He left league football the following summer, joining non-league Worcester City in July 1967, Upton joined Workington as player-manager in January 1968, but lost his job six months later after Workington had finished 23rd in Football League Division Four Division Four and been forced to seek re-election.
He joined Chelsea's coaching staff in August 1977 and became caretaker manager in December 1978 after the dismissal of Ken Shellito.
In 1982, he returned to the UK as coach of Wolverhampton Wanderers, a post he held until October 1984 when he was appointed as manager of Bedworth United.
In May 1989 he was appointed as coach to the Sabah FA, but returned to the UK as caretaker-manager of Burton Albion in January 1990.
He was appointed as youth coach at Conference side Northwich Victoria in April 1990, taking a similar position at Cheltenham Town in November 1990.