Karen Hills (footballer)

Karen Hills (born 5 May 1975) is an English football manager and former player who currently manages Charlton Athletic of the FA Women's Championship.

Karen Hills
With Charlton Athletic in October 2021
Personal information
Date of birth (1975-05-05) 5 May 1975[1]
Height 1.62 m (5 ft 4 in)[2]
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 Charlton Athletic
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Watford
Wembley Mill Hill
2001–2007 Charlton Athletic
Managerial career
2009–2020 Tottenham Hotspur
2021– Charlton Athletic
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

After playing at primary school, Hills drifted away from football until she joined a leisure centre at 18 years old and was persuaded to play for Watford who scouted her at an informal "kickabout". She was deployed as a forward and scored a hat-trick on her debut, before moving back into midfield and eventually into defence. She later moved to Wembley Mill Hill, where she served as captain.[3]

In January 2000 Hills and Mill Hill team mate Laura Burns tested positive for cannabis in a random drug test carried out by The Football Association. Both received six-month suspensions.[4][5]

Hills joined top-flight Charlton Athletic for the 2001–02 FA Women's Premier League season. Keith Boanas named her his Manager's Player of the Season in her debut campaign, as she came to be seen as an "experienced and quick centre-back who reads the game well".[6]

With Charlton Athletic Hills reached the FA Women's Cup final four times in five years, winning once when they beat Everton in 2005. They lost to Fulham in 2003 and to Arsenal in 2004 and 2007. She also collected FA Women's Premier League Cup and FA Women's Community Shield winner's medals in 2004.[7]

Coaching career
At White Hart Lane in April 2017

Hills served as assistant coach to her friend Tracey Kevins at Barnet for two seasons.[8]

In August 2009 she was appointed first team manager at Tottenham Hotspur, where she was already working as the club's women's and girls' development officer.[9] Over the following decade, Hills presided over a series of promotions as the club developed from a completely amateur South East Combination Women's Football League team to a full-time professional FA Women's Super League outfit, playing in front of record-breaking crowds.[10][11] On 19 November 2020 Hills and joint head coach Juan Carlos Amorós were sacked.[12]

On 16 March 2021, Hills was appointed manager of FA Women's Championship side Charlton Athletic, taking over from Riteesh Mishra who remained at the club in a coaching capacity.[13]

Coaching honours

References
  1. "Karen Hills". Tottenham Hotspur F.C. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
  2. "Karen Hills". Tottenham Hotspur F.C. Archived from the original on 5 December 2013. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
  3. Haines, Gary (January 2007). ""Granny" still developing". Charlton Athletic F.C. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
  4. "Soccer Girls Fail Drug Test". Times & Citizen. 13 March 2000. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
  5. Mackay, Duncan (27 April 2002). "Why English football has a drugs problem". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  6. "Karen Hills". BBC Sport. 26 April 2003. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
  7. "'A Special Competition' - Karen on FA Women's Cup". Tottenham Hotspur F.C. 9 January 2015. Archived from the original on 23 April 2016. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
  8. "Old friends set to do battle in Women's Premier League Cup". Daily Mirror. 28 January 2012. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
  9. "Karen gets her managerial spurs". Women's Soccer Scene. 16 August 2009. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
  10. Garry, Tom (4 December 2019). "Karen Hills & Juan Amoros: Tottenham Hotspur Women co-bosses' journey to the WSL". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
  11. "A Decade of Change". The Football Association. 31 October 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
  12. "Karen Hills and Juan Amoros leave Club". Tottenham Hotspur.
  13. Pizzey, Chloe (16 March 2021). "Karen Hills appointed Head Coach of Charlton Athletic Women". Charlton Athletic.
  14. "Ladies lift Ryman Cup". Spurs Ladies. Archived from the original on 3 June 2016. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
  15. Menno, Dustin (8 May 2016). "Tottenham Hotspur Ladies win the double after lifting FA WPL Cup". Cartilage Free Captain. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
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