Hill joined Bournemouth from Fleetwood in January 2022 and, after loan spells at Hearts and Blackburn, returned to the club for the start of the 2024/25 season.
That campaign, and the start of the season just finished, saw Hill as largely a squad player, predominantly filling in at right back with the likes of Illia Zabarnyi, Dean Huijsen, Marcos Senesi and Bafode Diakite ahead of him in the centre back pecking order.
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But, when Diakite was dropped from the side after a 4-1 defeat at Brentford, Hill came into the side, and he hasn’t looked back.
The 24-year-old was one of the keys to the Cherries’ surge up the table and their 18-game unbeaten run, resulting in Europa League qualification.
Reflecting on qualifying for Europe, Hill told the Daily Echo: “Since I first arrived at this club, coming from the Championship to where we are now, it's special.
Nottingham Forest's Chris Wood and AFC Bournemouth's James Hill (left) battle for the ball during the Premier League match at the City Ground, Nottingham. (Image: Mike Egerton/PA Wire)
“It's something that we can't underestimate because this, for the size of the club and what the city is, it's absolutely incredible.
“And obviously the players that we lost at the start of the season, everyone had us down as well. You heard it all over the internet, for this team to go down.
“And what we've achieved this season, everyone says we've defied the odds, which we have. But every game we've just kept going and we never stopped believing.
“These moments, for this club, will go down in history. The players that have played in this season, every single one of them, from the lads that either didn't make the squad, because that was me at the start of the season, and the boys that are in it and that play today, all the way from the start, it's been absolutely incredible.
“Every single one of them should be remembered in this club's history because they've been fantastic all season.”
AFC Bournemouth's James Hill and Nottingham Forest's Chris Wood battle for the ball during the Premier League match at the City Ground, Nottingham. (Image: Jacob King/PA Wire)
On his personal journey to this point, Hill said: “Obviously my journey has not been easy at this football club.
“To come in and help the team and obviously push on and keep going and all the way to this point now when we're looking at Europe, it's something as a kid that I've dreamed of, and obviously lads in this team that have dreamed of.
“I've loved every moment of this season, and I can't wait for next season to start, and I can't wait to see our fans in Europe because they were absolutely phenomenal all season.”
He said he was over the moon with how the season had ended.
“It means everything to me,” Hill said.
(Image: Richard Crease)
“It's what I worked hard for. It's every day, everyone sees what I do on the pitch, but no one sees what I do at the training ground.
“And I think you'd ask everyone, I'm always the first in and last out, and I pride myself on that, on standards every day.
“It's about coming into the team and I want to make that impression. I want to be able to come on and support the boys and not just wanting to take part and coast by.
“It's wanting to play a part that helps us get to where we are now. And from my journey from being released at different clubs and coming and playing from Sunday League as well, and to this moment now, I'm proud of myself for getting to this moment.
(Image: Richard Crease)
“And I always believed that I could do it as well. I just needed that opportunity.
“That's why I give massive thanks to obviously Tiago [Pinto] as well.
“The gaffer, the coaching staff, everyone at the football club for believing in me when my time did come at this football club.
“To repay them back with what we've done this season, it's incredible. And I'm over the moon. I'm quite emotional of what we've achieved, but it's a special team and I'm so happy to be a part of this team. It's incredible.”