to the final again in 1989, only this time to experience defeat to Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest, 3–1.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-06-18 |title=Classic matches: The 1989 League Cup Final |url=https://www.nottinghamforest.news/2013/06/18/classic-matches-the-1989-league-cup-final/ |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=Nottingham Forest News |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name="auto7">{{Citation |title=League Cup Final 1989 Luton Town v Nottingham Forest | date=22 July 2020 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EdD3y_gdA8 |language=en |access-date=2022-09-04}}</ref>
===Le Havre=== In 1989, Hill moved on a free transfer to Le Havre in the French Division 2,{{citation needed|date=February 2025}} where he was recommended to the club by Gerard Houllier.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gérard Houllier Manager Profile, Record & Stats {{!}} Premier League |url=https://www.premierleague.com/managers/1578/G%C3%A9rard-Houllier/overview |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=Premierleague.com |language=en}}</ref> Whilst at Le Havre, Hill played under head coach Pierre Mankowski who went on to become assistant manager to Raymond Domenech with the France national team.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Havre AC - Squad 1989/1990 |url=https://www.worldfootball.net/teams/te1190/havre-ac/squad/ |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=Worldfootball.net |date=19 May 2018 |language=en}}</ref> Hill credits his time at Le Havre for providing him advanced insight into sports science and youth development of which the club is renowned for.<ref name="auto19"/>
===Leicester City=== In 1990, Hill transferred to Leicester City, rejoining David Pleat for a brief spell who had been his manager at Luton Town previously.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Leicester City - Squad 1990/1991 |url=https://www.worldfootball.net/teams/te1199/leicester-city/squad/ |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=Worldfootball.net |language=en}}</ref>
===Tampa Bay Rowdies=== In 1991, Hill moved abroad to be player-coach with the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the US.<ref name="auto21">{{Cite web |title=1992 Tampa Bay Rowdies Division II and III soccer Roster on StatsCrew.com |url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorsoccer/roster/t-TBRDS/y-1992 |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=Statscrew.com |language=en}}</ref>
===Chertsey Town=== In 1993, Hill played for Chertsey Town with former professionals including Kenny Sansom, Francis Joseph and Terry Rowe.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Profile of Ricky Hill: Info, news, matches and statistics {{!}} BeSoccer |url=https://www.besoccer.com/player/ricky-hill-414104 |access-date=2022-09-07 |website=Besoccer.com |language=en}}</ref>
===Cocoa Expos=== In 1994, Hill moved back to the US to be the technical director and player-coach with the Cocoa Expos.<ref name="auto19"/>
==International career== Hill represented England at U18, U21, and Senior International levels,<ref name="auto12"/> making his debut under Sir Bobby Robson, coming on as a substitute in the 1982 European Championship qualifier against Denmark in Copenhagen which resulted in a 2–2 draw.<ref>{{Cite web |title=England Match No. 570 - Denmark - 22 September 1982 - Match Summary and Report |url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/Seas1980-90/1982-83/M0570Den1982.html |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=Englandfootballonline.com}}</ref> The following month Hill made his full starting debut against West Germany at Wembley in a 1–2 defeat.<ref>{{Citation |title=England 1-2 West Germany (1982) | date=16 March 2013 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4mwleY1OHI |language=en |access-date=2022-09-04}}</ref> Hill missed out on the 1983 Australia tour due to an injury that required surgery.<ref name="auto19"/> While being selected to the provisional 26-man squad for the 1986 World Cup Finals in Mexico, Hill was placed on standby after the squad was reduced to a 22-man traveling party.<ref name="auto19"/>
Hill was the fourth Black player to play for England's senior National team and the first British South Asian to represent England at the senior level.<ref name="auto19"/> He was capped three times in total for England, with his last appearance being against Egypt on 29 January 1986.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Egypt vs England - International Friendly 1986: all the info, lineups and events |url=https://www.besoccer.com/match/seleccion-egipto/seleccion-inglaterra/198615256 |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=Besoccer.com |language=en}}</ref>
