Williams: Andrew (Andy)

1988-1991 (Player Details)

Midfield

Born: Birmingham: 29-07-1962

Debut: West Bromwich Albion (h) (Substitute): 12-11-1988

6’0” 11st 9lb (1988)

Williams started with Dudley Town and then Solihull Borough before signing professional forms with Coventry City on 24th July 1985 for £20,000. He was a late-starter in League football being twenty-three when he made his debut as a substitute in Division One against Liverpool in November 1985. After just three League starts and another six from the bench, in October 1986 he was transferred to Rotherham United and became a Millmoor regular. A tall midfielder with a deceptive turn of speed, he made a great start hitting the only goal of the game against Bolton Wanderers on 18th October 1986, and he didn't miss a game for the rest of the season. He then played in the first thirty-six league games of their relegation season a year later and he had played in all fifteen of the Millers' games the following season, having helped them to lay the foundation for their championship winning season when he moved on to Leeds United after scoring thirteen goals from eighty-seven starts in the League and two goals in nineteen games in the Cup competitions. Howard Wilkinson made Williams his first signing in bringing him to Elland Road in November 1988 for £175,000. An injury victim in 1989-90, he lost a stone in weight in December after an abcess in his groin became infected. But he had to be content with making almost as many appearances off the substitutes' bench as he did starts. With Gordon Strachan, David Batty, Gary McAllister and Gary Speed around it was not easy for him to figure anything but spasmodically from the bench. He was loaned to Port Vale in December 1991, to recapture some fitness, and made five League appearances for them. He joined Notts County in February 1992 for £115,000 after an initial loan period. He made thirty-two League starts and had a further seven games from the bench and scored twice at Meadow Lane. Huddersfield Town took him on loan in September 1993 and he started four League games and came from the bench twice more before he returned to Rotherham United in October 1993. There he played in midfield, supplying the passes for Imre Varadi to do the scoring. Williams sustained a knee injury at the end of November and that kept him out of further action, and caused him to miss much of the 1994-95 season. He scored twice in fifty-one League games and played nine Cup games without scoring in his second spell at Millmoor. He went on loan to Sheffield Wednesday but returned without playing a League game. Hull City signed him in July 1995, and he stayed the whole of the 1995-96 season, making thirty-four League appearances, one of which was from the bench. In August 1996 he joined Scarborough, making just one League appearance before going into Non-League with Gainsborough Trinity, Matlock Town and Guiseley. He worked for the Rotherham Council but then tried financial advising before rejoining the Council where he advises on rent-arrears and tenants.