Jimmy ill !

 

Until I read the article reviewing his wife Bryony's book on his life I was unaware that Jimmy was in such a bad way. He is now in a Nursing Home suffering from Alzheimer's and does not recognise his family.
 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/12007208/Jimmy-Hills-heartbreaking-battle-with-Alzheimers-brings-tears-and-laughter.html
The highly paid footballers of today are probably unaware of how indebted they are to this footballing pioneer to live the grandeur life they lead.
The career of Jimmy Hill O.B.E. has taken in virtually every role in football, including player, Union leader, coach, manager, director, chairman, television executive, presenter, analyst and even match official.
It was in 1957 that he became chairman of the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) and campaigned to have the Football League's maximum wage of £20 per week to be scrapped, which he achieved in January 1961 when his Fulham teammate Johnny Haynes became the first £100 per week player.
After retiring as a player he became the 33 year old innovative manager of Coventry City where amongst other things he commissioned the first English all-seater stadium and introduced the first electronic scoreboard in 1964.
After leaving Coventry in 1967 he moved into the world of broadcasting eventually becoming Head of Sport at London Weekend Television where he fronted the 1970 World Cup and introduced the now familiar panel of pundits. He then moved across to the BBC where he racked up 600 appearances on Match of the Day and became a television icon, instantly recognisable and often caricatured for his long chin and distinctive beard. As a presenter or analyst, he worked on every major international championship from 1966 to 1998. The following year in 1999 he moved from the BBC to Sky Sports to present 'Jimmy Hill's Sunday Supplement' which is still a feature today but renamed 'Sunday Supplement'.
He established the concept of three points for a win that has subsequently spread through the entire football world and even into many other sports.
Hill is still considered a legend by Coventry City fans for the various achievements made under his reign as chairman when he returned there in 1975. Public donations paid for Sculptor Nicholas Dimbleby to build a statue of Hill at a cost of £150,000 which is located at Coventry's Ricoh Arena ground and was unveiled by Hill in person on 28 July 2011.