Brian Williams (footballer)

Brian Williams
Personal information
Date of birth5 November 1955
Place of birthSalford, England
Height5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Playing positionWinger
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
1973–1977Bury159(19)
1977–1978Queens Park Rangers19(0)
1978–1981Swindon Town99(8)
1981–1985Bristol Rovers172(21)
1985–1987Bristol City77(3)
1987–1991Shrewsbury Town65(1)
1991–????Alvechurch
Total591(52)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Brian Williams (born 5 November 1955) is a former professional footballer who played in a total of 591 games for six different clubs in The Football League during an eighteen-year career spanning the period from 1973 to 1991.

Williams, who was originally from Salford, started his career as an apprentice with one of his local sides, Bury, turning professional with them in 1973. He went on to make 159 league appearances with the Lancashire club, and scored 19 goals before leaving to join Queens Park Rangers for a single season in 1977. He began a nine-year spell in the West Country in 1978, spending three years with Swindon Town, four years with Bristol Rovers, and two with Bristol City, becoming one of the few players to represent both sides in Bristol derbies in the process. His transfer from Swindon to Bristol Rovers was a swap deal, with midfielder Gary Emmanuel moving in the opposite direction. Whilst at Swindon Brian was fondly known as "Animal".

His final League club was Shrewsbury Town, who he represented between 1987 and 1991. He then joined non-League side Alvechurch, just two years before they folded in 1993.

References