Paddy Mills

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.

For the Australian rules footballer, see Paddy Mills (Australian footballer). For the speedway rider, see Paddy Mills (speedway rider).

Paddy Mills
Personal information
Full name Bertie Reginald Mills[1]
Date of birth (1900-02-23)23 February 1900[1]
Place of birth Multan, India
Date of death 22 January 1994(1994-01-22) (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
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Career

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

Mills was great-uncle to football player and manager Nigel Pearson, the grandson of his brother Percy.[9]

Honours

with Hull City

References
  1. Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 111. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.
  2. "Bertie 'Paddy' Mills". Hull City Mad. FootyMad. 2 November 2000. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
  3. Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 185. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
  4. Bell, Andy (10 May 2010). "Top Scorers". Hull City Mad. FootyMad. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
  5. "Notts County". Football Club History Database. Richard Rundle. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
  6. "Cup semi – and then relegated". Hull Daily Mail. 7 August 1999. Retrieved 27 March 2009 – via NewsBank.
  7. "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. Retrieved 27 March 2009 – via NewsBank.
  8. Bell, Andy (26 December 2008). "All-Time Top Scorers". Hull City Mad. FootyMad. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
  9. "Leicester City boss Nigel Pearson's Forest connection". This is Leicestershire. 4 December 2009. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
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