Sad news - former town chairman dies

[Arnold.J.Rimmer]

Due to Hilliers actions my Grandad never saw Swindon Town play top flight football,

i doubt we would have been in a position to play top-flight football if it weren't for Hillier's actions.

[deltaincline]

Nice to see that Andrew Fitton has agreed to a minutes silence for Brian Hillier today.

Can't believe the disrespectful remarks spouted here about Hillier. Yes, the bloke did bird for making illegal payments to players. Yes what he did was technically wrong and 'against' the law. I don't recall him stuffing any of the clubs cash in his own pockets though.

Hillier, Macari and Fararr were doing what they did to pay the players bonuses for playing well and for entertaining us. A load of jealous cunts couldn't handle him so dobbed him in to the league, which led to us being done by the revenue as well. He deserves better treatment than some of the disrespectful shite dished up about him on this thread.

Thank fuck Fitton has some class.

[Arriba]

i dont think we would have had the success we did if hillier didn't add dodgy sweeteners to signing on deals.
he did wrong, but you can bet anything he was one of many.
when someone dies, you should remember the good they did anyway.he wasn't perfect, but was at the start of the best i have ever seen at the county ground.
he deserves some respect and a mins silence isn't alot to ask for.

[Peter Venkman]

i dont think we would have had the success we did if hillier didn't add dodgy sweeteners to signing on deals.
he did wrong, but you can bet anything he was one of many.
when someone dies, you should remember the good they did anyway.he wasn't perfect, but was at the start of the best i have ever seen at the county ground.
he deserves some respect and a mins silence isn't alot to ask for.

Fucking spot on Arriba on all points.

[Tails]

RIP to Brian Hillier

The only comment I will make is...

My Grandad who supported Swindon Town for over 60 years went to the playoff final at Wembley where we got promoted to the old first division. It was a dream of his to see Swindon Town play top-flight football. His last Swindon Town match he saw live was at Wembley in 1990.l

My Grandad died the season we played Leicester in the playoff final and never got to see Town play top-flight football, He never got to another game again due to failing health. That game in 1990 was his dream as a Town fan for all those years, 2 weeks later his heart was crushed due to the allegations that came out.

Due to Hilliers actions my Grandad never saw Swindon Town play top flight football, so footballing wise no I am not upset or anything, However that said, a family has lost an unclem a dad, a son and as a mark of respect if I was at the game (get back to Swindon Monday) I would observe the minutes silence as it is a humane thing to do, no other reason.

Some people would argue that had it not been for Hillier we wouldn't have got to the stage to gain promotion to Division One anyway.

[Tails]

i dont think we would have had the success we did if hillier didn't add dodgy sweeteners to signing on deals.
he did wrong, but you can bet anything he was one of many.
when someone dies, you should remember the good they did anyway.he wasn't perfect, but was at the start of the best i have ever seen at the county ground.
he deserves some respect and a mins silence isn't alot to ask for.

Excellent post.

I'm glad to say the silence was done very well by everyone today which is pleasing, as I was sure there would be a few boo's.

[janaage]

Would Jan be so incensed if it was Willie Carson ?

I think not

Jan is incensed because, as a Calne lad there are personal attachments.

Therefor Jan should keep it on a personal level, and pay his private respects to the family in a way he sees fit, not try and persuade everybody to holding similar views when they dont have that "connection".

At they end of the day, scapegoat or not the guy broke the law, was tried by his peers, got us demoted and went to jail.

End of story as far as I am concerned.

I will observe the minutes silence tomorrow in respect for his family, but I certainly wont be shedding any tears

If Lou Macari died tomorrow would you be in favour of a minutes silence?

I would.

I'm glad the minute's silence took place today.

(that really is it for me on this one - and for what it's worth I probably have taken it a little more personally than others because of the very local connection with Mr Hillier).

[Spud]

RIP

Still think that a minutes applause is alot better than a silence.

[michael]

I thought the silence might be broken but our fans are ace now aren't they?

[yeo]

I turned my radio on during the minutes silence,most annoying I thought it was broke.

[axs]

I heard one boo from the DR.

[janaage]

Swindon Town legend Fraser Digby has paid tribute to former chairman Brian Hillier and said it was a ‘hell of a shock’ when he heard the news of his passing.

The 65 year-old was taken to Great Western Hospital on Wednesday evening after suffering a stroke and he passed away the following morning.

“I found out on Friday, through a mutual friend and it came as a hell of a shock,” he said.

“When I last saw him I noticed then that he was slimmer and thinner in the face than the last time I saw him, but apart from that he was his usual self.”

Digby, who made over 500 appearances for the club, moved to Swindon in 1986, two years after lifelong Robins fan Hillier had joined its board of directors.

“It my time there it always had a nice, family atmosphere and Brian was a major part of that,” he said. “He always used to come in the dressing rooms after a game and would travel away with the side everywhere as well.

“His heart was in the right place and everything he did was with the best interests of the club in mind.”

In 1990, Hillier was sentenced to six months in prison for tax evasion.

The club won the second division play-off final that season but were not promoted after being found guilty on 34 charges of financial irregularities.

“It would be a shame if that’s how he was remembered because I would never class him like that,” said Digby.

“Between he and Lou Macari they were the catalyst for probably the most successful period in the club’s history.

“I think a lot of Swindon fans realise just how much he did for them.”

Hillier’s funeral will be held at St Mary’s Church on Thursday, November 6 at 2.45pm.

All donations will go to Calne Town Football Club, where he was chairman prior to his death.

[Bogus Dave]

Jan, i had a history teacher at school who sadly passed away in late 2005. He was called mr walker, and always went on about how he was chairman at calne town. Do you remember him, or was he making it all up?

[janaage]

Dunno fella, Jonno might be able to answer that, I haven't been to Bremhill View for years. 

[Bogus Dave]

Ah right, no problemo