 Hillard joined Bristol Rovers in 1957, and enjoyed a long career with them, spending a total of eleven years at the club.His 318 league appearances put him 19th on the list of Rovers players with the most appearances, and he is one of only twenty men to have played over 300 games for them.After leaving Bristol Rovers in 1968 Hillard joined Taunton Town as player-manager and found immediate success with the Somerset club, winning the team's first ever Western League title in his first year in charge.