==Coaching career== ===Tampa Bay Rowdies=== In 1992, Hill was introduced to Rodney Marsh, then CEO of the Tampa Bay Rowdies, who were part of the American Professional Soccer League (APSL), the only professional soccer league in the US at the time.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Timeline |url=https://www.ussoccer.com/history/timeline |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=Ussoccer.com |language=en}}</ref> The Tampa Bay Rowdies afforded Hill's first opportunity in coaching where Marsh appointed Hill as Player/Coach six weeks after Hill's arrival in the US.<ref name="auto21"/> That season saw the Rowdies appear in both the League Championship final and the Professional Cup final,<ref name="auto22">{{Cite web |title=Ricky Hill: Information, teams and honours |url=https://www.besoccer.com/coach/ricky-hill-19182 |access-date=2022-09-06 |website=Besoccer.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name="auto20">{{Cite web |last=Strack-Zimmermann |first=Benjamin |title=Tampa Bay Rowdies (1992) |url=https://www.national-football-teams.com/club/5859/1992/Tampa_Bay_Rowdies.html |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=National-football-teams.com |language=en}}</ref> in addition to Hill also being awarded 'Coach of the Year' amongst other notable player accolades such as Best Passer, All-Star First Team, Second Best Technical Player as voted by press correspondents.<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web |title=Rowdies' Hill is coach of year, first-team pick |url=https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1992/09/02/rowdies-hill-is-coach-of-year-first-team-pick/ |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=Tampa Bay Times |language=en}}</ref>
===Cocoa Expos=== Hill returned to the UK briefly before once again heading back to the US in 1994 as the Technical Director/Player Coach of the Cocoa Expos organization in the United States Interregional Soccer League (USISL) and as an Assistant Coach at the Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) from 1994 to 1996.<ref name="auto19"/> During his time with the Cocoa Expos, the franchise won the Southern Regional title before losing to the Richmond Kickers in the USISL Championship finals.<ref name="auto23">{{Cite web |title=Past Champions |url=https://www.usadultsoccer.com/page/show/964149-past-champions |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=Usadultsoccer.com}}</ref><ref name="auto11">{{Cite web |title=1994 Cocoa Expos Division II and III soccer Roster on StatsCrew.com |url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorsoccer/roster/t-COEXP/y-1994 |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=Statscrew.com |language=en}}</ref> For the 1995 season, the Cocoa Expos held esteemed records of scoring the most goals and conceding the least goals across all USISL professional teams.<ref name="auto6">{{cite web |date=17 September 2022 |title=Cocoa Expos | SoccerStats.us |url=http://soccerstats.us/teams/cocoa-expos/}}</ref>
===Sheffield Wednesday=== David Pleat was now managing Premiership club Sheffield Wednesday and headhunted Hill with an offer to join their organization.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Manager profile for David Pleat - LFChistory - Stats galore for Liverpool FC! |url=https://www.lfchistory.net/Opposition/Manager/Profile/492 |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=Lfchistory.net}}</ref> Despite having experienced another successful period in the US, Hill took up the post in 1996 with the remit of coaching Sheffield Wednesdays' young apprentices (16–19 years old), preparing them for their next steps towards becoming professional players.<ref name="auto22"/> Hill and Charlie Williamson had great success in the elevation of 16 out of 18 players being granted professional contracts over a two-year period. Players from that cohort who went on to have lengthy professional careers include Steven Haslam (Sheffield Wednesday), Leigh Bromby (Sheffield Wednesday, Sheffield United, Leeds, Watford, Huddersfield Town), Alan Quinn (Sheffield Wednesday, Sheffield United, Ipswich Town), Derek Geary (Sheffield Wednesday, Sheffield United), Kevin Nicholson (Sheffield Wednesday, Notts County, Torquay United), Peter Holmes (Luton Town, Chesterfield, Rotherham United), and Junior Agogo (Sheffield Wednesday, Nottingham Forest, Bristol Rovers, San Jose Earthquakes, Colorado Rapids). In 1999 the U19 side finished runner-up in the Premiership Academy Cup, losing 1–0 after extra time to the West Ham FA Youth Cup winning side<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |title=West Ham United Statistics |url=https://www.westhamstats.info/ |access-date=2022-09-06 |website=Westhamstats.info}}</ref> that included future England internationals Joe Cole, Michael Carrick, and a host of future premiership and league players.
