Bertie Reginald Mills (23 February 1900 – 22 January 1994), known as Paddy Mills, was a professional footballer who scored 139 goals in 358 appearances in the Football League playing for Hull City (in two spells), Notts County and Birmingham.[3] He played as a forward, though in the later part of his career he moved to wing half.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Bertie Reginald Mills[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 23 February 1900[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Multan, Punjab Province, British India | ||
| Date of death | 22 January 1994 (aged 93)[2] | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Forward / Wing half | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| – | Barton Town | ||
| 1920–1926 | Hull City | 173 | (76) |
| 1926–1929 | Notts County | 76 | (35) |
| 1929 | Birmingham | 13 | (3) |
| 1929–1933 | Hull City | 96 | (25) |
| 1933–1935 | Scunthorpe & Lindsey United | ||
| 1935–193x | Gainsborough Trinity | ||
| 193x–193x | Barton Town | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Career edit
Mills was born in Multan, India, but raised in Barton-upon-Humber, Lincolnshire.[2] He began his football career with local club Barton Town before joining Hull City of the Second Division in 1920.[1] For three consecutive seasons, from 1923–24 to 1925–26, Mills was Hull's leading scorer;[4] in the second of those three seasons, he scored 29 goals in all competitions when no other Hull player reached double figures.[2]
In March 1926, Notts County paid a fee of £3,750 for his services,[1] but he was unable to prevent their relegation from the First Division.[5] In 1927 he was joined by his younger brother Percy, who would go on to play more than 400 games for the club.[3] After three years with County, in which he scored at a rate approaching a goal every other game,[3] Mills moved back to the First Division with Birmingham, but failed to settle, and returned to Hull in December 1929.[1]
Mills contributed two goals in Hull's 1929–30 FA Cup run which took them to the semi-final for the first time in their history, only to lose to eventual Cup-winners Arsenal, following which their form slumped and they were relegated to the Third Division North.[6] New manager Haydn Green converted Mills to play at wing half, though he still scored goals:[7] 12 in 30 games in the 1930–31 season and 11 in 37 the next season.[2] In 1932–33, Hull City won the championship of the Third Division North, winning promotion for the first time in their history.[7] Mills played in nearly half the games, but failed to score,[2] and was released at the end of the season.[7] As of December 2008, his league goal return of 101 in 269 games places him third in Hull City's all-time league goalscorers, and his 110 from 291 appearances puts him fourth when all competitions are counted.[8]
On leaving Hull, Mills moved into non-League football with Scunthorpe & Lindsey United and Gainsborough Trinity before finishing his career at his first club, Barton Town.[2]
After football Mills was employed as a security man at a steelworks in Scunthorpe.[1] He died in 1994 at the age of 93.[2]
Personal life edit
Mills was great-uncle to football player and manager Nigel Pearson, the grandson of his brother Percy.[9]
Honours edit
Hull City
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 111. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Bertie 'Paddy' Mills". Hull City Mad. FootyMad. 2 November 2000. Archived from the original on 20 March 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
- ^ a b c Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 185. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
- ^ Bell, Andy (10 May 2010). "Top Scorers". Hull City Mad. FootyMad. Archived from the original on 27 October 2021. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
- ^ "Notts County". Football Club History Database. Richard Rundle. Archived from the original on 18 November 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
- ^ "Cup semi – and then relegated". Hull Daily Mail. 7 August 1999. Archived from the original on 11 February 2024. Retrieved 27 March 2009 – via NewsBank.
- ^ a b c "It is not just a well-worn cliche to describe Hull City's loyal fans as long-suffering. They quite simply have been – too often for too long". Hull Daily Mail. 11 March 2000. Archived from the original on 11 February 2024. Retrieved 27 March 2009 – via NewsBank.
- ^ Bell, Andy (26 December 2008). "All-Time Top Scorers". Hull City Mad. FootyMad. Archived from the original on 3 March 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
- ^ "Leicester City boss Nigel Pearson's Forest connection". This is Leicestershire. 4 December 2009. Archived from the original on 7 July 2015. Retrieved 6 April 2012.