1959-71 · STRIKER · 477 APPS · 222 GOALS
Hull City’s all-time top goalscorer with 222 goals and bested in appearances by only Andy Davidson and Garreth Roberts, Chris Chilton is one of the greatest to ever pull on a Tigers shirt.
Chris had an austere post-war childhood spent fashioning a makeshift football from a pig’s bladder obtained from the local butcher and played local amateur football for Bilton in his mid-teens.
At just 16, Chilton joined City after initially writing a letter to the club and being invited to attend a trial. The forward made his debut in August 1960 against Colchester United and scored his first goal in the following fixture, a 5-1 hammering of Newport County.
In his debut season, Chilton made 49 appearances in all competitions, scoring an impressive 20 goals, including braces against Shrewsbury Town, Halifax Town and Chesterfield, as well as a hat-trick in a 3-1 victory over Queens Park Rangers.
After struggling in his second season, the 1962/63 campaign saw the Sproatley-born forward return to his best form, scoring 23 goals before beating that mark by one the following season.
Prior to Ken Wagstaff’s signing, Chilton scored 12 goals in seven games, including four against Barnsley and a hat-trick against Brentford, before ending the 1964/65 season with 27 goals.
In October 1965, Chilton netted his 100th goal in black and amber with his second in a 5-1 demolition of Oldham Athletic before also going on to complete his hat-trick for goal number 101. The forward helped the club earn the Division Three title that season with 29 goals in all competitions.
After two seasons in Division Two and being appointed club captain, Chilton suffered a serious injury which kept him out of the team for five months.
Following Terry Neill’s appointment at the start of 1970/71, Chilton produced one of his best seasons. Scoring 26 times, including a hat-trick against Sunderland in January 1971, Chilton helped City finish fifth in Division Two and reach the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.
Chilton scored his 222nd and final City goal in a 5-2 victory over Leyton Orient in April 1971 and made his last appearance in August 1971 against Oxford United before joining Coventry City.
After representing the Sky Blues, Bridlington Trinity and Highlands Park, Chilton returned to City as a coach and assistant manager in 1978, spending a further seven years with the Tigers before leaving in 1985.
The East Stand at the MKM Stadium was renamed in his honour in 2022 following his passing the previous year at the age of 77.
