Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Place of birth | Liverpool, England | ||
Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) [1] | ||
Position(s) | Forward | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | ( Gls) |
St Helens Recreation | |||
19??–1912 | Stafford Rangers | ||
1912 | Glossop | 6 | (2) |
1912–1914 | Notts County | 31 | (5) |
1914–1915 | Belfast Celtic | ||
1919–1920 | Luton Town | 23 | (5) |
1920–1921 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 30 | (5) |
1921–19?? | Maidstone United | ||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
David H. Williams, known as Dai [2] or Dave Williams, [1] [3] was an English professional footballer who played as a forward in the Football League for Glossop, Notts County and Brighton & Hove Albion. [2]
Williams was born in Liverpool. [2] He played football for Lancashire Combination club St Helens Recreation and Stafford Rangers of the Birmingham & District League before joining Glossop ahead of the 1912–13 Football League season. [4] He made seven Second Division appearances, scoring twice, in the first two months of the season [2] and then moved up a division to join Notts County for a "substantial" fee [4] which was later reported as £700. [1] [5] Williams' contribution was not enough to save Notts County from relegation from the First Division, but he was prepared to sign on for a further season when some of his teammates were still arguing for higher wages if they were to remain with a second-tier club. [6] By the end of the 1913–14 season, he had scored 5 goals from 31 league appearances and Notts were back in the First Division. [2]
In May 1914, Williams signed for Belfast Celtic of the Irish League. [7] He scored prolifically for the team, including a league record five goals in a match against Cliftonville, [8] and was selected for the Probables in an Irish League representative team trial played as a charity match in aid of the Prince of Wales' National Relief Fund. [9] With gate receipts reduced because of the war, the League decided to impose a 25% wage cut on its players. Williams successfully appealed to the Irish Football Association on the grounds that "the reduction was excessive, and held that no third party could break a contract between club and player." While accepting the need for a reduction – the player was prepared to accept 12.5% – the Association felt it had "no option but to uphold the contract". [10] Belfast Celtic won the 1914–15 Irish League title, and Williams was a member of the team that reached the final of the Irish Cup. [11]
During the First World War, Williams worked in the munitions factories in Liverpool [3] before joining the Royal Field Artillery. While serving as a corporal, he captained his unit's football team. [12] When his other duties allowed, he played wartime football for Liverpool (the Liverpool Echo suggested that the local clubs' failure to sign him before the war had been a mistake), [13] broke his arm while representing Preston North End in late 1915, [14] and scored 4 goals from 16 appearances for Arsenal in the 1916–17 London Combination. [15]
After his demobilisation, Williams joined Luton Town. Although Notts County had retained his Football League registration, the Southern League no longer recognised the retain and transfer system, so Luton were able to sign him without paying a fee. [5] He was appointed captain, [12] and the Luton Reporter described him as "one of the most earnest of players", [16] but his 23 matches produced only 5 goals, [1] and he was allowed to leave for another Southern League club, Brighton & Hove Albion, in March 1920 for a £200 fee. [16] He played at wing half as well as in all forward positions for Brighton, making 10 appearances in what remained of the 1919–20 season, and a further 21 in the next, of which all but one were in the newly formed Football League Third Division. The signing of Andy Neil in late 1920 reduced Williams' first-team opportunities considerably, and he was given a free transfer at the end of the season. His last known club was Maidstone United of the Kent League. [1] [2]
Dave Williams, the Belfast Celtic forward, is employed making munitions of war at Liverpool.
Williams joined the Peak club from Stafford before the present season opened. The amount of the fee is not stated, but it is understood to be a substantial one.
Profiting from the rupture between the English League and the Southern League, whereby transfers are not respected, Luton have signed on D. Williams, W. J. Grimes, and R. Tomlinson. The former Notts County star centre-forward was secured by them from Glossop at a fee of £700. He assisted the Arsenal in the London Combination, and figured prominently in the B.E.F. team while in the Army.
Di Williams, late of Notts County and Glossop F.C., has just signed for Belfast Celtic.
Williams, who used to be with Notts County, scored five goals for Belfast Celtic against Cliftonville. This constitutes a record for Irish League football.
With this object in view the Irish League arranged a match in aid of the Prince of Wales's Fund, and representative teams, styled Possibles and Probables (for inter-League honours), attracted a gate of £79.
David Williams, Luton Town's new captain, is the subject of a biographical sketch in the new illustrated sports weekly. As a corporal in the R.F.A., he seems to have had a really good time in a football sense while with the colours, for, before crossing overseas, he played for the Arsenal, Notts County and Preston North End, and in France he was skipper of the 57th R.F.A. team, which won the Divisional Artillery knock-out competition, and were third in the Divisional League.
Although the transfer of David Williams to Brighton and Hove Albion at a fee of £200 was not completed until Tuesday afternoon, it is no secret to those in the know that it was practically a foregone conclusion before the Blues visited Brighton. ... Most people will be of the opinion that the Town Club have concluded a very good deal. Although one of the most earnest of players, Williams has scarcely once performed up to his reputation in the Blues colours.
