Andy Williams (footballer, born 1962)

Last updated

Andy Williams
Personal information
Full name Andrew Williams [1]
Date of birth (1962-07-29) 29 July 1962 (age 61) [2]
Place of birth Birmingham, England [2]
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) [2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
Dudley Town
Solihull Borough
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1985–1986 Coventry City 9 (0)
1986–1988 Rotherham United 87 (13)
1988–1992 Leeds United 46 (3)
1991–1992Port Vale (loan) 5 (0)
1992–1993 Notts County 39 (2)
1993Huddersfield Town (loan) 6 (0)
1993–1995 Rotherham United 51 (2)
1995–1996 Hull City 34 (0)
1996 Scarborough 1 (0)
Total278(20)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Andrew Williams (born 29 July 1962) is an English former footballer, who played for 278 league games in an eleven-year professional career in the Football League. He turned out for Coventry City, Rotherham United, Leeds United, Port Vale, Notts County, Huddersfield Town, Hull City and Scarborough. He also played for non-League sides Dudley Town, Solihull Borough, Guiseley, Gainsborough Trinity, and Matlock Town. He was named in the PFA Team of the Year for the Third Division in 1987–88, and helped Leeds to the Second Division title in 1989–90.

Contents

Career

Williams started in non-League with Dudley Town and Solihull Borough, before he was signed by First Division side Coventry City on 24 July 1985 for a fee of £20,000, at the age of 23. [3] He played ten games for the club, before he was allowed to sign with Rotherham United of the Third Division in October 1986. The "Millers" were relegated at the end of the 1987–88 season after losing to Swansea City at the semi-final stage of the Fourth Division play-offs. Despite this, Williams was still chosen in the PFA Team of the Year for his strong performances throughout the season. His performances also won him a £175,000 move to Leeds United in November 1988, then a Second Division side. [4] He went on to make nineteen appearances in 1988–89, eleven of which were as a substitute. [4] He was the first signing of manager Howard Wilkinson. [3]

Leeds won promotion back to the top flight after topping the Second Division table at the end of the 1989–90 season; Williams made thirteen league starts, scoring two goals (against Watford and Barnsley). [3] [4] His first-team appearances were limited by a groin injury. [3] After spending five months out with his groin problem, he then suffered a fractured cheekbone after teammate Vinnie Jones accidentally hit him in the face with a cricket bat. [3] United then went on to power to a fourth-place finish in the top-flight in 1990–91, with Williams making five starts and seven substitute appearances. [4] Restricted to the odd appearance by the form of the Leeds midfield, in December 1991 he was loaned out to Second Division side Port Vale. [4] He played five games for the "Valiants", who would finish the season in last place; in contrast Williams returned to Elland Road, where manager Howard Wilkinson was in the process of bringing Leeds the First Division title. Williams would be gone before the end of the season, however. In February 1992, he was sold on to Notts County for a £115,000 fee. [3] County were struggling in the First Division and lost their top-flight status at the end of the 1991–92 season.

After a mid-table finish in 1992–93, County loaned Williams out to Second Division Huddersfield Town at the start of the 1993–94 campaign. [5] He played six games for the "Terriers" before he was allowed to re-sign with former club Rotherham United in October 1993. He struggled with a knee injury, [6] and at the end of the 1994–95 season, he moved on to league rivals Hull City – who had tried to sign him in 1988 but lost out to Leeds. [3] Hull finished bottom of the league in 1995–96, and so were relegated to the Third Division. Williams left Hull but remained in the fourth tier, signing non-contract terms with Scarborough. He made his debut in a goalless home draw with Cardiff City on 17 August and also played in a League Cup draw at former club Hull three days later. This was to be his last professional game, though he did later turn out for non-League clubs Guiseley, Gainsborough Trinity, and Matlock Town. [3]

Style of play

The Rotherham United website states that Williams was a "tall midfielder with a deceptive turn of speed." [6]

Post-retirement

Williams now works as a performance manager for a company attached to Rotherham Council. [3] He also plays Masters Football. [3] He is a West Bromwich Albion supporter. [3]

Career statistics

Source: [7] [8]

