Brian ‘Billy’ Williams, the Penrith football club chairman has died earlier today.
The club announced the news on their social platforms this afternoon, days before the new Northern League season kicks-off.
Billy, 79, has been involved with Penrith for many years, as player, manager and chairman, and is widely respected throughout county football circles and beyond.
The Penrith club said: “It is with great sadness that Penrith AFC lost their much beloved chairman Billy Williams earlier today.
“Words can’t express the loss we all feel and all our love and thoughts go to Cath and all their family. RIP. Billy we will always love you.”
There have been messages of sympathy and condolences expressed from all over the county, with rival clubs and colleagues epressing their admiration for the work he’d done for the Penrith club over the years.
Jim Nichols, the current Penrith manager, said: “I am personally devastated because Billy was such a great man for this football club. He lived and breathed it and has done so much for Penrith FC over many years.
“It’s not going to be the same at matches when he’s not there because he was always in attendance, home and away.”
The club plan to stage a special tribute at the opening game of the new season on Saturday when they entertain Easington Colliery in the Northern League Division One.
It’s a tribute that manager Nichols wants to be part of but as things stand he will be forced to watch the game from a nearby hill as he serves a stadium ban for an offence that took place on Boxing Day.
To make matters worse for Saturday, Nichols’ assistant Alan Ingles is on holiday and will be missing so one of the senior players was being asked to take charge.
“I believe the club is going to ask, because of the circumstances, if the ban could be held back until our game on Tuesday night,” said Nichols.
Billy Williams played for Carlisle United and Darlington, before starting a 60-year association with Penrith,
He was manager of the side when it beat Chester City in a famous FA Cup shock in 1983 and then entertained Burnley at its former Southend Road ground the following season.
More recently as chairman he was instrumental in Penrith being able to lay a new 3G pitch at Frenchfield, providing vital extra revenue for the club.
Cumbria Crack’s John Walsh spoke to Bill in late 2024 after the laying of the new pitch and he talked about his time in the game at Carlisle, Darlington and Penrith. You can hear again below.
