Billy Hughes

Billy Hughes

Although Billy lost a large chunk of his playing career due to the war he was still regarded as ‘the most polished full-back in the country if not the world’ when Second Division Luton paid a record £11,000 to Birmingham for his services in 1947.

New Luton manager Dally Duncan had pulled off a major coup in bringing the Welsh international to Kenilworth Road but after only 31 appearances he was off to Chelsea with centre-forward Hugh Billington for a combined £20,000.

Billy left Chelsea in 1951, age 33, for Hereford and then skippered Flint Town United to the Welsh Cup final.

In later life Billy ran a pub and was steward at the Wolseley Cars Social Club before dying in Birmingham in 1981.