Whilst at Sheffield Wednesday, Hill collaborated in 1998 with the American MLS Project-40 program (now known as Generation Adidas), an elite National soccer development program for young MLS players; Project-40 players such as Ubsusuko Abukusumo (Columbus Crew) and Judah Crooks (DC United) were then invited back to Sheffield Wednesday for an extensive training period under Hill.<ref>{{Cite web |title=MLS: Project-40 Roster for England Tour Announced |url=https://www.socceramerica.com/publications/article/21438/mls-project-40-roster-for-england-tour-announced.html |access-date=2022-09-18 |website=Socceramerica.com |language=en}}</ref> Project-40 raised Hill's visibility to DC United where he was downselected as one of two finalist candidates for the DC United Head Coaching position, a role to be vacated by Bruce Arena who was moving on to become the USA National Team Head Coach.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lewis |first=Michael |date=2019-05-14 |title=A QUICK LOOK: At Bruce Arena's coaching resume |url=https://www.frontrowsoccer.com/2019/05/14/a-quick-look-at-bruce-arenas-coaching-resume/ |access-date=2022-09-18 |website=Front Row Soccer |language=en-US}}</ref>
===Tottenham Hotspur=== In 1999, Tottenham Hotspur of the English Premier League recruited Hill to join Tottenham as Head Coach while leading player development in the Academy U16-17 setup.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}} While at Tottenham, Hill coached a talented cohort of young players such as Ledley King, Peter Crouch, Luke Young, Johnnie Jackson, Stephen Kelly, Dean Marney – all of whom went on to have notable professional careers, and in some cases represented their countries of birth at senior international levels.
===Luton Town=== thumb|Ricky Hill (2000) In 2000 Luton Town, then of the English Football League One (EFL), approached Hill to be Manager, which he accepted having spent 14 years there as a player.<ref name="auto19"/> Unfortunately, Hill's post ended after four months due to circumstances beyond his control where the club had financial challenges over the prior four years, was recently out of administration, and held a first team roster of 15 youth players where ~80% of the first team was released at the end of the season.<ref name="auto19"/>
===San Juan Jabloteh=== San Juan Jabloteh of the Trinidad and Tobago Professional League was Hill's next coaching opportunity, after taking over from former England and club teammate Terry Fenwick.<ref>{{Cite web |title=San Juan Jabloteh - Historical squads |url=https://www.worldfootball.net/teams/te19931/san-juan-jabloteh/ |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=Worldfootball.net |language=en}}</ref> From 2003 to 2004 at San Juan Jabloteh as the Technical Director/Head Coach, Hill experienced unprecedented success with the club winning four out of the five competitions entered.<ref name="auto22"/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Turning Pro |url=http://www.ttjabloteh.com/index.php/club-history/turning-pro |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=Ttjabloteh.com}}</ref> This includes the CFU competition which recognizes the winning team as the best professional club across the Caribbean with qualification to the CONCACAF Champions League for the winners.<ref name="auto17">{{Cite web |title=Phillips praises Pro League |url=http://www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/forum/webbbs_config.pl?md=read;id=1917 |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=Trinidadandtobagonews.com}}</ref> After making it to the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions League for the only time in the club's history, San Juan Jabloteh became the first Caribbean club side to beat the Major League Soccer (MLS) Champions when defeating the Chicago Fire 5–2 in Port of Spain, Trinidad.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2004-03-17 |title=Fire Falls 5-2 to CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh |url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/fire-falls-5-2-to-cl-financial-san-juan-jabloteh/n-3012578 |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=OurSports Central |language=en}}</ref> San Juan's CFU Championship is the first and only time the club has won this prestigious trophy, where Hill was again awarded the 'Coach of the Year'.<ref name="auto17"/> During this successful run, San Juan Jabloteh provided the Trinidad and Tobago National team with 13 players who played during their only ever qualification for the World Cup Finals in Germany in 2006.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2006 FIFA World Cup Germany : Trinidad and Tobago |url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/2006germany/teams/origin1904-p.cxm.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/2006germany/teams/43920 |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=Fifa.com |language=en}}</ref>
