Ian Hamilton (footballer born 1967)
Encyclopedia
Ian Richard Hamilton is an English former professional footballer who played in the Football League
as a midfielder
between 1988 and 2002. Hamilton notably played for West Bromwich Albion
and Scunthorpe United
as well as having spells with Southampton
, Cambridge United
, Sheffield United
, Grimsby Town
, Notts County
, Lincoln City
and Woking
.
, joining "The Saints" as an associate schoolboy in January 1982. He signed as an apprentice in July 1984, before signing his first professional contract on his 18th birthday in December 1985. He remained at The Dell for a further two years, playing in the reserves but failing to break into the first team, before a free transfer to Cambridge United
in March 1988. He remained with the club until December of that year when he made a move to Scunthorpe United
on a free transfer.
He spent the next four years playing for "The Iron", and eventually his performances earned him a move to West Bromwich Albion
in 1992 for £160,000. While with "The Baggies", Hamilton played under manager Alan Buckley
.
In 1998 Albion sold Hamilton to Sheffield United
for £325,000 and he would remain at Bramall Lane
for the next two seasons. While at United, he was re-signed by Alan Buckley at fellow First division side Grimsby Town
. Hamilton played six times for "The Mariners", scoring once in his one month loan spell.
At the end of the 1999–00 campaign, following his release from United, Hamilton signed for Notts County
on a two year deal. However in November 2001 he was signed by Buckley for a third time, this time at Lincoln City
. He was part of the squad that was nearly relegated
out of the Football League. With the club in financial difficulties, and Hamilton not being part of new manager Keith Alexander
's plans, he agreed a severance package in October 2002, and played out the 2002–03 campaign for Conference
side Woking
before retiring at the end of the season.
After retirement as a footballer he worked as an IT
business development manager.
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
as a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
between 1988 and 2002. Hamilton notably played for West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
and Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
as well as having spells with Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
, Cambridge United
Cambridge United F.C.
Cambridge United Football Club is a professional football club from Cambridge, England. They are currently playing the 2011-2012 season in the Conference National, the fifth tier of the English league system, where they have competed since 2005 following their relegation from the Football League...
, Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
, Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
, Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
, Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
and Woking
Woking F.C.
Woking Football Club is a football club from in Woking, Surrey, England, formed in 1889. They are playing in the Conference South in the 2011–12 season. For the 2011/2012 season, Woking are sharing their ground with Conference National club Hayes & Yeading United.-Promotion to the...
.
Career
Stevenage-born Hamilton started his career off with SouthamptonSouthampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
, joining "The Saints" as an associate schoolboy in January 1982. He signed as an apprentice in July 1984, before signing his first professional contract on his 18th birthday in December 1985. He remained at The Dell for a further two years, playing in the reserves but failing to break into the first team, before a free transfer to Cambridge United
Cambridge United F.C.
Cambridge United Football Club is a professional football club from Cambridge, England. They are currently playing the 2011-2012 season in the Conference National, the fifth tier of the English league system, where they have competed since 2005 following their relegation from the Football League...
in March 1988. He remained with the club until December of that year when he made a move to Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
on a free transfer.
He spent the next four years playing for "The Iron", and eventually his performances earned him a move to West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
in 1992 for £160,000. While with "The Baggies", Hamilton played under manager Alan Buckley
Alan Buckley
Alan Peter Buckley is an English football manager. He was manager of League Two side Grimsby Town until his dismissal in September 2008...
.
In 1998 Albion sold Hamilton to Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
for £325,000 and he would remain at Bramall Lane
Bramall Lane
-Cricket at the Lane:Bramall Lane opened as a cricket ground in 1855, having been leased by Michael Ellison from the Duke of Norfolk at an annual rent of £70. The site was then away from the town's industrial area, and relatively free from smoke. It was built to host the matches of local cricket...
for the next two seasons. While at United, he was re-signed by Alan Buckley at fellow First division side Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
. Hamilton played six times for "The Mariners", scoring once in his one month loan spell.
At the end of the 1999–00 campaign, following his release from United, Hamilton signed for Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
on a two year deal. However in November 2001 he was signed by Buckley for a third time, this time at Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
. He was part of the squad that was nearly relegated
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
out of the Football League. With the club in financial difficulties, and Hamilton not being part of new manager Keith Alexander
Keith Alexander (footballer)
Keith Alexander was a Saint Lucian footballer and manager. Born in Nottingham, England, he was the manager of League Two side Macclesfield Town at the time of his death, in a career that included international appearances for Saint Lucia. Alexander played for a whole host of lower league football...
's plans, he agreed a severance package in October 2002, and played out the 2002–03 campaign for Conference
Conference National
Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
side Woking
Woking F.C.
Woking Football Club is a football club from in Woking, Surrey, England, formed in 1889. They are playing in the Conference South in the 2011–12 season. For the 2011/2012 season, Woking are sharing their ground with Conference National club Hayes & Yeading United.-Promotion to the...
before retiring at the end of the season.
After retirement as a footballer he worked as an IT
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
business development manager.
External links
- Profile at The Forgotten Imp