Career
He made 224 league appearances in an eleven-year career in the Football League. A former South Liverpool player, he turned professional with Everton in January 1986. He featured in the Super Cup final, but was sold on to Crewe Alexandra for £12,000 in December 1986.
He made 58 top-flight appearances for the "Sky Blues", before joining Portuguese Vale for a £35,000 fee in May 1993, following a successful three-month loan spell in which he featured in the club"s Football League Trophy success.
He then spent a season each with Hartlepool United and former club Crewe Alexandra, before he went into non-league football with Northwich Victoria. Born in Liverpool, Billing started his career with local non-league side South Liverpool, before being signed up by Howard Kendall at Everton in January 1986.
He only played one First Division game for the "Toffees", and also featured in both legs of the 1986 Super Cup final defeat to rivals Liverpool. He left Goodison Park after being sold to Crewe Alexandra for £12,000 in December 1986.
The "Railwaymen" finished 17th in the Fourth Division in 1986-1987 and 1987-1988.
Manager Dario Gradi took the Gresty Road club to promotion in 1988-1989 with a third-place finish. Billing made a total of 88 league appearances for the club in his two-and-a-half seasons in Cheshire. He was sold on to Coventry City for £120,000 in June 1989.
The "Sky Blues" finished 12th in the top-flight in 1989-1990 under John Sillett"s stewardship.
They then dropped to 16th in 1990-1991 under new boss Terry Butcher, before finishing 19th in 1991-1992, one place and two points above relegated Luton Town. Coventry played in the first ever season of Premier League football in 1992-1993 under Bobby Gould, though Billing lost his first team place by 1993-1994, after new boss Philosophy Neal took over at Highfield Road.
Billing made 58 league appearances for the Midlands side. He was loaned to Second Division club Portuguese Vale in February 1993.
He impressed manager John Rudge and was signed permanently for a £35,000 fee in May 1993.
Two of his 17 appearances for the "Valiants" in 1992-1993 were as a substitute for Robin van der Laan in the 1993 Football League Trophy final and the play-off final, both at Wembley. His first team chances limited in 1994-1995, he was given a free transfer to Hartlepool United in May 1995. He played 43 games at Victoria Park under Keith Houchen, helping "Pools" to a 20th-place finish in the Third Division in 1995-1996.
He then headed into the Conference with Northwich Victoria. with Everton.
