Billy Best

{{short description|English footballer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2016}}

{{Use British English|date=June 2016}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Billy Best

| image =

| fullname = William James Blaikley Best

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1942|9|7|df=y}}

| birth_place = Glasgow, Scotland

| height = {{height|ft=5|in=7}}

| death_date =

| position = Forward

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Pollok

| years1 = 1961–1968

| years2 = 1968–1973

| years3 = 1973–1977

| years4 = 1977

| clubs1 = Northampton Town

| clubs2 = Southend United

| clubs3 = Northampton Town

| clubs4 = Bedford Town

| caps1 = 47

| caps2 = 226

| caps3 = 184

| goals1 = 16

| goals2 = 106

| goals3 = 37

| totalcaps = 457

| totalgoals = 159

}}

William James Blaikley Best (born 7 September 1942) is a former professional footballer who played football for Northampton Town and Southend United as a forward/winger. During his second spell with Northampton, he mainly performed in midfield and finally defence, as a centre back playing alongside the centre-half.

After retiring from football, Best worked as a painter before becoming a salesman.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theleaguepaper.com/featured/717/where-are-they-now-northampton-town-1975-76-division-four-runners-up/|title = Where Are They Now? Northampton Town 1975-76 Division Four Runners up|date = 13 November 2013}} He was inducted into Northampton's hall of fame in 2006.{{Cite web|url=https://www.where-are-they-now.co.uk/footballer/Best+Billy/4727|title=Where Are They Now? | Footballers | Billy Best|website=www.where-are-they-now.co.uk}}