A larger than life character, Bill was originally sort by Charlie Elliott to join the Derbyshire County Cricket Club ground staff. He decided to concentrate on football and was signed by Coventry city as professional and then played under Arthur Turner at Birmingham city.

He scored more than 100 goals during his early career, 82 of them for Hull city in just got 178 games. His best return at Boothferry Park was 30 goals in their 1958-59 promotion season – then a post-war club record.

He got few opportunities at Haig Avenue but enjoyed the set-up and scored prolifically in the reserves. He joined Southport through a chance meeting between Joe Harvey (Workington manager) and John church of the 1961 Open golf Championship at Royal Birkdale he lived on in Southport until 1972 but having worked as dispatch manager for a furniture manufacturer’s in Clay Cross he was employed by a firm making mattress in Ilkeston.

Bill passed away in Chesterfield in 1999