Billy Crighton began his career with Ipswich Town and made 3 appearances for their youth team during the 1962-63 season. Billy also made his debut for Bury Town during the season and would go to make 10 appearances for the first team. On Saturday 27th April 1963, Billy scored a hat-trick against Harwich and Parkeston in an away Eastern Counties League fixture.

Billy next appeared for Bury Town during the 1964-65 season, making 9 appearances and scoring twice.

The 1965-66 season was one of the most successful seasons in the history of Bury Town. The team won the Metropolitan Football League which contained the A teams of Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United and Arsenal, suffering only two defeats during the entire season. Portman Road was the venue for Suffolk Premier Cup Final where Billy played in the Bury Town team that defeated Haverhill Rovers. During the season Billy turned down approaches from Ipswich Town and Norwich City who both wanted to sign him. Billy was also wanted by Arsenal who were managed by Billy Wright but Bury Town refused Arsenal permission to talk to him until the end of the season. Billy Wright was dismissed by the Arsenal board at the end of the season and subsequently the talks never materialised. Billy made 36 appearances and found the back of the net on 25 occasions during the season.
Bury Town had another successful league season, finishing in fourth position in 1966-67 behind Champions Tottenham A and Arsenal A. Billy played in 35 matches and scored 15 goals.

The team built on their success and finished runners up in the Metropolitan League in 1967-68. Bury Town progressed to the final of the Suffolk Premier Cup where they were defeated 4-1 by a strong Ipswich Town reserve team before 2,576 spectators. Billy appeared at White Hart Lane in the first leg of the Metropolitan League Challenge Cup Final against Tottenham Hotspur A where Bury returned to Suffolk having established a 2-1 lead. Bury won the home leg 2-0 to win the trophy. Billy added 33 appearances and 10 goals to his career total.

The 1968-69 season is remembered for Bury Town’s exploits in the Football Association Challenge Cup where they reached the First Round proper for the first time in their history. Billy featured in both matches against Bournemouth and Boscombe. The first match finished 0-0 at Kings Road in front of 3,000 supporters. Four days later 9,773 spectators gathered at Dean Court to witness a 3-0 win for the home team. Bury lost on aggregate to another strong Ipswich Town reserve team in the Suffolk Premier Cup semi-final with the match at Portman Road attracting 2,080 spectators. The side went one better than the previous season by winning the Metropolitan Football League for the second time in four seasons. Billy appeared on 47 occasions and scored 20 goals.

Doug Tooley Bury Town’s prolific goalscorer left the club so it was essential that a replacement be found for the 1969-70 season. Billy responded and scored a total of 25 goals in 46 appearances for a team that progressed to the semi-finals of Metropolitan Football League Autumn Shield and the Suffolk Premier Cup.

Billy made 56 appearances for Bury Town and also finished top goalscorer for the second season in succession, finding the back of the net on 28 occasions during the 1970-71 season. The team finished runners up in the Metropolitan Football League and Autumn Shield but beat Sudbury Town 1-0 in the final of the Suffolk Premier Cup with Billy scoring the solitary goal. Bury also progressed to the second round of the Football Association Challenge Trophy, where they were beaten 2-0 by Hereford United at Edgar Street in front of 4,506 spectators.

Billy added 30 more appearances and scored 8 goals during the 1971-72 season.
In 1972-73, Billy featured in the team that lost to Sudbury Town in the final of the Suffolk Premier Cup at Portman Road. He made 29 appearances, scoring 8 goals.
1973-74 would be the final season that Billy donned the Bury Town shirt, making 6 appearances.

Billy Crighton represented Bury Town Football Club over a twelve year period, making 337 appearances and scoring 144 goals. He attained considerable success over his career, winning the Metropolitan Football League twice, Suffolk Premier Cup twice and Metropolitan League Challenge Cup. He played in two of the most iconic matches in Bury Town’s history against Bournemouth and Boscombe and Hereford United and will be remembered for being one of Bury Town’s greatest all time players.

Billy's funeral takes place on Monday 30th December at 1pm at St Giles Church, Risby.

The Programme Collector