Career
He also coached Fitzroy and Essendon. Recruited from Thornbury CYMS and making his debut with the Fitzroy Football Club in the VFL in 1947, Stephen was one of the best defenders in the league. He went on to play 162 games and kicked 4 goals for the club, playing prominently from the back pocket position.
Bill Stephen coached Fitzroy on three separate occasions from 1955 to 1957, 1965 to 1970 and 1979 to 1980.
His overall coaching record stands at 258 matches, 84 wins, 172 losses and 2 draws. He was sacked from Fitzroy in 1970 as he was recovering in hospital from pneumonia and also from Essendon in 1977.
He resigned from his final VFL coaching appointment part way through the 1980 season, after coach the Lions into the finals in 1979 for the first time since 1960. He was also an assistant coach for South Melbourne and North Melbourne in between his stints at Fitzroy and Essendon.
