Previous Coaching & Managerial Roles

Villa was Billy Smith's first 'managerial' post. Billy joined Villa in November 1910 as an office boy when George Ramsay was secretary and E. W. "Wally" Strange was his assistant. Tragically Wally was killed in an accident at Snow Hill station in 1925 which led to his great friend Billy succeeding him as assistant to Ramsay.

Although in the summer of 1926 Ramsay resigned his position, he remained in an advisory capacity until Billy was able to take over his role in October of that year, aged 33.

Billy would continue in his role through to 1955 when he retired from football and having handed over responsibility for team matters to Villa's first manager proper, Jimmy McMullan, in June 1934.