Background
William Stewart Hillis was born on 28 September 1943 in Clydebank, but was always known as Stewart. He was the son of a foreman at John Brown"s shipyard.
William Stewart Hillis was born on 28 September 1943 in Clydebank, but was always known as Stewart. He was the son of a foreman at John Brown"s shipyard.
He was educated at Linnvale Primary and then Clydebank High School. He studied medicine at the University of Glasgow, graduating in 1967.
He was doctor for the Scotland national football team for 228 full international matches, part of his involvement with football that spanned more than 40 year during his medical career. He was vice-chairman of the Union of European Football Associations medical committee and medical advisor to Fédération internationale de football association. Club football In 1970 Hillis became the team doctor for Clydebank F.C. and remained in this position for 27 years. He had a brief spell as club doctor at Rangers F.C. but during this period the club signed Daniel Prodan in 1998 without some significant medical problems being discovered before the completion of the deal.
International football In 1976 he began working with the Scottish Football Association to provide medical support for the Scotland national under-21 football team and he covered 54 matches.
In 1982 he was promoted to cover the Scotland national team doctor. He helped establish the Sports Medicine Centre inside Hampden Park, the first of its kind in a national stadium.
He stepped down as the Scotland team doctor in 2010, but remained involved research and he continued to be involved with the SFA. He became the Medical Director of the SFA. He was the second vice-chairman of the Union of European Football Associations Medical Committee. He was a medical adviser to Fédération internationale de football association. Hillis was appointed as a consultant in 1977, working as a cardiologist at the Western Infirmary in Glasgow.
Hillis developed Bachelor of Science and Masters courses in Sports Medicine at the University of Glasgow.
In 1997, the University of Glasgow awarded Hillis a personal chair in cardiology and exercise medicine.
In 1986 he became a member of Union of European Football Associations"s Medical Committee.