John Mills (born 20 March 1990) is an English semi-professional footballer who plays as a striker for Abingdon United where he is also serving as manager.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 20 March 1990 | ||
| Place of birth | Oxford, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Abingdon United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2006–2011 | Abingdon United | ||
| 2011–2013 | North Leigh | ||
| 2013–2015 | Didcot Town | ||
| 2015–2018 | Hereford | ||
| 2018–2019 | Bath City | ||
| 2018–2019 | → Banbury United (loan) | ||
| 2019 | → Westfields (loan) | ||
| 2019–2020 | Banbury United | ||
| 2020 | Thatcham Town | ||
| 2020–2021 | North Leigh | ||
| 2021 | Kidlington | ||
| 2021–2022 | Royal Wootton Bassett Town | ||
| 2022– | Abingdon United | ||
| Managerial career | |||
| 2023– | Abingdon United | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Career
editA prolific goalscorer at non-league level, Mills scored on his senior debut for Abingdon United in November 2007, aged 17.[1]
Mills later featured for Woodstock Town. In 2011, Mills signed for North Leigh, spending two seasons with the Southern League Division One South & West club and scoring 39 goals in 90 appearances.[2] He helped North Leigh win the Oxfordshire Senior Cup in 2012, defeating Oxford City 5–0 in which Mills scored the fifth goal of the match.[3] He won the club's golden boot award that season with 24 goals.[4]
Mills then joined divisional rivals Didcot Town in September 2013.[5] While at Didcot, Mills' goalscoring exploits were recognised by being awarded the All About Ballerz Golden Boot at the Non-League Paper's National Game Awards for scoring 57 goals in all competitions.[6]
On 24 July 2015, Mills joined newly-formed Midland League Premier Division club Hereford.[7][8] Mills was previously subject to an approach from Hereford's predecessor club Hereford United before they folded, who were at the time playing in a higher division.[9] Mills scored 52 goals in 53 games, also appearing in the FA Vase final at Wembley in his debut season at Hereford.[10] On 7 June 2018, it was announced that Mills would leave Hereford after three seasons, each of which he was the club's top goalscorer.[11][12]
Upon leaving Hereford, on 19 June 2018, Mills joined National League South club Bath City.[13][14]
On 11 October 2018, Mills joined Southern League Premier Division Central club Banbury United on loan until January.[15] After his loan spell at Banbury ended, on 4 January 2019, Mills dropped down two leagues to join Midland League Premier Division club Westfields on loan.[16]
On 2 July 2019, Mills returned to Banbury United for a second spell.[17] He was released by Banbury on 6 February 2020, having scored 9 goals in 48 appearances across his two spells with the club.[18]
On 14 February 2020, Mills signed for Southern Football League Division One South club Thatcham Town.[19]
On 19 August 2020, Mills returned to former club North Leigh in the Southern Football League Division One Central, for a second time.[20]
On 12 August 2021, Mills joined Southern League Premier Division Central club Kidlington.[21] However, his spell at the club did not last long as the following month Mills signed for Royal Wootton Bassett Town in the Hellenic League Premier Division, scoring 16 goals in all competitions and winning the Supporters' Player of the Year award.[22]
On 9 July 2022, Mills returned to Hellenic League Division One and former club Abingdon United as player-coach.[23] On 14 January 2023, Mills took temporary charge of the first team.[24] On 4 March 2023, it was announced that Mills would remain as manager until the end of the season.[25] On 12 May 2023, Mills was appointed as Abingdon United manager on a permanent basis.[26]
References
edit- ^ "FOOTBALL: Young Mills in scoring debut". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
- ^ "John Mills - North Leigh Football Club North Leigh". www.northleighfc.co.uk. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
- ^ "Oxford City 0:5 North Leigh - Oxfordshire Senior Cup Final". www.northleighfc.co.uk. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
- ^ "Player Awards". www.northleighfc.co.uk. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
- ^ "John Mills - Didcot Town FC Unincorporated Assoc First Team". www.pitchero.com. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
- ^ Team, The Non-League Football Paper (27 May 2015). "National Game Awards - All About Ballerz Golden Boot: John Mills". The Non-League Football Paper. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
- ^ "NEW SIGNINGS: Beadle Swoops For Strike Pair | Hereford FC - The Official website of Hereford FC". www.herefordfc.co.uk. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
- ^ "FOOTBALL: John Mills turns down Didcot to join Hereford". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
- ^ "FOOTBALL: Mills thrills Didcot by snubbing Hereford approach". Witney Gazette. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
- ^ "Hereford build for next step up leagues". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
- ^ "John Mills Leaves Edgar Street | Hereford FC - The Official website of Hereford FC". www.herefordfc.co.uk. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
- ^ "John Mills Leaves Edgar Street | Hereford FC - The Official website of Hereford FC". www.herefordfc.co.uk. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
- ^ bcfc (19 June 2018). "City secure services of Hereford goal-machine Mills". Bath City FC. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
- ^ Burridge, Henry (20 June 2018). "Bullish move as Bath City sign prolific hotshot Mills". SomersetLive. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
- ^ bcfc (11 October 2018). "John Mills joins Banbury United on loan until January". Bath City FC. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
- ^ admin (4 January 2019). "Westfields sign John Mills". Westfields FC. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
- ^ "Striker John Mills back with the Puritans". www.banburyunitedfc.co.uk. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
- ^ @BanburyUnitedFC (6 February 2020). "The club can confirm that striker John Mills has been released by the club" (Tweet). Retrieved 11 March 2023 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Highly Rated Mills Signs". www.thatchamtownfootball.club. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
- ^ "Big New Signing at North Leigh". www.northleighfc.co.uk. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
- ^ @Kidlington_FC (12 August 2021). "John Mills joins the Greens" (Tweet). Retrieved 11 March 2023 – via Twitter.
- ^ Smedley, Scott. "RWBTFC - News - Senior Player of the Year award winners". Royal Wootton Bassett Town FC. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
- ^ @Abutdfc (9 July 2022). "A big welcome back to the club where it all began to @J_Mills10!" (Tweet). Retrieved 10 March 2023 – via Twitter.
- ^ @Abutdfc (14 January 2023). "Club Statement" (Tweet). Retrieved 11 March 2023 – via Twitter.
- ^ @Abutdfc (4 March 2023). "CLUB STATEMENT" (Tweet). Retrieved 11 March 2023 – via Twitter.
- ^ "John Mills appointed First Team Manager". www.abingdonunitedfc.com. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
External links
edit- John Mills at Soccerbase
- John Mills at Soccerway