Steve Williams (footballer, born 1987)

Steven Antony Williams (born 24 April 1987) is an English former professional footballer who played as a central defender.

Steve Williams
Personal information
Full name Steven Antony Williams[1]
Date of birth (1987-04-24) 24 April 1987 (age 37)
Place of birth Preston, England
Height 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Position(s) Central defender
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2006 Charnock Richard
2006–2007 Chorley
2007–2008 Bamber Bridge
2008–2009 Hyde United
2009 Fleetwood Town
2009 Bamber Bridge
2009–2013 Bradford City 68 (7)
2012Inverness Caledonian Thistle (loan) 9 (2)
2013Barrow (loan) 3 (0)
2013–2014 Macclesfield Town 38 (2)
2014–2015 FC Halifax Town 26 (1)
2015–2016 Barrow 19 (1)
2016–2017 AFC Fylde 21 (7)
2017–2018 Lancaster City 10 (1)
Total 194 (21)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

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Early career

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Born in Preston, Lancashire, Williams started his career with West Lancashire League side Charnock Richard. He moved up the leagues to Chorley before he joined Bamber Bridge in January 2007.[2] He moved on to Hyde United at the start of the 2008–09 season, before moving to Fleetwood Town in January 2009. In February 2009, when he returned to Bamber Bridge. Williams balanced his semi-professional football career with a job as a barber.[3]

Professional career

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Williams signed his first professional contract with Bradford City in July 2009.[3][4] Williams made his debut for Bradford on the opening day of the 2009–10 season, on 8 August 2009, in a 5–0 defeat against Notts County, when he came on as a second-half substitute for Matthew Clarke with City already losing 4–0.[5][6] Williams scored his first goal for Bradford on 22 August 2009, in a 5–4 victory away at Cheltenham Town.[7][8] Williams signed a new three-year contract in June 2010.[9] Ahead of the 2011–12 season, Williams was informed by new manager Peter Jackson that he faced a "make or break" season.[10]

In January 2012, Williams moved on loan to Inverness Caledonian Thistle.[11] Upon his return to Bradford City, Williams ruptured his Achilles tendon, and his next appearance for Bradford City came in February 2013, as he played 45 minutes for their reserve side.[12]

Williams signed on loan for Barrow in March 2013.[13]

In May 2013, it was announced that Williams would leave his contract at the end of the season at the end of June 2013.[14]

Return to non-league

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He signed for Macclesfield Town in July 2013.[15]

Williams joined Conference Premier side FC Halifax Town on 1 July 2014.[16]

He returned to Barrow in July 2015.[17]

He moved to AFC Fylde ahead of the 2016–17 season.[18] On 11 May 2017, it was announced that Williams would leave Fylde upon the expiry of his current deal in June 2017.[19]

He played with Northern Premier League club Lancaster City during the 2017–18 season,[20] making 13 league appearances in all competitions.[21]

After retiring as a player he opened a barbers' shop in Preston, having originally trained as a barber at the age of 19.[22]

Career statistics

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As of 25 February 2017[23][24]
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Bradford City 2009–10 39 4 1 0 1 0 2 0 43 4
2010–11 28 3 1 0 2 0 1 0 32 3
2011–12 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 3 0
2012–13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 68 7 3 0 4 0 3 0 78 7
Inverness Caledonian Thistle (loan) 2011–12 9 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 2
Barrow (loan) 2012–13 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
Macclesfield Town 2013–14 38 2 5 1 0 0 1 0 44 3
FC Halifax Town 2014–15 26 1 2 0 0 0 4 2 32 3
Barrow 2015–16 19 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 21 1
AFC Fylde 2016–17 21 7 0 0 0 0 1 0 22 7
Career total 184 20 11 1 4 0 10 2 210 23

References

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  1. ^ "Steve Williams". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  2. ^ "Players Pen Pictures". Bamber Bridge Football Club. 15 June 2009. Archived from the original on 20 July 2007. Retrieved 8 August 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. ^ a b "Williams a snip for Bantams". Sky Sports. 17 July 2009. Retrieved 8 August 2009.
  4. ^ "Steve Williams signs for the Bantams". Bradford City official website. 17 July 2009. Retrieved 8 August 2009.
  5. ^ "Notts County 5 v 0 Bradford City". Bradford City official website. 8 August 2009. Retrieved 8 August 2009.
  6. ^ "Notts County 5 – 0 Bradford". BBC Sport. 8 August 2009. Retrieved 8 August 2009.
  7. ^ "Cheltenham Town 4 Bradford City 5". Bradford City official website. 22 August 2009. Retrieved 22 August 2009.
  8. ^ "Cheltenham 4 – 5 Bradford". BBC Sport. 22 August 2009. Retrieved 22 August 2009.
  9. ^ "Williams signs extended deal". Bradford City official website. 9 June 2010. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
  10. ^ Simon Parkin (11 July 2011). "Bradford City defender Steve Williams told: Your future lies in your own hands". Telegraph & Argus. Retrieved 11 July 2011.
  11. ^ "Williams loaned to Inverness". Bradford City A.F.C. 12 January 2012. Archived from the original on 14 January 2012.
  12. ^ "Steve Williams back in action for Bradford City". Telegraph & Argus. 5 February 2013.
  13. ^ "Bradford's Steve Williams joins Barrow with Adam Dawson". BBC Sport. 19 March 2013.
  14. ^ "Steve Williams to leave Bradford City". Telegraph & Argus. 30 May 2013.
  15. ^ "Macclesfield sign Danny Andrew, Steve Williams & Paul Turnbull". BBC Sport. 31 July 2013. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  16. ^ "Aspin Adds Further To Spine of the Squad". FC Halifax Town. 1 July 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  17. ^ "Steve Williams: Barrow sign former Bradford centre-back". BBC Sport. 12 July 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
  18. ^ "Steve Williams – AFC FyldeAFC Fylde". Archived from the original on 17 June 2016.
  19. ^ "Retained List". AFC Fylde. 11 May 2017. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  20. ^ "Steve Williams strikes late in Lancaster City's win at Mickleover Sports". lancasterguardian.co.uk.
  21. ^ "Steve Williams – Lancaster City FC First". pitchero.com.
  22. ^ "Ex-pro footballer Steve is a cut above with new barber shop". lep.co.uk.
  23. ^ Steve Williams at Soccerbase
  24. ^ Steve Williams at Soccerway