Tony Williams (footballer)

Football player infobox
playername = Tony Williams


fullname = Anthony Williams
height = height|ft=6|in=2
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1977|10|29
cityofbirth = Maesteg
countryofbirth = Wales
currentclub = Wrexham
clubnumber = 26
position = Goalkeeper
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1997–2000
1998
1999
1999
1999
1999
2000
2000–2004
2003
2004
2004–2005
2005–2007
2006
2007
2007–
clubs = Blackburn Rovers
→ Queens Park Rangers (loan)
→ Macclesfield Town (loan)
→ Huddersfield Town (loan)
→ Bristol Rovers (loan)
→ Gillingham (loan)
→ Macclesfield Town (loan)
Hartlepool United
→ Swansea City (loan)
→ Stockport County (loan)
Grimsby Town
Carlisle United
→ Bury (loan)
→ Wrexham (loan)
Wrexham
caps(goals) = 000 (0)
000 (0)
004 (0)
000 (0)
009 (0)
002 (0)
011 (0)
131 (0)
000 (0)
015 (0)
046 (0)
011 (0)
003 (0)
009 (0)
022 (0)
nationalyears = 1996-2000
nationalteam = Wales U-21
nationalcaps(goals) = 016 (0)
pcupdate = 14:43, 10 May 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate = 16:07, 23 July 2006 (UTC)

Anthony Williams (born October 20 1977 in Maesteg, Wales) is a Welsh professional goalkeeper who plays for Wrexham. He has appeared for nine clubs, notably making over 140 appearances for Hartlepool United and 50 appearances for Grimsby Town. Williams is also a former Wales U-21 player.

Career

Williams began his career as a trainee at Blackburn Rovers in 1997 and had loan spells at Queens Park Rangers, Macclesfield Town, Huddersfield Town, Bristol Rovers and Gillingham in three seasons but made no appearances for Blackburn.cite web|url=http://www.soccerbase.com/players_details.sd?playerid=11427&seasonid=131|title=Anthony Williams |work=Soccerbase|publisher=Racing Post|accessdate=2008-05-10]

Williams joined Hartlepool United on a free transfer in June 2000 [cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/876185.stm|title=Summer signings: Comprehensive list of Football Transfers (June 21)|date=2000-08-12|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-05-10] and started 131 league games in four seasons at Victoria Park, helping Hartlepool to the Division Three play-off semi-final in the 2000–01 and 2001–02 seasons, [cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/1332499.stm|title=Blackpool reach play-off final|date=2001-05-16|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-05-10] [cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/1958347.stm|title=Play-off joy for Cheltenham|date=2002-04-30|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-05-10] and to promotion in the 2002–03 season. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/2976533.stm|title=Diamonds win title|date=2003-05-03|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-05-10] He lost his place in the first-team to Jim Provett at the start of the 2003–04 season and had loan spells with Swansea City and Stockport County. [cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/swansea_city/3226366.stm|title=Swans snap up Williams|date=2003-11-21|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-05-10] [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/stockport/3497195.stm|title=Williams stays at Stockport|date=2004-02-17|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-05-10] At the end of the season, his contract was not renewed and he was released by Hartlepool. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/hartlepool_united/3745665.stm|title=Hartlepool release quartet|date=2004-05-25|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-05-10]

Williams joined Grimsby Town where he was an ever-present in the 2004–05 season but rejected the offer of a new contract at the end of the season after being notified he would only be second choice at the club after a poor first season, instead he joined Carlisle United.cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/carlisle_united/4078320.stm|title=Keeper Williams joins Carlisle |date=2005-06-09|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-05-10] At the start of the 2005–06 season he was the first choice goalkeeper but lost his place to Kieren Westwood and joined Bury on a short loan spell in January 2006 [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/bury/4598368.stm|title=Bury sign keeper Williams on loan |date=2006-01-10|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-05-10] before joining Wrexham on loan in March 2007 until the end of the 2006–07 season. [cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/wrexham/6475097.stm |title=Wrexham take Port Vale's Walker |accessdate=2007-02-23 |date=March 22 2007 |publisher=BBC Sport]

Williams joined Wrexham on a permanent basis in May 2007, signing a two year contract, after impressing during his loan spell at the club when he kept five clean sheets in nine games [cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/wrexham/6666087.stm |title=Wrexham snap up keeper Williams |accessdate=2007-05-17 |date=May 17 2007 |publisher=BBC Sport] but following Wrexham's relegation to the Football Conference in May 2008, he was transfer listed by the club. [cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/wrexham/7367679.stm|title=Axe falls on 14 Wrexham players |date=2008-04-25|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-05-04]

References

External links

*soccerbase|id=11427|name=Tony Williams'
* [http://www.wrexhamafc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10311,00.html Official Wrexham A.F.C. profile]