Matthew James Hill was born in Northern Ireland starting his career with Carrick Rangers before moving first to Linfield and then Newcastle United 4 years later.

He would only stay on Tyneside for two years, making little to no impact, maybe because the player going the other way in that deal with the legend himself, Jackie Milburn, who would move to Linfield to take up the mangers job, with Jimmy being part of that deal.

After making a handful of appearances in his first year at the club he would not make a single game in his second and was promptly moved on the Norwich, where he had a much better time of things, playing 161 times for them in the league and scoring 55 times.

He would be capped seven times for Northern Ireland.