Simon Leslie, aka Manfromdelmonte, is organising it. A good few years ago Simon bumped into Billy and his old pal and teammate Johnny Hubbard enjoying a refreshment in the Wee Rangers Club. It would be the start of a wonderful partnership with the story of both being brought to new generations of Rangers fans.
In those day players tended to stay longer at one club - Johnny and Billy played together for roughly a decade - it meant the team was closer; they went to one another’s weddings and christenings of kids and often became life-long friends. And so it was for Billy and Johnny.
Billy already had a good footballing career with Linfield back home in Belfast before Rangers came calling. Rangers director George Brown often acted as a scout for the club in those days and it was he who went over to watch Billy, who by then had won two Irish League medals and two Irish Cups.
It was a great treat to be in Billy’s company and hear the old stories: of how a lad from the Roden Street/Grosvenor Road area made it into professional football and represented his country. His older brother Reggie played for Belfast Celtic and the two of them would enjoy a few battles on opposite sides of the old Belfast derbies.
He came over to Glasgow on a boat that docked at the Broomielaw - he was met on the quayside by Tom Peterkin, Bill Struth’s chauffeur. Mr Struth was in hospital recovering from an operation and Billy’s ‘job interview’ took place at the great man’s bedside. Money was not discussed - instead it was a discussion of his home life, what BB company he was in, how he liked to play the position, what trade he had outside football. He agreed to sign and Struth signed a chitty for him to get kitted out with club blazer and slacks.
He would win three Scottish League Championships and a Scottish Cup medal with Rangers. At the same time his Northern Ireland career blossomed. In those days there were far fewer international fixtures so his haul of 12 caps and 5 goals was pretty decent. It included a famous appearance at Wembley where he scored a flying header in a 3-2 win. Sadly, despite his goal in a 3-0 win over Portugal in 1957 which helped Northern Ireland get to the 1958 World Cup Finals (NI wining the group on goal difference over Portugal and Italy) he was destined not to play in the finals due to an injury picked up in training a few days before the first - although arguments rage to this day whether he was fit enough to play in the later stages of the competition.
In 2007 I was privileged to accompany Billy and Hubby to the official opening of the Limavady Rangers Supporters Club. It would be a great treat for myself and FF poster Hagi to be in their company for a few days, although the car breaking down in heavily republican Bellaghy was not a highlight! We stayed in Coleraine and one evening on a perambulation around the town we went into the Queen’s Arms and bumped into a few old pals of the great Celtic captain Bertie Peacock who hailed from the town - Billy posed for a picture with Bertie’s statue which is just around the corner from the Queen’s. He nattered all night recalling many stories of battles on the pitch and camaraderie as he roomed with Bertie whilst on international duty.
On the first night in Ulster we gave the two of them envelopes with fifty quid each just to make sure they had a few bob for rounds of drinks bu they gave them back to us - ‘no need for that, we’re just happy to be here.’ They unpacked and produced RFC club blazers and slacks they maintained at their own expense.
We did a fair bit of sightseeing on that trip - the weather was gorgeous as we toured Derry’s Walls and was even warmer when we went to the Giants Causeway. It was one of those days you wouldn’t have walked 20 yards without being assured there was a cold drink or an ice cream waiting on you. After sweltering for an hour or so in the sun we headed back to the car - Hagi and I initially made for the bus stop but Billy and Johnny fancied the walk back up the cliffs. It’s a bit of a trek as anyone who has visited will know - we plodded after the two of them until they decided to have a bit of a race back to the car park! Off they jogged, the two of them in their 70s.
Billy Simpson is a gentleman of the old school. Modest and gracious. Sadly he hasn’t had the best of health in recent years and rarely leaves the house. Once he was a warrior on the pitch - now he needs a bit of a helping hand. If you can make it along on the 9th of December you’ll be very welcome.
The Tribute night will feature Jimmy Nicholl, Bomber Brown, Ronnie Wilson and a three course meal. Tickets are just 50 pounds. Contact Simon to book tickets or sponsor an advert in the programme - 07923 610453, sie1872@googlemail.com