George Mills (footballer)
Encyclopedia
George Robert Mills was an English
footballer, principally for Chelsea
.
He signed for Chelsea as an amateur in 1929 from Bromley
and stayed at the club for the rest of his career. He was a prolific goal scorer in his time there, notching 125 goals in 239 games. Despite often being overlooked by more glamorous, but less reliable, forwards such as Hughie Gallacher
and Joe Bambrick
, he remained loyal to the club.
In his debut season, Mills scored 14 goals in 20 games for Chelsea, helping them achieve promotion to the First Division
. His best season was in 1936-37
, when he scored 22 goals in 32 appearances, which earned him an England
call-up. He won three international caps for England and scored three goals, all of which came in a 5-1 win against Northern Ireland
on 23 October 1937.
Mills was the first Chelsea player to score over 100 league goals, a feat only five others have since matched, and is the club's 8th highest goal scorer of all time. He is also the last Chelsea player to have scored a hat-trick against Liverpool
, which came in a 6-1 win in August 1937. Upon retiring he became a coach at Chelsea.
He later worked in the City of London
for a printing company. He died while on holiday in Torquay
in 1970.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
footballer, principally for Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
.
He signed for Chelsea as an amateur in 1929 from Bromley
Bromley F.C.
Bromley Football Club are an English football club based in Bromley, in Greater London, England. They currently play in the Conference South, and play their home matches at Hayes Lane.-Early years:...
and stayed at the club for the rest of his career. He was a prolific goal scorer in his time there, notching 125 goals in 239 games. Despite often being overlooked by more glamorous, but less reliable, forwards such as Hughie Gallacher
Hughie Gallacher
Hugh Kilpatrick "Hughie" Gallacher was a Scottish football player in the 1920s and 1930s. In 624 senior games, Gallacher scored 463 times....
and Joe Bambrick
Joe Bambrick
Joe Bambrick, , was a former footballer who at club level played for Chelsea, Walsall, Glentoran, and Linfield.-Biography:Bambrick scored 12 goals in 11 games for Ireland, including six in one game against Wales....
, he remained loyal to the club.
In his debut season, Mills scored 14 goals in 20 games for Chelsea, helping them achieve promotion to the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
. His best season was in 1936-37
1936-37 in English football
The 1936–37 season was the 62nd season of competitive football in England.-Honours:Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour...
, when he scored 22 goals in 32 appearances, which earned him an England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
call-up. He won three international caps for England and scored three goals, all of which came in a 5-1 win against Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
on 23 October 1937.
Mills was the first Chelsea player to score over 100 league goals, a feat only five others have since matched, and is the club's 8th highest goal scorer of all time. He is also the last Chelsea player to have scored a hat-trick against Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
, which came in a 6-1 win in August 1937. Upon retiring he became a coach at Chelsea.
He later worked in the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
for a printing company. He died while on holiday in Torquay
Torquay
Torquay is a town in the unitary authority area of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. It lies south of Exeter along the A380 on the north of Torbay, north-east of Plymouth and adjoins the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay. Torquay’s population of 63,998 during the...
in 1970.