Billy Frith
Encyclopedia
William "Billy" Frith was an English
football player and manager.
Starting his career with Worksop Town
, Mansfield Town
, and Chesterfield
; he won a move to Coventry City
in 1932. He stayed with the club right up until the outbreak of World War II
, helping the club to finish 1935–36 as Third Division South
champions, and played a total of 165 games for the club in the Football League
.
In 1945 he was appointed as manager of Port Vale
, before he returned to Coventry as manager in 1947. His time at both clubs was unsuccessful, and he spent the next decade in non-league football as manager of various sides. He returned to Coventry as manager in 1957 and led the club to promotion out of the Fourth Division
in 1958–59, but was sacked in 1961.
for non-league sides Worksop Town
and Mansfield Town
. He transferred to Second Division
side Chesterfield
in 1932, scoring three goals in nine league games, before he moved on to Coventry City
later in the year. He remained in Harry Storer
's team up until the outbreak of World War II
. During this time Coventry finished second in the Third Division South
in 1933–34, though were not promoted. They did achieve promotion at the end of the 1935–36 campaign, after topping the division, one point ahead of chasers Luton Town
. Coventry finished in fourth place in the Second Division in the two pre-war seasons, missing out on promotion to the First Division
by one point in 1937–38 and four points in 1938–39. Frith made a total of 172 League appearances for Coventry City in two spells.
in August 1945. The 1945–46 season was uneventful and he seemed to settle into management quite well. In preparation for the first season of post-war football, he signed experienced forward Colin Lyman
from Tottenham Hotspur
for 'fairly substantial fee', full-back Garth Butler
from Derby County
, and half-back Norman Hallam
from Chelsea
. He sold goalkeeper Arthur Jepson
to Stoke City
for £3,750. However after a poor start to the season, he resigned in October 1946 over a policy difference with the club's directors. He claimed the board refused to back his suggestions for new payers, interfered in team selection and failed to grant him a three-year contract – claims which the club denied. The "Valiants" went on to finish the 1946–47
campaign in tenth place in the Third Division South
under Gordon Hodgson
.
as assistant to Dick Bayliss
, and also played seven league games. Following Bayliss' death, Frith was appointed as manager of Coventry City
in August 1947, remaining in that position until November 1948. Coventry finished the 1947–48 Second Division
season in tenth place, and went on to end the 1948–49 season just two points above the relegation zone under Harry Storer
's stewardship.
Following spells in charge at non-league clubs Stafford Rangers
, Rugby Town and Chelmsford City
, he rejoined Coventry City as a coach and was once again appointed manager in September 1957. His side ended 1957–58 in nineteenth place in the Third Division South
, and so were invited to become founder members of the Fourth Division
in 1958–59. He then took the club to a second place finish in 1958–59, four points behind champions Port Vale
, his former club; City were therefore promoted into the Third Division
.
His side flirted with the prospect of a second successive promotion in 1959–60, but ultimately finished in fifth place. They failed to push for promotion in 1960–61, and ended the campaign in fifteenth place. On what was known as 'Black Saturday', 25 November 1961, Coventry were dumped out of the FA Cup
by non-league Kings Lynn
, and Frith was sacked by chairman Derrick Robins
. He was replaced by Jimmy Hill
, who took Coventry to a fourteenth place finish in 1961–62.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
football player and manager.
Starting his career with Worksop Town
Worksop Town F.C.
Worksop Town Football Club are a semi-professional English football club from Worksop, Nottinghamshire who play in the Northern Premier League Premier Division...
, Mansfield Town
Mansfield Town F.C.
Mansfield Town Football Club is an English football club from the former mining town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The club was formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans and changed its name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 before settling on Mansfield Town in 1910...
, and Chesterfield
Chesterfield F.C.
Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower...
