361 James Mills

Biography

Wing half James “Smiler” Mills joined Hull City in October 1946, a substantial fee reputed to be £2,500 was paid for Rotherham United’s captain – he was immediately handed the Tigers’ captain’s armband that had previously been worn by the departed John Sheen. This was a season of great transition for City as a new squad was built following the closedown of professional football during World War Two, and Mills was a constant presence around which Major Frank Buckley built his team. James scored his only goal for the Tigers in a March 1947 defeat at Rochdale. He stayed at City for the first two months of 1947/48 season, starting every game, but was dropped in October 1947 and left the club in December 1947.

James Mills was born in Dalton Brook, a rural hamlet that is now part of suburban Rotherham, his father was a coal miner who hailed from nearby Elsecar. After attending Wickersley Modern School in Rotherham and representing Yorkshire Boys in 1928, James played junior football for Silverwood Colliery, Dinnington Athletic and Thurcroft Main – during this period he worked as a coal miner at Silverwood Colliery.

Mills signed on amateur terms for Division Three North side Rotherham United in August 1937, retaining his job underground during the week. Within three weeks he was introduced to the Millers’ first team at right half, making a goalscoring September 1937 debut against Halifax Town. He kept his place in the first team until March 1938, scoring goals and playing in a variety of half-back and forward positions. After missing a handful of matches in the opening weeks of the 1938/39 season Mills again established himself as a first team regular, settling into the left half role for the majority of his starts and captaining the side. When the Football League was abandoned in September 1939 folloiwng the outbreak of World War Two, Mills remained in Rotherham and served the Millers in wartime league football while working as a steel works furnaceman. James returned to the Rotherham first team in the 1945/46 season, playing in seven FA Cup ties that took his tally for the Millers to four goals in 68 senior appearances.

In December 1947 Mills transferred to Division Three North side Halifax Town, he made his December 1947 debut against Wrexham and ended the season with 19 appearances for the Shaymen. In August 1948 Mills switched to Midland League side Gainsborough Trinity where he made 40 league appearances and claimed a league title winners’ medal in his first and only season at The Northolme. In June 1949 Mills transferred to Midland League rivals Peterborough United, he started the season in the first team and netted two goals but by November 1949 he had dropped to the Reserves. James left the Posh in the 1950 close season and retired from football.

Mills returned to Rotherham after his playing career and died in January 1994.

Details

Nationality: England
Date/Place of Birth: 30 September 1915, Dalton Brook
Hull City First Game: 19 October 1946, Halifax Town H (Division Three North), 31 years, 19 days old
Hull City Final Game: 4 October 1947, Wrexham H (Division Three North), 32 years, 4 days old

Clubs

Silverwood Colliery, Dinnington Athletic (1935-1936), Thurcroft Main (1936-1937), Rotherham United (1937-1946), Hull City (1946-1947), Halifax Town (1947-1948), Gainsborough Trinity (1948-1949), Peterborough United (1949-1950)

Hull City Record

Career: 47 apps, 1 goals