===Return to Tampa Bay Rowdies=== Hill returned to the US in January 2011 to coach the Tampa Bay Rowdies for a second time,<ref name="auto5"/><ref name="auto19"/> arguably the most recognized professional American club outside of the MLS. The Rowdies were now playing in the revamped North American Soccer League (NASL) after a league long term hiatus in the 80s.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home {{!}} NASL |url=https://www.nasl.com/ |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=Nasl.com}}</ref> Hill initially joined the organization as Head Coach but also added the Technical Director role to his remit soon thereafter. In 2012 the Rowdies were crowned the NASL Champions defeating Minnesota Stars in the final.<ref name="auto14">{{Citation |title=Highlights of Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. Minnesota Stars - NASL Finals 2nd Leg - Oct. 27, 2012 | date=31 October 2012 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS0dHkTTclk |language=en |access-date=2022-09-04}}</ref> This championship was the first for the club in 27 years, where Hill received another 'Coach of the Year' award.<ref name="auto5"/><ref name="auto10">{{Cite web |title=Ricky Hill Named NASL Coach of the Year |url=https://www.nasl.com/news/2012/10/04/ricky-hill-named-nasl-coach-of-the-year |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=Nasl.com}}</ref> The following season in Open Cup competition, the Rowdies defeated the Seattle Sounders (MLS) 1–0 in the third round where the Sounders were cup finalists for five consecutive years prior;<ref name="auto16">{{Citation |title=Highlights of Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. Seattle Sounders FC - 2013 U.S. Open Cup - May 29, 2013 | date=31 May 2013 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzwJMNuJloc |language=en |access-date=2022-09-04}}</ref> the Rowdies beat the Sounders despite losing caliber players like Luke Mulholland, Fafa Picault, and Jeff Attinella to the MLS at the end of the 2012 Championship season.<ref name="auto16"/> During Hill's four-year tenure, the club was awarded three Fair Play awards out of a possible four, demonstrating the disciplined environment that Hill created throughout that period.<ref name="auto15">{{Cite web |title=Rowdies Win Fair Play Award |url=https://www.nasl.com/news/2014/11/11/rowdies-win-nasl-fair-play-award |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=Nasl.com}}</ref><ref name="auto9">{{Cite web |date=2012-09-27 |title=Rowdies Earn Second Consecutive Fair Play Award |url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/rowdies-earn-second-consecutive-fair-play-award/n-4492979 |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=OurSports Central |language=en}}</ref><ref name="auto1">{{Cite web |last=Bailey |first=Brian |date=2016-03-23 |title=Rowdies Shoot For Championship |url=https://ilovetheburg.com/rowdies-shoot-for-championship/ |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=I Love the Burg |language=en-US}}</ref>
Hill's contract with the Tampa Bay Rowdies ended in 2016, and he has since been involved in several sports industry and player development programs across the US, England, and Jamaica.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ricky Hill |url=http://www.evolutionsoccer.us/page/show/3905046-ricky-hill |access-date=2022-09-06 |website=Evolution Soccer Club |language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-01-13 |title=Ricky Hill eager to bring unique skill set to Montego Bay United |url=https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/sports/20220113/ricky-hill-eager-bring-unique-skill-set-montego-bay-united |access-date=2022-09-06 |website=jamaica-gleaner.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name="auto19"/> His coaching success with 4 championship appearances in the US at the professional level reinforces his standing as one of the most successful Black coaches in the history of US professional soccer.<ref name="auto19"/>
===Turks and Caicos Islands=== In 2023 Hill was named head coach of the Turks & Caicos Islands national team.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Footy Stats - Football Manager Stats |url=https://footystats.org/managers/england/ricky-hill}}</ref>
==Publications== In 2021, Hill penned the autobiography ''Love of the Game – Ricky Hill: The Man Who Brought the Rooney Rule to the UK'',<ref name="auto19"/> which was nominated as a finalist for the 2022 Sports Books Awards<ref name="auto8"/> in association with The Sunday Times (UK).
