Over the next few seasons Billy's goal tally and reputation grew, and he scored 4 goals when the Irish League Select played the Italian League Select at Windsor Park in 1962, in a 6–2 victory.
He then picked up his full Northern Ireland international cap in a match against Wales, just after his 20th birthday.
[2] In June 1966, then manager of Oldham Athletic, Jimmy McIlroy, signed him for £10,000, and he also scored his first international goal in a 4–1 victory over Mexico at Windsor Park just before the 1966 World Cup.
[2] Unfortunately for Billy, he picked up a serious ankle injury just 4 weeks into his Football League career, that forced him to retire at the age of just 26.
[1] During the 1971–72 season, he took over the reins at Crusaders, winning the league title in 1972–73 and 1975–76, leading the club to famous ties against the likes of Dinamo Bucharest and Liverpool.