1982-1985 Clifford Hill
Birthplace
Bristol 1917
Biographical Text
Clifford Hill, a businessman originally from Bristol but then living in East Devon, was chair of Exeter City between 1982 and 1985 when there was little to celebrate on the pitch. Yet his influence was deeper as he remained the majority shareholder for some years to come and was also instrumental in securing the future of the Cat and Fiddle training ground which was later named in his honour.
Cliff Hill was aged sixty-five, and retired from running a plant engineering business in Bristol, when he assumed the role of chair of Exeter City in 1982 having acquired 51% of the club's shares. Taking over from Gerald Vallance after five or six highly-succesful seasons on the pitch, the club's fortunes began to wane with a 19th place finish in 1982/83 under the outgoing Brian Godfrey. The subsequent appointment of former QPR and England captain Gerry Francis would have since been seen as a "statement of intent" but soon proved to be a mistake as the Grecians were soundly relegated in 1983/84.
Thereafter another "one-season manager" Jim Iley followed in 1984/85 who could do no better than finish 18th in Division Four. Then with Bampton industrialist Dan McCauley making a "hostile takeover bid" for the club, and even the departing Iley threatening to buy out Mr Hill, the beleaguered chairman eventually stood aside as the Grecians ushered in the era of Ivor Doble at the helm along with Colin Appleton in the manager's hotseat.
But Cliff Hill remained at the club as president and majority shareholder until doing a deal with Ivor Doble in 1993. Meanwhile it was announced that Jean Hill, Cliff's wife, would purchase the leasehold of the club's Cat and Fiddle training ground so as to enable the club to have continued use. And, with Mr Hill buying the freehold in 2003, the club was able to rent the site on extremely favourable terms.
When Walter Clifford Hill, Life President of Exeter City, died in 2012 aged ninety-five, the freehold of the Cat and Fiddle passed to Jean Hill who was to die eleven years later at which point Exeter City were given the opportunity to make the purchase complete. As the supporters' trust went ahead with the deal, it was now apparent that Mr Hill's legacy was that the one-time sports ground of the former St Luke's College should one day fall into the hands of Exeter City. Consequently the Cat and Fiddle had by now officially become the Cliff Hill Training Ground.
Cliff Hill was aged sixty-five, and retired from running a plant engineering business in Bristol, when he assumed the role of chair of Exeter City in 1982 having acquired 51% of the club's shares. Taking over from Gerald Vallance after five or six highly-succesful seasons on the pitch, the club's fortunes began to wane with a 19th place finish in 1982/83 under the outgoing Brian Godfrey. The subsequent appointment of former QPR and England captain Gerry Francis would have since been seen as a "statement of intent" but soon proved to be a mistake as the Grecians were soundly relegated in 1983/84.
Thereafter another "one-season manager" Jim Iley followed in 1984/85 who could do no better than finish 18th in Division Four. Then with Bampton industrialist Dan McCauley making a "hostile takeover bid" for the club, and even the departing Iley threatening to buy out Mr Hill, the beleaguered chairman eventually stood aside as the Grecians ushered in the era of Ivor Doble at the helm along with Colin Appleton in the manager's hotseat.
But Cliff Hill remained at the club as president and majority shareholder until doing a deal with Ivor Doble in 1993. Meanwhile it was announced that Jean Hill, Cliff's wife, would purchase the leasehold of the club's Cat and Fiddle training ground so as to enable the club to have continued use. And, with Mr Hill buying the freehold in 2003, the club was able to rent the site on extremely favourable terms.
When Walter Clifford Hill, Life President of Exeter City, died in 2012 aged ninety-five, the freehold of the Cat and Fiddle passed to Jean Hill who was to die eleven years later at which point Exeter City were given the opportunity to make the purchase complete. As the supporters' trust went ahead with the deal, it was now apparent that Mr Hill's legacy was that the one-time sports ground of the former St Luke's College should one day fall into the hands of Exeter City. Consequently the Cat and Fiddle had by now officially become the Cliff Hill Training Ground.
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