William John Hillman (30 October 1871 – 16 December 1952) was an English football goalkeeper who played for Burnley, Everton, Dundee, Manchester City and Millwall.
An impressive performance against Burnley reserves prompted the Football League club to sign him,[1] and he made his first team debut in 1891.
Hillman was known throughout his career as "Happy Jack" and spent four years at Turf Moor before being sold to Everton for £150 in February 1895.
The match was played at Roker Park, Sunderland's new ground and ended in a 13–2 victory for England, with four goals from Gilbert Smith and three from Jimmy Settle.
Hillman's defence was that the whole thing had been a joke, apparently inspired by suspicions around Forest's 8–0 defeat against West Bromwich Albion a few weeks previously.
Hillman was also part of the Manchester City team which won the FA Cup in 1904, the club's first major trophy, remaining as first choice keeper until 1906.
The FA chose to make an example of City, and Hillman was one of seventeen players suspended until 1 January 1907, and banned from representing the club again.