Synopsis of "Love of the Game – Ricky Hill<ref name="auto19"/>
"Ricky Hill grew up beneath the shadow of Wembley Stadium, where he sold programmes at England games as a boy. When he was seven, he was told by a teacher that only two in every hundred boys could possibly make it as a professional footballer. Ricky told her he would be one of the two. Ten years later, this gifted midfielder scored on his debut for Luton Town. Ricky stayed with Luton for 14 years, made 506 League and Cup appearances, and became a club legend. Emerging at a time when racism was rife, he was only the fourth Black player to represent England. Later, as a coach, he had to fight to smash down barriers holding back Black managers and devised an equivalent of the NFL's 'Rooney Rule' to help Black applicants secure senior coaching jobs in English football. While Ricky has won trophies and awards overseas, he has been overlooked in this country. In Love of the Game, he tells the shocking story behind his short spell in charge of Luton and reveals just how much the football decision-makers in England have ignored him and other Black coaches."<ref name="auto19"/> -- ''Reproduced from "Love of the Game – Ricky Hill: The Man Who Brought the Rooney Rule to the UK", 2021 with permission from Pitch Publishing Ltd (ISBN 9781785318269)''
Media Reviews of ''Love of the Game – Ricky Hill''
* "Hill's story is a perfect example of how racism of a different kind, that which manifests itself in unconscious bias, still appears to exist... Hill, who won three England caps under Bobby Robson, has not given up on a return to coaching even at the age of 62. This book stands as powerful advocacy for his cause."<ref name="auto18">{{Cite web |date=7 October 2022 |title=Love of the Game by Ricky Hill {{!}} Waterstones |url=https://www.waterstones.com/book/love-of-the-game/ricky-hill/adrian-durham/9781785318269}}</ref> -- ''Backpass Magazine'' * "An excellent book, an easy read but not a comfortable one."<ref name="auto18"/> ''-- Verite Sport''
==Honours== ===As a player=== ====International==== * 1982 – 1983 & 1985 – 1986 – Three England Senior International appearances<ref>{{Cite web |title=englandstats.com {{!}} 958 Ricky Hill (1982 - 1986) |url=https://www.englandstats.com/player.php?pid=958 |access-date=2022-09-02 |website=Englandstats.com}}</ref> * 1984 – England U21 International<ref name="auto19"/> * 1976 – England Youth International<ref name="auto19"/>
====Club==== * 1992 – American Professional Soccer League player awards with the Tampa Bay Rowdies: Best Passer, All-Star First Team, Second Best Technical Player<ref name="auto2"/> * 1989 – Runner-up of the League Cup Final with Luton Town losing 3–1 to Nottingham Forest<ref name="auto7"/> * 1988 – Winner of the League Cup Final with Luton Town defeating Arsenal 3–2 in Wembley Stadium<ref name="auto13"/> * 1981 – 1982 – Promotion to Division One with Luton Town; awarded Player of the Year in back-to-back years<ref name="auto4"/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Luton Town FC {{!}} Luton Town FC - A Brief History |url=https://www.lutontown.co.uk/club/club-history/ |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=Lutontown.co.uk}}</ref>
===As a coach=== ====2011 – 2014 – Tampa Bay Rowdies as Technical Director & Head Coach====
* 2012 – North American Soccer League (NASL) Soccer Bowl Champions<ref name="auto14"/> * 2012 – North American Soccer League (NASL) Coach of the Year<ref name="auto10"/> * Fair Play Award Winners in 2011, 2012, and 2014 (NASL)<ref name="auto15"/><ref name="auto9"/><ref name="auto1"/>