; he won a move to Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
in 1932. He stayed with the club right up until the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, helping the club to finish 1935–36 as Third Division South
Football League Third Division South
The Football League Third Division South was a level of English professional football which ran in parallel to Third Division North from 1921 to 1958....
champions, and played a total of 165 games for the club in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
.
In 1945 he was appointed as manager of Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
, before he returned to Coventry as manager in 1947. His time at both clubs was unsuccessful, and he spent the next decade in non-league football as manager of various sides. He returned to Coventry as manager in 1957 and led the club to promotion out of the Fourth Division
Football League Fourth Division
The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
in 1958–59, but was sacked in 1961.
Playing career
Frith played as a wing halfWing half
In association football, the position of wing half or wing half back) was popularly used in the late nineteenth and first half of the 20th centuries...
for non-league sides Worksop Town
Worksop Town F.C.
Worksop Town Football Club are a semi-professional English football club from Worksop, Nottinghamshire who play in the Northern Premier League Premier Division...
and Mansfield Town
Mansfield Town F.C.
Mansfield Town Football Club is an English football club from the former mining town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The club was formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans and changed its name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 before settling on Mansfield Town in 1910...
. He transferred to Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
side Chesterfield
Chesterfield F.C.
Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower...
in 1932, scoring three goals in nine league games, before he moved on to Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
later in the year. He remained in Harry Storer
Harry Storer, Jr.
Harry Storer was an English professional footballer, cricketer and football manager.-Early life:Storer was born in West Derby, Liverpool, the son of Harry Storer...
's team up until the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. During this time Coventry finished second in the Third Division South
Football League Third Division South
The Football League Third Division South was a level of English professional football which ran in parallel to Third Division North from 1921 to 1958....
in 1933–34, though were not promoted. They did achieve promotion at the end of the 1935–36 campaign, after topping the division, one point ahead of chasers Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
. Coventry finished in fourth place in the Second Division in the two pre-war seasons, missing out on promotion to the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
by one point in 1937–38 and four points in 1938–39. Frith made a total of 172 League appearances for Coventry City in two spells.
Port Vale
Frith was appointed manager of Port ValePort Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
in August 1945. The 1945–46 season was uneventful and he seemed to settle into management quite well. In preparation for the first season of post-war football, he signed experienced forward Colin Lyman
Colin Lyman
Colin Chad Lyman was an English footballer.-Playing career:Lyman played for Rushden Town, West Bromwich Albion, Southend United, Northampton Town and Tottenham Hotspur where he played in a total of 54 matches and scoring on 11 occasions in all competitions...
from Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
for 'fairly substantial fee', full-back Garth Butler
Garth Butler
Walter Garth Butler an English footballer. He was nicknamed 'the assassin' for his habit of taking several different coloured pills before a match.-Playing career:Butler joined Port Vale from Derby County in June 1946...
from Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
, and half-back Norman Hallam
Norman Hallam
Norman Henry Hallam is a former English footballer.-Playing career:Hallam played for Chelsea before joining Port Vale in May 1946. He quit full-time football however in July 1948 to become a Methodist Minister, but played two games in 1950...
from Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
. He sold goalkeeper Arthur Jepson
Arthur Jepson
Arthur Jepson was an English first-class cricketer who played for Nottinghamshire before becoming an umpire. In addition to cricket he was also an accomplished football goalkeeper who played over 100 games in the Football League before turning his hand to management.-Cricket career:Jepson, a...
to Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
for £3,750. However after a poor start to the season, he resigned in October 1946 over a policy difference with the club's directors. He claimed the board refused to back his suggestions for new payers, interfered in team selection and failed to grant him a three-year contract – claims which the club denied. The "Valiants" went on to finish the 1946–47
1946–47 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1946–47 season was Port Vale's thirty-fifth season of football in the Football League, and their second full season in the Third Division South. It was their first full season following the outbreak of war in Europe, they thus continued where they left off in 1938–39, albeit after seven seasons...
campaign in tenth place in the Third Division South
Football League Third Division South
The Football League Third Division South was a level of English professional football which ran in parallel to Third Division North from 1921 to 1958....
under Gordon Hodgson
Gordon Hodgson
Gordon Hodgson was a South African-born English sportsman, being best known for as a striker for Liverpool and also a first-class cricketer for Lancashire, he also excelled at baseball....
