Bill Lambton appeared as a guest for Exeter City during 1945/46 when two interim league competitions - Division Three South (South of Thames) [played until Christmas] and the Division Three South Cup (Southern Section) [played from January] - were organised ahead of a return to ‘normal’ league football in 1946/47. He later managed a number of clubs including Leeds United. 

After playing for junior side Basford North End, Bill signed professional forms for Nottingham Forest in May 1935 although he was never to feature in a league game. 

Employed as fitters' labourer in Nottingham on the outbreak of war, Bill was later a guest player for Exeter City in April 1946 when he appeared in three matches in the Division Three South Cup (Southern Section) in addition to appearing in goal in a special Devon competition against Torquay United in May 1946.

After declining a contract with the Grecians, Bill signed for Doncaster Rovers in October 1946 for whom he featured in three league games before becoming a coach in Denmark with KB Copenhagen between 1951 and 1955. Returning to Britain, Bill went on to manage  Scunthorpe United and Grimsby Town before his appointment as manager of Leeds United. He was appointed manager of Leeds United in December 1958 when he soon signed Don Revie and the 15-year-old Billy Bremner. 

Returning to Scunthorpe United as manager in April 1959, Bill left after a matter of days and did not return to football until serving as Chester's manager between 1962 and 1963. 

A former Sergeant Major in the Army, he was known as ’Iron Man Bill’ and died in 1976 in Sherwood, Nottingham.