ClubSeasonDivisionLeagueFA CupOtherTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Coventry City 1985–86 First Division 80001090
1986–87 First Division10000010
Total900010100
Rotherham United 1986–87 Third Division 3643020414
1987–88 Third Division3663072468
1988–89 Fourth Division 1530040193
Total87136013210615
Leeds United 1988–89 Second Division 1811000191
1989–90 Second Division1620041203
1990–91 First Division1200071191
1991–92 First Division00102030
Total46320132615
Port Vale (loan) 1991–92 Second Division50000050
Notts County 1991–92 First Division1510000151
1992–93 First Division2211010241
1993–94 First Division20002040
Total3921030432
Huddersfield Town (loan) 1993–94 Second Division60000060
Rotherham United 1993–94 Second Division3401020370
1994–95 Second Division1702040230
Total5103060600
Hull City 1995–96 Second Division3401040390
Scarborough 1995–96 Third Division10001020
Career total2782013040433124

Honours

Leeds United

Individual

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neil Warnock</span> English football manager and former player (born 1948)

Neil Warnock is an English football manager and former player who is currently football advisor at Torquay United. He is also a television and radio pundit. In a managerial career spanning five decades, Warnock has managed sixteen different clubs from the Premier League to non-league. Within English football, he holds the record for the most promotions, with eight, and the most games as a professional manager, with 1626, beating the previous record of 1601 set by Dario Gradi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lewis McMahon</span> English footballer

Lewis James McMahon is an English semi-professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Australian Football West Premier League club Floreat Athena.

Chibuzor "Chib" Chilaka is a Nigerian footballer who plays as a forward for Matlock Town in the Northern Premier League.

Philip Kenneth Barnes is an English former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

Terence Peter Dolan is an English former professional footballer and manager.

Imre Varadi is an English former professional footballer, known as a journeyman forward who appeared for 16 clubs at all levels of professional football in England.

Matthew Young is a semi-professional football midfielder who plays for Evo-Stik Premier Division side Frickley Athletic. He began his career at Huddersfield Town in League One.

Andrew John Hughes is an English footballer who is a first team coach for EFL Championship club Norwich City.

Patrick Anthony Olozinka Agana is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bobby Davison</span> English footballer (born 1959)

Robert Davison is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker. He began his professional career with Huddersfield Town before spending time at Halifax Town, Derby County (twice), Leeds United, Sheffield United (twice), Leicester City, Rotherham United and Hull City. After he retired from playing he spent time on the coaching staff of a number of clubs, including brief spells as manager of Guiseley and Ferencváros, and is currently youth team coach at Crystal Palace and assistant manager to Noel Blake's England national under-19 football team.

Joseph Peter Skarz is an English professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Northern Premier League Division One East club Liversedge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam Smith (footballer, born February 1985)</span> English association football player

Nathan Adam Smith, known as Adam Smith, is an English semi-professional footballer who plays as a right winger. He has played in the Football League for Chesterfield, Lincoln City and Aldershot Town.

Gary Strodder is an English former professional footballer who played as a centre half.

Paul Allen Pettinger is an English former professional footballer and coach who is a goalkeeping coach for Worsbrough Bridge Athletic.

Gavin Marc Rothery is an English footballer who played as a midfielder for Pontefract Collieries as well as being a youth team coach at Leeds United. He is a former England U19 international.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Ince</span> English footballer

Thomas Christopher Ince is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder, left winger or forward for EFL Championship club Watford.

Terry Paul Hawkridge is an English professional footballer who plays as a winger for Worksop Town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016–17 FA Women's Premier League</span> Football league season

The 2016–17 season of the FA Women's Premier League is the 25th season of the competition, which began in 1992. It sits at the third and fourth levels of the women's football pyramid, below the two divisions of the FA Women's Super League and above the eight regional football leagues.

The 2017–18 season of the FA Women's Premier League is the 26th season of the competition, which began in 1992. It sits at the third and fourth levels of the women's football pyramid, below the two divisions of the FA Women's Super League and above the eight regional football leagues.

References

  1. "Andy Williams". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 Andy Williams at Soccerbase
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Leeds United: Andy Williams looks back on Whites career". Yorkshire Evening Post. 27 January 2010. Retrieved 14 October 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Andy Williams". leeds-fans.org.uk. Retrieved 14 October 2011.
  5. 99 Years & Counting – Stats & Stories – Huddersfield Town History
  6. 1 2 "Past Players". themillers.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2 August 2000. Retrieved 14 October 2012.
  7. Andy Williams at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  8. Andy Williams at Soccerbase OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  9. Lynch. The Official P.F.A. Footballers Heroes. p. 147.