In the last two decades of the Nineteenth Century, many Barnsley families migrated to the Chesterfield area in order to work in the expanding mining industry.A perverse consequence of this was that, in later years, fathers and sons would attend Barnsley's visits to Saltergate to support different teams.Hoyland-born Billy Banner was one of many local miners to emerge with the Chesterfield Town club from junior football in North-east Derbyshire.

Powerful but elegant, he was a versatile player, able to play anywhere across the half-back line, and was a competent full-back, too.He accompanied Paddy Milward to Southern League QPR in pursuit of higher wages but stayed only one season before returning to Saltergate.

He retired from senior football at the age of thirty but continued to serve the Hardwick Colliery club (along with a number of ex-Spireites) until the outbreak of the Great War.A quiet, introspective man, he won many friends in the Holmewood community for his service to local sport as a football and cricket coach.

For Chesterfield Town:

181 Football League appearances, 12 goals.