====2003 – 2004 – CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh as Technical Director & Head Coach==== * 2003 – Trinidad and Tobago Pro League Coach of the Year<ref name="auto17"/><ref name="auto3">{{Cite web |title=Turning Pro |url=http://www.ttjabloteh.com/index.php/club-history/turning-pro |access-date=2022-09-02 |website=Ttjabloteh.com}}</ref> * 2003 – Trinidad and Tobago Pro League Champion; winners of the First Citizens Cup, the DIGICEL Pro Bowl and the Caribbean Football Union Cup (CFU) (which represents the best professional club across the Caribbean region)<ref name="auto22"/><ref name="auto3"/> * 2004 – Quarterfinalist in the CONCACAF Champions League<ref name="auto22"/><ref name="auto3"/> * 2004 – Victory of the CFU qualified Jabloteh as one of eight teams to participate in the CONCACAF Club Championship Tournament<ref name="auto22"/><ref name="auto3"/>
====1996 – 1999 – Sheffield Wednesday as U19 Head Coach==== * 1999 – Premier League Academy Cup U19 runner-up, losing to West Ham United<ref name="auto"/>
====1994 – 1996 – Cocoa Expos as Technical Director & Player Coach==== * 1995 – USISL Premier League Eastern Division Champions<ref name="auto23"/><ref name="auto11"/> * 1995 – USISL Championship runner-up, losing to Richmond Kickers<ref name="auto23"/><ref name="auto11"/> * 1995 – Team record of scoring the most # of goals and conceding the least # of goals in the USISL<ref name="auto6"/>
====1992 – Tampa Bay Rowdies as Head Coach & Player==== * 1992 – American Professional Soccer League (APSL) Coach of the Year<ref name="auto2"/> * 1992 – American Professional Soccer League (APSL) runner-up<ref name="auto20"/> * 1992 – Professional Cup runner-up to Colorado Foxes<ref name="auto20"/>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Navboxes | bg = gold | fg = navy | title = Awards | list1 = {{1981–82 Football League Second Division PFA Team of the Year}} {{TT Pro League Manager of the Year}} }} {{Navboxes |title=Ricky Hill managerial positions |list1= {{Luton Town F.C. managers}} {{Tampa Bay Rowdies (1975–1993) managers}} {{Tampa Bay Rowdies managers}} {{Turks and Caicos Islands national football team managers}} }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hill, Ricky}} Category:1959 births Category:Living people Category:England men's international footballers Category:English men's footballers Category:English expatriate men's footballers Category:Footballers from the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham Category:People from Hammersmith Category:English people of Jamaican descent Category:Sportspeople of Jamaican descent Category:English people of Indian descent Category:British Asian footballers Category:Black British sportsmen Category:Luton Town F.C. managers Category:Luton Town F.C. players Category:Le Havre AC players Category:Expatriate men's footballers in France Category:Expatriate soccer coaches in the United States Category:Leicester City F.C. players Category:American Professional Soccer League players Category:Tampa Bay Rowdies (1975–1993) players Category:Cocoa Expos players Category:TT Pro League managers Category:Tampa Bay Rowdies coaches Category:North American Soccer League (2011–2017) coaches Category:Chertsey Town F.C. players Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Player-coaches Category:English expatriate sportspeople in the United States Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States Category:English football managers Category:Footballers from the London Borough of Brent Category:San Juan Jabloteh F.C. managers Category:Turks and Caicos Islands national football team managers Category:English Football League players