He began his football career during the Second World War as a youth with Atlas & Norfolk Works before signing as an amateur with Huddersfield Town and Sheffield United, and turned professional with the latter in September 1944.
His early career was as a winger, but after he joined Birmingham City for an £8,000 fee in 1950, he was converted to wing half.
[4][5] Warhurst injured a thigh in the sixth-round FA Cup match, and missed the rest of the season, and his absence was considered a significant factor in Birmingham's losing the 1956 Cup Final:[3] teammate Alex Govan was convinced that "if Roy Warhurst had been fit then there would only have been one winner".
[6] He succeeded Len Boyd as Birmingham captain at the end of that season,[7] and 12 months later signed for Manchester City for a £10,000 fee.
He spent 18 months at City before moving on to Crewe Alexandra and then to Oldham Athletic, where he was appointed captain.