Billy Crawshaw, a Lancastrian from Darwen, joined from Accrington Stanley and appeared for Exeter City during the club’s final season in the Southern League in 1919/20. Remaining with the club, he played in the Grecians’ first-ever Football League game against Brentford in August 1920 before leaving for  Accrington only to return to St James’ Park for two seasons between 1923 and 1925. He later played for Taunton and lived in Exeter until his death in the 1960s.

A former cotton weaver, Billy was stationed at Topsham Barracks with the Royal Artillery in 1919 when he played a few matches as an amateur for Exeter City reserves.

On leaving the forces he signed professional forms for the Grecians and made his Southern League debut against Gillingham in January 1920 before going on to make 15 league appearances that season. Remaining with the club after its election to the Football League in the summer of 1920, Billy appeared in twenty-eight Third Division matches during 1920/21 before departing to Accrington Stanley in 1921 where he added a 59 Division Three North appearances in two seasons.

Billy was back at Exeter for a second spell with the club prior to the 1923/24 season but only featured in a further 11 league matches ahead of joining Taunton United in the summer of 1925.

Settling in Exeter, Billy was elected as chairman of the Grecians Association in June 1948 before serving on the club's board  between 1954 and 1961. He also ran a building company based in Heavitree and was captain and president of the Exeter Golf and Country Club.

Billy Crawshaw died in Exeter in September 1963.