Ian Hamilton (footballer, born 1967)

Ian Hamilton
Personal information
Full name	Ian Richard Hamilton
Date of birth	14 December 1967
Place of birth	Stevenage, England
Date of death	September 2023 (aged 55)
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
1982–1985	Southampton
Senior career*
Years	Team
1985–1988	Southampton
1988	Cambridge United
1988–1992	Scunthorpe United
1992–1998	West Bromwich Albion
1998–2000	Sheffield United
1999	→ Grimsby Town (loan)
2000–2001	Notts County
2001–2002	Lincoln City
2002–2003	Woking
Total
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Ian Richard Hamilton (14 December 1967 – September 2023) was an English professional footballer who played in the Football League as a midfielder between 1988 and 2002.^[3] Hamilton spent four years with Scunthorpe United and six with West Bromwich Albion as well as having shorter spells with Southampton, Cambridge United, Sheffield United, Grimsby Town, Notts County, Lincoln City and Woking.

Career

Stevenage-born Hamilton started his career off with Southampton, 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,^[4] before a free transfer to Cambridge United in March 1988.^[5] He remained with the club until December of that year when he made a move to Scunthorpe United on a free transfer.^[6]

Hamilton 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.^[7]^[8] While with "The Baggies", Hamilton played under manager Alan Buckley.^[9]

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.^[10] Hamilton played six times for "The Mariners", scoring once in his one-month loan spell.^[6]

At the end of the 1999–2000 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.^[11] He scored his first and only goal for Lincoln against Leyton Orient in the FA Cup.^[12] 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,^[13] and played out the 2002–03 campaign for Conference side Woking before retiring at the end of the season.^[14]

Personal life

After retirement as a footballer he worked as an IT business development manager.^[15]

His death was announced on the West Bromwich Albion website on 6 September 2023, aged 55.^[16]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "Ian Hamilton". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
^ Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 336. ISBN 978-0-356-14354-5.
^ "Ian Hamilton". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. Retrieved 8 October 2009.
^ Holley, Duncan; Chalk, Gary (2003). In That Number – A post-war chronicle of Southampton FC. Hagiology Publishing. p. 612. ISBN 0-9534474-3-X.
^ "In memoriam: Ian Hamilton". www.scunthorpe-united.co.uk. 6 September 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
^ ^a ^b "Ian Hamilton All time playing career". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 October 2009.
^ "Lincoln City v Scunthorpe United". Scunthorpe United F.C. 28 December 2001. Retrieved 9 October 2009.
^ "Ian Hamilton West Bromwich Albion FC". Football Heroes. Sporting Heroes Collections. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
^ "Player Database: Ian Hamilton". thefishy.co.uk. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
^ "RIP Ian Hamilton". Sheffield United FC. 6 September 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
^ "Hamilton move completed". Notts County F.C. 9 November 2001. Archived from the original on 28 July 2011. Retrieved 9 October 2009.
^ "Leyton Orient 2–1 Lincoln". BBC. 6 December 2001. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
^ Bradley, Rob (18 October 2002). "Hamilton Severance Deal Completed". Lincoln City F.C. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 9 October 2009.
^ Youlton, Clive (24 October 2002). "Cockerill carries FA Cup hopes". GetSurrey. S&B Media. Retrieved 9 October 2009.
^ Bevan, Chris (15 February 2008). "Were you there...?". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 October 2009.
^ "Ian Hamilton (1967–2023)". West Bromwich Albion FC. 6 September 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.