Source: Radio New Zealand
Jimmy Hilton is with Auckland FC in his first A-League contract. supplied
Goalkeeper Jimmy Hilton knows the benefit of a win bonus and he is not wasting his first professional contract.
Hilton arrived at Auckland FC this month after an SOS from the A-League club that was running out of fit or available keepers.
The 23-year-old Manchester-born and Australia-raised player has sat on the bench for Auckland’s last two games, behind Michael Woud, but an untimely fumble, a drop in form or fitness could be all that Hilton needs to play his first professional game.
Hilton is signed with Auckland until the end of the season, in a “dream come true” move from NSW National Premier League club Marconi Stallions.
“I’ve been working for a long time to get my opportunity and it kind of came out of the blue,” the reigning National Premier League NSW Goalkeeper of the Year said of the call-up he got while he was working coaching.
“I was playing pretty close to home for a long time. I was really concentrating on my schools and my studies, and as soon as I graduated from high school, I went to Marconi Stallions and was there for five years and once I made the first team, I didn’t come out, so there’s 99 games there that I played in the first team.”
He had trialled and trained with other A-League clubs but the opportunities did not pan out.
Opportunities for goalkeepers were scarce but Hilton always wanted to be playing first team football.
“Growing up, the option was always there to be a third string or to be around an academy. But for me, I wanted to be in men’s football for as long as possible and play games where the win bonus matters.
“It pays your rent, it puts food on the table and petrol in the car. So I think being in that part-time environment and really learning how to win and how important the win bonus is for players has put me in good stead to now make the most of this opportunity.”
The change from a part-time playing role to a full-time gig was eye-opening for Hilton.
“Having better players and better coaches around you, it really makes you lift your game.
“You’ve had the clubs giving all the resources you could possibly need to adapt quickly and to be at the level, so I feel like I’m doing well.”
Working under Auckland FC goalkeeping coach Jonathan Gould was one of the “biggest selling points” to say yes to moving across the ditch.
“To have someone of that stature at the club, he’s a bit of a cult legend, a bit of an icon within the goalkeeping community, so I’m really excited to work with him more and just add to my game.
“He’s already given me one or two things to work on, parts of my game that I thought were up to scratch that he said, ‘oh, maybe give this a little bit of attention’.
“For me, it’s all about becoming as good a footballer, as good a goalkeeper as I can be and he’s pretty detail-oriented and the process has already started.”
Hilton knew he still might have to bide his time in Auckland, but as a goalkeeper that had nearly been in goal for 100 consecutive matches he knew what it took to keep the number one position when the opportunity came.
“Woudy’s doing incredibly well at the moment, he’s been in the Premier League, he knows exactly what he’s doing. Just training with someone like that full-time there’s so much little things that you can see and pick up and add to your game.
“Even the young boys here, the level’s very, very good.
“I think both New Zealand and Australia have been renowned for producing some very good goalkeepers over the years. So I’m hoping to add to that list, follow in some pretty big footsteps. A lot of people who’ve been there and done it and have blueprints there to follow.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
