John Williams – SkyBlueArchive

Position

Forward

Nationality

Place Of Birth

Birmingham

Date Of Birth

May 11, 1968

Age

Height (cm)

193

Games Played

Per Game

Games Started

0.8

Per Game

Minutes

6363

74.0

Per Game

Goals

0.1

Per Game

Assists

0.1

Per Game

In 1992 Coventry City’s new manager Bobby Gould signed the fastest man in English football, Swansea City winger John Williams. ‘Willo’ had won the Rumbelows Sprint Challenge at Wembley the previous spring.

His £250,000 move to Coventry completed an amazing twelve months for Williams who less than a year earlier had been a postman in Birmingham before being plucked from the obscurity of Cradley Town by Swans boss Frank Burrows.

Gould signed him for the Sky Blues on the basis of a stunning display at the Vetch Field against his former club West Brom. Losing 0-2 to the Baggies, Williams inspired a Swansea comeback culminating in three goals in the last thirteen minutes.

Suddenly John was in the top league and couldn’t believe his luck. In pre-season games Williams failed to score and gave no suggestion that he would make a sensational start to the very first Premiership season. With nine minutes gone of the opening game in the new league against Middlesbrough ‘Willo’ latched on to a Stewart Robson cross to score. Playing in a central attacking role alongside Robert Rosario, his speed left many central defenders floundering and four days after his debut he was the star of a 2-0 win at White Hart Lane. On the night that Spurs’ expensive summer signing Darren Anderton made his home debut he was overshadowed by the former postman. After just four minutes he was on hand when Ian Walker flapped at a Michael Gynn corner and scored from three yards. With thirty minutes gone he doubled City’s lead. He collected the ball a yard inside the Spurs half and ran thirty yards before hitting a vicious shot that hit the upright before going over the line. The London newspapers were all in agreement; Bobby Gould had unearthed another gem from the lower divisions.

John played in 38 league games that season and scored some memorable goals including City’s winner in their first televised Sky match against Tottenham and one of the goals in the 5-2 win over the title challengers Blackburn at Ewood Park in January. With eight goals he was second top scorer behind Mick Quinn.

Early the following season Bobby Gould resigned and his assistant Phil Neal took over. John was in and out of the team under Neal and was loaned out to Notts County, Stoke and Swansea during the 1994-95 season.

Ron Atkinson’s arrival in 1995 didn’t improve John’s chances either and he signed for Wycombe Wanderers where he had a good first season under Alan Smith but after the arrival of new manager John Gregory things went downhill fast and he joined Hereford United on a free transfer. His arrival at Hereford however could not stop the club being relegated into the Conference and John played in the fateful final game against Brighton.

Between 1997 and 2004 John played for Walsall (1 game), Exeter (36 games, 4 goals), Cardiff (51 games, 16 goals), York (46 games, 3 goals), Darlington (25 games, 5 goals), Swansea again (74 games, 6 goals) and Kidderminster. Since then he has played for numerous non-league teams.

Premier League (England)

1995-1996

0′

1994-1995

198′

1993-1994

2324′

3 (0)

1992-1993

3327′

8 (0)

5849′

11 (0)

FA Cup (England)

1993-1994

90′

1992-1993

90′

180′

0 (0)

Coca-Cola Cup (England)

1993-1994

154′

1992-1993

180′

334′

0 (0)

Totals:

6363′

11 (0)