 At the end of his first season at Newport, Hillier was voted both players and supporters player of the year and was later awarded the captaincy at the start of the 2008–09 season.In September 2008 Hillier broke his leg in three places in an accident while working in his day job as a tree surgeon when a falling branch struck his leg, breaking his tibia, fibula and ankle.He was subsequently sacked by Newport County as he was unable to fulfil his contract and would be out of the game for a large part of the 2008–09 season.