.
Coventry City
After leaving Port Vale, Frith returned to Highfield RoadHighfield Road
The Highfield Road Stadium was a football stadium in the city of Coventry, England. It was the home ground for Coventry City F.C. until the club moved to the new Ricoh Arena after the 2005-06 season...
as assistant to Dick Bayliss
Dick Bayliss
Dick Bayliss was manager of Coventry City F.C. between June 1945 and his death in April 1947. Bayliss had previously served the club as chief scout under his predecessor Harry Storer....
, and also played seven league games. Following Bayliss' death, Frith was appointed as manager of Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
in August 1947, remaining in that position until November 1948. Coventry finished the 1947–48 Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
season in tenth place, and went on to end the 1948–49 season just two points above the relegation zone under Harry Storer
Harry Storer, Jr.
Harry Storer was an English professional footballer, cricketer and football manager.-Early life:Storer was born in West Derby, Liverpool, the son of Harry Storer...
's stewardship.
Following spells in charge at non-league clubs Stafford Rangers
Stafford Rangers F.C.
Stafford Rangers Football Club is a semi-professional English football team from Stafford which plays in the Northern Premier League Premier Division.The team wear black and white stripes with black shorts...
, Rugby Town and Chelmsford City
Chelmsford City F.C.
Chelmsford City F.C. is an English semi-professional football club based in the town of Chelmsford, Essex. The club are currently members of the Conference South and play at the Melbourne Stadium.-Chelmsford:...
, he rejoined Coventry City as a coach and was once again appointed manager in September 1957. His side ended 1957–58 in nineteenth place in the Third Division South
Football League Third Division South
The Football League Third Division South was a level of English professional football which ran in parallel to Third Division North from 1921 to 1958....
, and so were invited to become founder members of the Fourth Division
Football League Fourth Division
The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
in 1958–59. He then took the club to a second place finish in 1958–59, four points behind champions Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
, his former club; City were therefore promoted into the Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
.
His side flirted with the prospect of a second successive promotion in 1959–60, but ultimately finished in fifth place. They failed to push for promotion in 1960–61, and ended the campaign in fifteenth place. On what was known as 'Black Saturday', 25 November 1961, Coventry were dumped out of the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
by non-league Kings Lynn
King's Lynn F.C.
King's Lynn F.C. was an English football club based in King's Lynn, Norfolk. Established in 1879, they were wound up at the High Court on 25 November 2009 with debts of £77,000 and went out of business in December after a failed appeal...
, and Frith was sacked by chairman Derrick Robins
Derrick Robins
Derrick Harold Robins, often known as D. H. Robins was an English cricketer and sports promoter, at one time chairman of Coventry City Football Club. He was born in Bexleyheath, Kent....
. He was replaced by Jimmy Hill
Jimmy Hill
James William Thomas "Jimmy" Hill OBE is an English association football personality. His career has taken in virtually every role in football, including player, union leader, coach, manager, director, chairman, television executive, presenter, analyst and match official.-Early life:Hill was born...
, who took Coventry to a fourteenth place finish in 1961–62.
Honours
with Coventry City- Football League Third Division SouthFootball League Third Division SouthThe Football League Third Division South was a level of English professional football which ran in parallel to Third Division North from 1921 to 1958....
runner-up: 1933–34 (not promoted) - Football League Third Division SouthFootball League Third Division SouthThe Football League Third Division South was a level of English professional football which ran in parallel to Third Division North from 1921 to 1958....
champion: 1935–36 (promoted) - Football League Fourth DivisionFootball League Fourth DivisionThe Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
runner-up: 1958–59 (promoted)