Eric Gill (footballer)

Eric Norman Gill (born 3 November 1930) is an English former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper in the Football League for Charlton Athletic and Brighton & Hove Albion, where he spent the majority of his career.[2] He then spent six years with Guildford City of the Southern League.

Eric Gill
Personal information
Full name Eric Norman Gill[1]
Date of birth (1930-11-03) 3 November 1930[1]
Place of birth Camden,[1] England
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[1]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1948–1952 Charlton Athletic 1 (0)
→ Tonbridge (loan)
1952–1960 Brighton & Hove Albion 280 (0)
1960–1966 Guildford City 225 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Life and career

Gill was born in Camden, London.[1] He joined Charlton Athletic in 1948 at the age of 17, but was unable to dislodge Sam Bartram from the first team, and appeared only once for the first team. During his National Service with the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, Gill played Army football, and was spotted by Brighton & Hove Albion manager Billy Lane, who signed him for a £400 fee. He soon established himself in the team, and set a club record of 247 consecutive senior appearances between February 1953 and February 1958. The run, equalling the Football League record for goalkeeping appearances set by Tottenham Hotspur's Ted Ditchburn, was only ended by an attack of influenza.[1][3][4] Gill kept goal for the Brighton team that won the 1957–58 Third Division South title, and remained with the club for another two seasons, by which time Dave Hollins had taken over first-team duties.[1][5] He then made another 225 appearances in the Southern League for Guildford City.[1] He and his wife, Ida, ran a hotel in Brighton while he was still playing for the club, and he continued in that trade after his retirement from football.[1][6]

References
  1. Carder, Tim; Harris, Roger (1997). Albion A–Z: A Who's Who of Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. Hove: Goldstone Books. p. 173. ISBN 978-0-9521337-1-1.
  2. Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 158. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
  3. "Club Records". Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. Archived from the original on 30 May 2019. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  4. "Hard luck". Sussex Express. 7 March 1958. p. 14.
  5. Carder, Tim; Harris, Roger. Albion A–Z. pp. 114–115.
  6. "Eric Gill: Soccer – my business and pleasure". Charles Buchan's Football Monthly. 1959. Retrieved 6 August 2018 – via The Goldstone Wrap.


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