Bill Williams (footballer, born 1942)

William Thomas Williams (born Esher, 23 August 1942) is an English former professional football player and football manager.

Bill Williams
Personal information
Full name William Thomas Williams
Date of birth (1942-08-23) 23 August 1942 (age 82)
Place of birth Esher, Surrey, England
Position(s) Centre half
Team information
Current team
Maidstone United
(Chief Executive & Director of Football)
Youth career
Portsmouth
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1960–1961 Portsmouth 3 (0)
1961–1963 Queens Park Rangers 45 (0)
1964–1965 West Bromwich Albion 1 (0)
1965–1967 Mansfield Town 49 (0)
1967–1972 Gillingham 171 (8)
1972–? Maidstone United ? (?)
1973–? Durban City ? (0)
International career
England Youth 8 (?)
Managerial career
1973–? Durban City
1979–1980 Sacramento Gold
1980–1981 Atlanta Chiefs
1981–1984 Maidstone United
1984–? Durban United
1986–1987 Maidstone United
1991–1992 Maidstone United
1997–2001 Dover Athletic
2001 Kingstonian
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:18, 25 April 2011 (UTC)

Williams played for Portsmouth, Queens Park Rangers, West Bromwich Albion, Mansfield Town and Gillingham, making over 250 Football League appearances in total.[1] He also had a spell playing for Maidstone United before becoming player-manager of South African outfit Durban City.

After spending around five years at Durban City, Williams went to manage in America spending a year each at Sacramento Gold and the Atlanta Chiefs. After returning to England in 1981 Williams took over at the original Maidstone United, spending three years at the club before agreeing to move back to South Africa to manage Durban United. In 1986 Williams again took over the reins at Maidstone before becoming general manager of the club from 1987 to 1991. After the sacking of Graham Carr in 1991, Williams became Maidstone first team manager for the third time but lasted only a matter of months before being replaced by Clive Walker. In 1997 Williams took the manager's job at Dover Athletic and led the club to their highest ever league finish when the club came 6th in the Football Conference in the 1999–2000 season. After leaving Dover in 2001 Williams spent a short time managing Kingstonian.

Williams has since returned to the re-formed Maidstone United and has been a key member of the club for a number of years. He is currently Chief Executive and Director of Football and played a major role in moving the club to the Gallagher Stadium after 24 years of homelessness.

Honours

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Maidestone United

Sacramento Gold

References

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  1. ^ Triggs, Roger (2001). The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club. Tempus Publishing Ltd. p. 339. ISBN 0-7524-2243-X.
  2. ^ "Maidstone United great Bill Williams honoured to be awarded testimonial marking 50-year association with the club". Kent Online. 7 July 2022. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  3. ^ "1979 Sacramento Gold Roster". Stat Crew. Retrieved 23 November 2023.