The great Harry Storer signed Frith from Chesterfield in 1932 and he became a key member of City’s great side of the 1930s. He started off as an inside forward but soon found that his best position at right-half. During the 1935-36 promotion season he would have been an ever present but for an injury but up until the war he barely missed a match.
A solid, dependable attacking wing-half he was much admired in the game and subject of interest from bigger clubs. During the war he played regularly for City but also played as a guest for Leicester and but for an injury would have won wartime caps. In 1945 he decided to try management with Port Vale but it was a disaster and he put his boots back on and returned to Highfield Road as player/assistant manager. In April 1947 manager Dick Bayliss died suddenly and Frith was the obvious replacement. After eighteen months he was sacked after a poor run of results. Bill became a full-time teacher and managed local non-league teams in his spare time but in 1955 he was lured back to Highfield Road to coach the juniors.
In September 1957 he was again the obvious choice to take over when Harry Warren was fired and despite the team being ‘relegated’ to Division Four in his first season, he rebuilt the team and led them back up at the first attempt. The next season they almost made it two successive promotions but it was downhill after that.
In November 1961 he was sacked for a second time and replaced by Jimmy Hill. Frith left his beloved club with dignity and returned to teaching, where he remained until his retirement in 1977, as well as managing in non-league. He still kept in touch with the game with regular scouting missions, and in 1980 he was still scouting for Chesterfield, from his home in Kenilworth. Billy died in the summer of 1996 after a pleasant retirement.