CHRIS BILLY

Born: 02 January 1973

Came from: Huddersfield Town   Went to: Notts County

First game: 12 August 1995   Last game: 25 April 1998

Appearances: 137 (125/12)   Goals: 9

Billy was a midfielder and was born in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. He began his career at his home town club Huddersfield Town in 1991, whom he helped gain promotion by winning the Division Two Play-offs in 1994-95 under Neil Warnock, scoring the 81st minute winner for Town at the old Wembley Stadium against Bristol Rovers in front of 59,175.

Within days Warnock resigned and to the shock of many, headed to the south west, to freshly relegated Argyle, occupying the bottom tier for the first time in the club's history. Shortly after, Billy followed him to Argyle and quickly established himself at Home Park for his consistently solid displays in the heart of midfield. He made 39 appearances in all competitions and scored four goals during his first season with Argyle, achieving a second successive promotion with Warnock as he led Argyle immediately out of the basement with a 1-0 win at Wembley in the 1995-96 Third Division Final through Ronnie Mauge's seminal goal. With Billy having missed a sitter in the away first-leg tie against Colchester United in the Play-off semi-finals, he was benched for the return leg at Home Park in favour of Mauge, who kept his place for the Final and netted the winner.

However, he had still been a vital component in Warnock's promotion winning team, and the following season back in Second Division (the third tier) was to be his finest at the club as he appeared in all but one league game, scored a further three goals, and was voted the club's Player of the Year for the 1996-97 season.

At the end of his third season, with his contract at an end and wanting to return north, he was granted a free transfer. He had played 137 times in green, netting nine times. Having departed Home Park, he then had a brief spell with Notts County - playing just six times in 1998 - before a five-year stint at Bury began in 1998, again signed by and reuniting with Warnock.

At Gigg Lane he played 178 times and scored 11 goals, and was awarded Bury's Player of the Year for 2000-01. He left Bury in 2003 and moved to Carlisle United, though suffered relegation from the Football League in his first season with the club. Carlisle made a swift return from the Football Conference the following season, gaining promotion through the play-offs and following that with back-to-back promotions by winning League Two the following year, to make it four career promotions. He also picked up a Football League Trophy runner's-up medal in 2005-06.

Having made 142 appearances for Carlisle, he transferred to Halifax Town in January 2007, playing 13 times. Eight months later, he was released from his contract to join Leeds-based non-league side Farsley Celtic, playing 15 times in 2007-08. He spent time on loan with Ossett Town, having signed in February 2008, before retiring as a player.