Showing promise as a young footballer in his native Staffordshire, he won the Staffordshire Junior Cup with Leek Wasps in 1888, Bill Furby later joined St Mary’s a few months before they began a new era in the Southern League in 1894. Soon after his arrival he was described in the local press as ” a wonderfully well-made fellow, just the cut for a footballer”, but his chances of playing regularly in that League were limited by the form at wing-half of “Lachie” Thomson and Ernie Taylor. Furby was essentially competing with Taylor and reportedly resented Taylor being preferred to him. All of which meant that, after playing only half as many League and FA Cup games as Taylor in that 1994-95 season, Bill obtained reinstatement to amateur status (he had turned pro when joining St Mary’s) and joined local rivals, Freemantle. He remained in the town for some time and worked – you couldn’t make it up – as a tailor.

In his youth he was a noted athlete specialising in sprints, particularly the 220 yards event.