Biggest characters

[drfchound]

I played against Billy three or four times before he signed for Rovers.
He was a nutter then too, thankfully I played up front too so we didn’t cross paths much.

[Donny Exile in York]

I thought he was a decent bloke off the field as well.
Had one or two civil chats with him but you wouldn't want to play against him.
Found this article about him.

BILLY IN HIS OWN WORDS
On bare-knuckle fighting...

I got offered two bare-knuckle fights for a grand apiece. I took them. The first was easy. I just banged him and he went. Easy money. The second one dragged on for a while and I got mauled a bit. I told Maurice Evans (Oxford manager) I’d been in a car accident. He still put me in the team. I had stitches all over my face.

On one game for Sheffield United...

We were at Southampton and I went on as we got a corner. As I was running towards the penalty area, Vinnie Jones shouted to Neil Ruddock, 'Why don’t you call him a fat b*****d now, Razor?'. Ruddock went white, he panicked, 'I didn’t say a thing Billy, honest'.

On his contribution to tactics...

I remember my first match at Stoke. We had a team talk and (manager Alan Ball) said, 'The first corner we get, play it to the far post and get the knock-down'. I put my hand up and said, 'Gaffer, if you float the first corner on top of the keeper I’ll smash him and he’ll never come for another cross again'. Bally looked around the dressing room and said, 'OK, we’ll do that'. And we did!

Absolutely brilliant, great to hear these stories. Can you imagine him playing now? He didn't last long on the pitch in the 80s and 90s, he wouldn't last 5 minutes before the red card was out these days. Carnage.

[Padge_DRFC]

El Hadj Diouf.

[drfchound]

Diouf is one the the best to ever play for us.

[Nudga]

I played against Billy three or four times before he signed for Rovers.
He was a nutter then too, thankfully I played up front too so we didn’t cross paths much.

Who did you play for Hound?

[roversdude]

Did Billy ever write his book, it doesn’t seem available anywhere so unsure if it was ever released

[Colin C No.3]

I found a copy in our local library.

It was under ‘Horror’.

[Padge_DRFC]

Diouf is one the the best to ever play for us.

One of the best interviews ever when he joined. Turned down the notion he comes with a reputation of being a bad boy because - 'I have never been to the jail'

[Bollinger]

I was living in Hull when Whitehurst was making a name for himself.

Not long before he signed for Newcastle I went into a pretty busy pub. At this time he and Les Mutrie were scoring for fun and Whitehurst was the star turn and a cult hero.

Anyway, all tables were full, standing room only and sat alone at a table with a pint is BW, legs akimbo with thighs like Chris Hoy’s. The tables either side of him were empty. There was a big semi circle of space around him like an invisible forcefield. Not one person dared sit at the tables either side or ask for an autograph, wander over for a chat or offer to buy him a pint.

He was definitely giving off a menacing ‘do not disturb’ vibe.

I’d have paid a lot of money to see Whitehurst as a converted centre half playing against Carl Alford and gently demonstrating to Alford what a proper hard man is.

[roversdude]

I found a copy in our local library.

It was under ‘Horror’.

Searched high and low for it for a few years - there seems to be plenty of places advertise it but no one actually has it lol

[Balby Rover]

I am new today to the Forum but here is one on Billy Whitehurst. I think at one time he lived at Old Edlington his kids and my kids went to the same school Warmsworth Mill Lane. One britter freezing Winter day hard frost we were dropping kids off. Billy turned up double parked on yellow lines got out of his car shorts, sleeveless vest and flip flops. Took the kids to the gate a woman next to me said quite loud voice who does he think he is. I said love keep you voice down if you want to stay on your feet he looked at me and smiled Billy looked at her the look nearly dropped her.