Zac Williams (Welsh footballer)

Zac Williams

Personal information
Full name	Michael Issac Williams [1]
Date of birth	(2004-03-27) 27 March 2004 (age 20)
Place of birth	Rhyl, Wales
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.82 m) [2]
Position(s)	Defender
Team information
Current team	Crewe Alexandra
Number	4
Youth career
2012–2021	Crewe Alexandra
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2021–	Crewe Alexandra	69	(2)
International career‡
2021–	Wales U18	2	(0)
2021–	Wales U19	5	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:40, 21 May 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 08:56, 29 September 2022 (UTC)

Michael Isaac Williams, better known as Zac Williams, (born 27 March 2004) is a Welsh professional footballer who plays as a defender for EFL League Two club Crewe Alexandra.

Club career

He made his Crewe debut, aged 17, on 9 November 2021 in an EFL Trophy group game against Wolverhampton Wanderers' under-21's at Gresty Road, ^[3] before making his league debut in the following game, a 2–0 defeat at Bolton Wanderers. ^[4] He made his first start in Crewe's next game, helping the side to a 2–0 win over Gillingham at Gresty Road on 20 November 2021, ^[5] and then enjoyed a run of games as one of Crewe's first choice centre-backs until falling ill in January 2022. ^[6] He returned to first-team action, coming on as a half-time substitute for Travis Johnson against Portsmouth at Gresty Road, on 8 March 2022. ^[7]

In May 2022, Williams signed a new contract at Crewe. ^[8] After 19 first-team appearances the following season, Williams suffered a torn hamstring which was initially thought likely to rule him out of action for the remainder of the season. ^[9] However, he returned to the first team on 29 April 2023, making a substitute appearance in Crewe's 2–1 win over Swindon Town at Gresty Road. ^[10] Williams scored his first Crewe goal, in a 2–2 draw against Swindon at the County Ground, on 12 August 2023. ^[11]

In early 2024, Williams missed a series of games after incurring an ankle injury which required prolonged treatment. ^{[12] [13]} He returned to regular training at the end of February 2024. ^[14] In May 2024, Crewe triggered a clause for an extension in Williams' contract. ^[15]

International career

After winning caps at under-15 and under-16, captaining the team for the latter, he played for the Wales under-18s in March 2021 against England before winning a second cap against the same opposition in September of the same year. ^{[16] [17]}

Williams was called up to the Wales under-19s squad for the 2022 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualifiers against Georgia, Norway and Kosovo, and made appearances against the latter two in October 2021. ^{[18] [19]} He earned three further under-19 caps, playing as captain against Hungary ^[20] and Republic of Ireland, ^[21] and, after coming on as a second half substitute, scoring against Gibraltar, ^[22] in 2023 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualifiers on 21, 24 and 27 September 2022 respectively. ^[23]

Career statistics

As of 21 May 2024.

Club	Season	Division	League		FA Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Crewe Alexandra	2021–22 [24]	League One	19	0	0	0	0	0	1 [lower-alpha 1]	0	20	0
	2022–23 [25]	League Two	18	0	1	0	1	0	2 [lower-alpha 1]	0	22	0
	2023–24 [26]	League Two	32	2	1	0	2	0	2 [lower-alpha 2]	0	37	2
	Crewe Alexandra total		69	2	2	0	3	0	4	0	79	2

1. Appearances in EFL Trophy
2. One appearance in EFL Trophy, one League 2 play-off appearance

References

1. "Notification of shirt numbers: Crewe Alexandra" (PDF). English Football League. p. 25. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
2. "Michael Williams – Defender". www.crewealex.net. Crewe Alexandra F.C. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
3. "Crewe 3–0 Wolves Under-21s". Crewe Alexandra F.C. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
4. "Bolton 2–0 Crewe". Crewe Alexandra F.C. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
5. "Crewe Alexandra 2–0 Gillingham". BBC Sport. 20 November 2021. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
6. "Williams Still Ruled Out With Illness". CreweAlex.net. 31 January 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
7. "Crewe Alexandra 1–3 Portsmouth". BBC Sport. 8 March 2022. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
8. "Zac Williams: Wales U19 defender agrees new Crewe Alexandra deal". BBC Sport. 24 May 2022. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
9. Baggaley, Michael (3 January 2023). "Crewe Alex injury update on Zac Williams, Charlie Colkett and Callum Ainley". Cheshire Live. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
10. "Crewe Alexandra 2-1 Swindon Town". BBC Sport. 29 April 2023. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
11. "Swindon Town 2-2 Crewe Alexandra". BBC Sport. 12 August 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
12. "Injury Update: Williams & Tabiner". Crewe Alexandra F.C. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
13. "Injury Update: Tabiner, Williams, Booth, Long, Thomas & Holicek". CreweAlex.net. 15 February 2024. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
14. "Injury Update: Offord, Williams, Long & Finney". CreweAlex.net. 29 February 2024. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
15. "Crewe release five players but offer five more new deals". BBC Sport. 21 May 2024. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
16. "CYMRU DENIED BY LATE ENGLAND EQUALISER IN U18 DRAW". FAW. 3 September 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
17. "Welsh Duo Make International Appearances". Vital Crewe. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
18. "Norway 5–0 Wales". UEFA.com. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
19. "Kosovo 0–3 Wales". UEFA.com. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
20. "Wales 0 – 0 Hungary". Uefa.com. 21 September 2022. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
21. "Republic of Ireland 2–0 Wales". Uefa.com. 24 September 2022. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
22. "Gibraltar 2–9 Wales". Uefa.com. 27 September 2022. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
23. "Wales under-19s – UEFA 2023". DragonSoccer.co.uk. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
24. "Games played by Zac Williams in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
25. "Games played by Zac Williams in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
26. "Games played by Zac Williams in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 August 2022.