Gemma Hillier (born 18 October 1987) is a footballer and former beach soccer player. She plays as a forward and midfielder for Southern Region Women’s Football League Premier Division club AFC Portchester.
She previously spent 17 years with Portsmouth, becoming the club’s record appearance-maker and joint-record goalscorer, and later captained AFC Bournemouth.
Football career
Portsmouth Hillier came through the academies of Gosport Borough and Fulham before joining Portsmouth in 2001 at the age of 13, and during her time at the club, she played in the FA Women's Premier League and the Southern Premier League, while also winning the Hampshire County Cup fifteen times. While at Portsmouth, Hillier was offered the chance to join several of the top-league clubs, but she rejected these offers to continue playing at Portsmouth without payment.
After captaining the club for eight years, she last played against Coventry United in October 2017 before leaving the club in November 2017 after last being included in the matchday squad against Lewes.
Officially, Hillier made 293 appearances while scoring 99 goals during her 17 years at the club; The Football Association records 294 appearances and 90 goals since the 2004–05 season. Despite this, she scored her first nine goals before records began in September 2004.
AFC Bournemouth After three years away from football, Hillier joined Southern Region Women’s Football League Premier Division AFC Bournemouth for only the 2020–21 season. She left to spend two years as a teacher in Dubai before returning to AFC Bournemouth for the 2023–24 FA Women’s National League Division One South West season.
She was the club captain at AFC Bournemouth during her second spell at the club, and she left the club on 20 August 2024.
AFC Portchester Gemma Hillier joined Southern Region Women’s Football League Premier Division club AFC Portchester ahead of the 2024–25 season. She scored 19 goals across her first two seasons with the club.
Beach soccer career After retiring from association football, Hillier has since represented England and Team GB at several beach soccer tournaments including the 2016 and 2017 Women's Euro Beach Soccer Cup and the 2019 World Beach Games before retiring after reaching 21 caps.
She played for Terrassa-Bonaire BSW as a forward with 6 goals in 30 matches for the club.
Personal life and legacy She is a school teacher.
In 2018 she became the first Portsmouth Women player to be inducted into Portsmouth FC’s Hall of Fame.
Career statistics
+Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueCup/OtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsPortsmouth2001–02South West Combination Women’s Football LeagueAppearance data unknown.2002–03South West Combination Women’s Football LeagueAppearance data unknown.2003–04Premier League Southern DivisionAppearance data unknown.2004–05Premier League Southern Division142001422005–06Premier League Southern Division132001322006–07Premier League Southern Division216102262007–08Premier League Southern Division203212242008–09Premier League Southern Division122311532009–10Premier League Southern Division7020902010–11Premier League Southern Division184322162011–12Premier League Southern Division21122023122012–13Premier League National Division1851122972013–14Premier League Southern Division205101030152014–15Premier League Southern Division211410231162015–16Premier League Southern Division212632752016–17Premier League Southern Division2059629112017–18Premier League Southern Division801191Total23462602829499AFC Bournemouth2020–21Southern Region Women’s Football League Premier Division1060702023–24National League Division One South West 22541286Total235102356AFC Portchester2024–25Southern Region Women’s Football League Premier Division18810628142025–26Southern Region Women’s Football League Premier Division1821132952026–27Southern Region Women’s Football League Premier Division000000Total36102195719Career total293779138388124
Honours Portsmouth FA Women's/FAWNL Premier League Southern Division: 2011–12, 2014–15; runner-up: 2004–05, 2006–07 South West Combination Women’s Football League: 2002–03 Hampshire Senior Cup: 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17 AFC Bournemouth
FA Women’s National League Division One South West: runner-up 2023–24 Hampshire Senior Cup: 2023–24
References