Chris Billy

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Chris Billy

| fullname = Christopher Anthony Billy

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1973|01|02|df=y}}

| birth_place = Huddersfield, England

| height = {{height|ft=5|in=11}}

| position = Midfielder

| currentclub =

| years1 = 1991–1995 | clubs1 = Huddersfield Town | caps1 = 94 | goals1 = 4

| years2 = 1995–1998 | clubs2 = Plymouth Argyle | caps2 = 118 | goals2 = 8

| years3 = 1998 | clubs3 = Notts County | caps3 = 6 | goals3 = 0

| years4 = 1998–2003 | clubs4 = Bury | caps4 = 178 | goals4 = 11

| years5 = 2003–2007 | clubs5 = Carlisle United | caps5 = 142 | goals5 = 3

| years6 = 2007 | clubs6 = Halifax Town | caps6 = 13 | goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2007–2008 | clubs7 = Farsley Celtic | caps7 = 15 | goals7 = 0

| years8 = 2008 | clubs8 = → Ossett Town (loan) | caps8 = | goals8 =

| totalcaps = 566 | totalgoals = 26

}}

Christopher Anthony Billy is an English retired professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He played in the Football League for Huddersfield Town, Plymouth Argyle, Notts County, Bury and Carlisle United. He also played for Halifax Town, Farsley Celtic and Ossett Town.

Career

Billy began his career with Huddersfield Town in 1991.{{cite web|title=Chris Billy|url=http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player3/chrisbilly.html|work=Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database|publisher=Neil Brown|access-date=22 February 2012}} He scored the winning goal in the Second Division play-off final at Wembley Stadium in 1995 that saw Huddersfield promoted to the First Division under the management of Neil Warnock.{{cite news|last=Colman|first=Jon|title=How Boo-Boy Victim Chris Became Blues Cult Hero|url=http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/how-boo-boy-victim-chris-became-blues-cult-hero-1.65733?referrerPath=home/2.1962|access-date=22 February 2012|newspaper=News and Star|date=6 February 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120904013542/http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/how-boo-boy-victim-chris-became-blues-cult-hero-1.65733?referrerPath=home/2.1962|archive-date=4 September 2012}} The latter resigned within days and was appointed manager of Plymouth Argyle, who had just been relegated to the Third Division, and he signed Billy in August. He scored four goals in his first season with the club as they gained promotion via the play-offs, and made 137 appearances in all competitions during his three seasons with Argyle, scoring nine times.{{cite web|title=Chris Billy|url=http://www.greensonscreen.co.uk/gosdb-players2.asp?pid=68&scp=1,2,3,4,5,6,7|work=GoS–DB|publisher=Greens on Screen|access-date=22 February 2012}} He had a brief spell with Notts County in 1998 before being signed by Warnock again, this time for Bury. He spent five seasons with Bury and amassed 178 league appearances, with 11 goals.

He left Bury in 2003 and moved to Carlisle United,{{cite web|title=Chris Billy|url=http://www.carlisleunited.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10361~8995,00.html|publisher=Carlisle United F.C|access-date=22 February 2012}}{{dead link|date=August 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} where he experienced 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. Gaining back to back promotions winning league 2 the following year. Having made 142 appearances for Carlisle, Billy was transferred to Halifax Town in January 2007.{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/halifax_town/6319903.stm |title=Halifax make late swoop for Billy |access-date=2 February 2007 |date=1 February 2007 |publisher=BBC Sport }} Eight months later, he was released from his contract to join Farsley Celtic.{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/f/farsley_celtic/6970200.stm |title=Farsley sign Halifax midfielder |access-date=30 August 2007 |date=30 August 2007 |publisher=BBC Sport }} He spent time on loan with Ossett Town, having signed in February 2008,{{cite web|title=Ossett Take Billy on Loan|url=http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=48455|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120908235912/http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=48455|url-status=usurped|archive-date=8 September 2012|publisher=Non League Daily|access-date=22 February 2012|date=25 February 2008}} before retiring as a player.

Honours

Huddersfield Town

Football League Division Two play-offs: 1995{{Cite web |last=Haylett |first=Trevor |date=28 May 1995 |title=Shadow over Warnock's joy |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/shadow-over-warnock-s-joy-1621656.html |access-date=31 August 2024 |website=The Independent}}

Plymouth Argyle

Football League Division Three play-offs: 1996{{Cite web |last=Metcalf |first=Rupert |date=25 May 1996 |title=Pilgrims progress |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/pilgrims-progress-1349280.html |access-date=31 August 2024 |website=The Independent}}

Carlisle United

Football Conference play-offs: 2005{{Cite news |date=2005-05-14 |title=Stevenage 0–1 Carlisle |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_conf/4537061.stm |access-date=2024-08-30 |work=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}}
EFL League Two: 2005–06{{ENFA|name=Chris Billy}}
Football League Trophy runner-up: 2005–06{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/4865270.stm |title=Carlisle 1–2 Swansea |website=BBC Sport |date=2 April 2006 |access-date=17 March 2024}}

Individual

Bury Player of the Year: 2000–01{{Cite news |date=2001-05-11 |title=Billy's the fans' favourite |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/6030552.billys-fans-favourite/ |access-date=2024-08-30 |work=Lancashire Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}
Plymouth Argyle Player of the Year: 1996-97