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Place of birth | Liverpool, England | ||
Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) [1] | ||
Position(s) | Forward | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | ( Gls) |
St Helens Recreation | |||
19??–1912 | Stafford Rangers | ||
1912 | Glossop | 6 | (2) |
1912–1914 | Notts County | 31 | (5) |
1914–1915 | Belfast Celtic | ||
1919–1920 | Luton Town | 23 | (5) |
1920–1921 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 30 | (5) |
1921–19?? | Maidstone United | ||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
David H. Williams, known as Dai [2] or Dave Williams, [1] [3] was an English professional footballer who played as a forward in the Football League for Glossop, Notts County and Brighton & Hove Albion. [2]
Williams was born in Liverpool. [2] He played football for Lancashire Combination club St Helens Recreation and Stafford Rangers of the Birmingham & District League before joining Glossop ahead of the 1912–13 Football League season. [4] He made seven Second Division appearances, scoring twice, in the first two months of the season [2] and then moved up a division to join Notts County for a "substantial" fee [4] which was later reported as £700. [1] [5] Williams' contribution was not enough to save Notts County from relegation from the First Division, but he was prepared to sign on for a further season when some of his teammates were still arguing for higher wages if they were to remain with a second-tier club. [6] By the end of the 1913–14 season, he had scored 5 goals from 31 league appearances and Notts were back in the First Division. [2]
In May 1914, Williams signed for Belfast Celtic of the Irish League. [7] He scored prolifically for the team, including a league record five goals in a match against Cliftonville, [8] and was selected for the Probables in an Irish League representative team trial played as a charity match in aid of the Prince of Wales' National Relief Fund. [9] With gate receipts reduced because of the war, the League decided to impose a 25% wage cut on its players. Williams successfully appealed to the Irish Football Association on the grounds that "the reduction was excessive, and held that no third party could break a contract between club and player." While accepting the need for a reduction – the player was prepared to accept 12.5% – the Association felt it had "no option but to uphold the contract". [10] Belfast Celtic won the 1914–15 Irish League title, and Williams was a member of the team that reached the final of the Irish Cup. [11]
During the First World War, Williams worked in the munitions factories in Liverpool [3] before joining the Royal Field Artillery. While serving as a corporal, he captained his unit's football team. [12] When his other duties allowed, he played wartime football for Liverpool (the Liverpool Echo suggested that the local clubs' failure to sign him before the war had been a mistake), [13] broke his arm while representing Preston North End in late 1915, [14] and scored 4 goals from 16 appearances for Arsenal in the 1916–17 London Combination. [15]
After his demobilisation, Williams joined Luton Town. Although Notts County had retained his Football League registration, the Southern League no longer recognised the retain and transfer system, so Luton were able to sign him without paying a fee. [5] He was appointed captain, [12] and the Luton Reporter described him as "one of the most earnest of players", [16] but his 23 matches produced only 5 goals, [1] and he was allowed to leave for another Southern League club, Brighton & Hove Albion, in March 1920 for a £200 fee. [16] He played at wing half as well as in all forward positions for Brighton, making 10 appearances in what remained of the 1919–20 season, and a further 21 in the next, of which all but one were in the newly formed Football League Third Division. The signing of Andy Neil in late 1920 reduced Williams' first-team opportunities considerably, and he was given a free transfer at the end of the season. His last known club was Maidstone United of the Kent League. [1] [2]
Dave Williams, the Belfast Celtic forward, is employed making munitions of war at Liverpool.
Williams joined the Peak club from Stafford before the present season opened. The amount of the fee is not stated, but it is understood to be a substantial one.
Profiting from the rupture between the English League and the Southern League, whereby transfers are not respected, Luton have signed on D. Williams, W. J. Grimes, and R. Tomlinson. The former Notts County star centre-forward was secured by them from Glossop at a fee of £700. He assisted the Arsenal in the London Combination, and figured prominently in the B.E.F. team while in the Army.
Di Williams, late of Notts County and Glossop F.C., has just signed for Belfast Celtic.
Williams, who used to be with Notts County, scored five goals for Belfast Celtic against Cliftonville. This constitutes a record for Irish League football.
With this object in view the Irish League arranged a match in aid of the Prince of Wales's Fund, and representative teams, styled Possibles and Probables (for inter-League honours), attracted a gate of £79.
David Williams, Luton Town's new captain, is the subject of a biographical sketch in the new illustrated sports weekly. As a corporal in the R.F.A., he seems to have had a really good time in a football sense while with the colours, for, before crossing overseas, he played for the Arsenal, Notts County and Preston North End, and in France he was skipper of the 57th R.F.A. team, which won the Divisional Artillery knock-out competition, and were third in the Divisional League.
Although the transfer of David Williams to Brighton and Hove Albion at a fee of £200 was not completed until Tuesday afternoon, it is no secret to those in the know that it was practically a foregone conclusion before the Blues visited Brighton. ... Most people will be of the opinion that the Town Club have concluded a very good deal. Although one of the most earnest of players, Williams has scarcely once performed up to his reputation in the Blues colours.