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Graham Williams (footballer, born 1936)

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Graham Williams
Personal information
Full name Graham George Williams[1]
Date of birth (1936-12-31)31 December 1936
Place of birth Wrexham, Wales[2]
Date of death 25 November 2018(2018-11-25) (aged 81)
Height 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)[3]
Position(s) Left winger
Youth career
Wrexham
Oswestry Town
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1955–1956 Bradford City 8 (2)
1956–1959 Everton 31 (6)
1959–1964 Swansea Town 90 (18)
1965–1966 Wrexham 24 (6)
1966 Wellington Town
1966–1968 Tranmere Rovers 74 (12)
1968–1969 Port Vale 23 (1)
1969–1970 Runcorn
1970–1975 Oswestry Town
Total 250 (45)
International career
Wales under-23s
1961 Wales 5 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Graham George Williams (31 December 1936 – 25 November 2018) was a Welsh former footballer. A left-sided winger, he scored 47 goals in 249 league games in a 14-year career in the English Football League. He also won five senior caps for Wales in 1961.

He began his career with Wrexham and Oswestry Town, before moving to Everton via Bradford City in 1956. After three years on Merseyside he returned to Wales to play for Swansea Town. He returned to hometown club Wrexham in 1963, before joining Wellington Town in 1965. The next year he returned to the Football League with Tranmere Rovers. He helped the club to win promotion out of the Fourth Division in 1966–67, before he signed with Port Vale in July 1968. He joined Northern Premier League side Runcorn in May 1969, and later turned out for Oswestry Town.

Club career

Early career

Williams began his career in Welsh football with Wrexham and Oswestry Town, before he was signed by Bradford City manager Peter Jackson in August 1955.[4] His two goals in eight Third Division North games in the 1955–56 season were enough to win him a move from Valley Parade to First Division side Everton in March 1956.[4]

Everton

He made his Everton debut in a 2–1 defeat to Sunderland in March 1956.[5] The "Toffees" struggled at the lower end of the table under the stewardship of Ian Buchan in 1956–57 and 1957–58, and showed little sign of improvement in the 1958–59 season under Johnny Carey. In his three years at Goodison Park, Williams scored six goals in 31 top-flight games.

Swansea City

In February 1959, Williams joined Second Division side Swansea Town for a £5,000 fee.[4] Manager Trevor Morris said that "Some of Flicka's team-mates used to complain that they never knew what he would do with the ball. If they felt like that training with him every day, then what chance does the opposition have!"[4] The "Swans" finished 12th in 1959–60, seventh in 1960–61, 20th in 1961–62, and 15th in 1962–63. He won the Welsh Cup with Swansea in 1961 following a 3–1 win over Bangor City in the final at Ninian Park.[4] In four seasons at Vetch Field, Williams scored 20 goals in 89 league games before breaking his leg.[4]

Later career

He then made a return to Wrexham in July 1964.[4] Ken Barnes's "Dragons" were relegated out of the Third Division in 1963–64, and could only manage a 14th-place finish in the Fourth Division in 1964–65. Williams then left the Racecourse Ground for non-League side Wellington Town, who went on to finish 13th in the Premier Division of the Southern League in 1965–66. He signed with Tranmere Rovers in summer 1966. He helped Dave Russell's side to win promotion out of the Fourth Division in 1966–67. Williams remained at Prenton Park for the 1967–68 season, as the "Superwhites" finished three points above the relegation zone. Williams joined Fourth Division club Port Vale in July 1968.[6][7] He scored one goal in 25 league and cup appearances in the 1968–69 season, before he was dropped by manager Gordon Lee in January 1969.[6] He was given a free transfer away from Vale Park in May 1969, and moved on to Northern Premier League side Runcorn.[6] He later moved on to Oswestry Town.

International career

Williams earned five Welsh caps in 1961, after playing at the under-23 and schoolboy levels.

Personal life

He was nicknamed 'Flicka', and a racehorse, Son of Flicka, was named after him.[8] Following his football career, Williams worked as a carpenter.[9] He was also an accomplished amateur golfer. He died suddenly on 25 November 2018, leaving behind wife Maureen.[10]

Career statistics

Source:[11]

Club Season Division League FA Cup Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Bradford City 1955–56 Third Division North 8 2 0 0 0 0 8 2
Everton 1955–56 First Division 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
1956–57 First Division 9 3 0 0 0 0 9 3
1957–58 First Division 13 2 0 0 0 0 13 2
1958–59 First Division 7 1 2 0 0 0 9 1
Total 31 6 2 0 0 0 33 6
Swansea Town 1958–59 Second Division 15 1 0 0 0 0 15 1
1959–60 Second Division 17 3 0 0 0 0 17 3
1960–61 Second Division 33 9 3 0 1 0 37 9
1961–62 Second Division 25 5 1 0 2 0 28 5
Total 90 18 4 0 3 0 97 18
Wrexham 1964–65 Fourth Division 24 6 0 0 1 0 25 6
Tranmere Rovers 1966–67 Fourth Division 39 9 3 1 2 0 44 10
1967–68 Third Division 35 3 5 2 2 0 42 5
Total 74 12 8 3 4 0 86 15
Port Vale 1968–69 Fourth Division 23 1 1 0 1 0 25 1
Career total 250 45 15 3 8 0 273 48

Honours

Tranmere Rovers

References

  1. ^ "Graham Williams". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  2. ^ "Graham Williams | Everton Football Club". evertonfc.com.
  3. ^ "Graham Williams | Player Statistics | Wrexham (Wrexham AFC Archive)". wrexhamafcarchive.co.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "Swans saddened as 'Flicka' dies | Swansea City FC". swanseacity.com. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  5. ^ "Graham Williams 1936-2018 | Everton Football Club". evertonfc.com. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  6. ^ a b c Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 311. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  7. ^ "Graham Williams". Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
  8. ^ "Graham Williams: Former Swansea, Everton and Wales player dies, aged 81". BBC Sport. 1 December 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  9. ^ Edwards, Leigh (26 August 2012), "Back to the Future – Tranmere Rovers FC", Official Shrewsbury Town Matchday Programme: 32–33
  10. ^ Murphy, Scott (29 November 2018). "Tributes paid to former Wrexham AFC footballer who dies at 81". The Leader. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  11. ^ Graham Williams at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
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