Biography
Centre forward Emlyn Williams joined the Tigers in June 1929 and played over 30 matches for City’s Reserves in his only season but managed only one first team start in March 1930, a League match played five days ahead of the FA Cup semi final against Arsenal when manager Bill McCracken was resting certain first team players including first choice centre forward Paddy Mills. Williams left the Tigers in the 1930 close season after relegation to Division Three North.
Emlyn Williams is a name so common in 20th century South Wales it has proved impossible to narrow down his birth details. We know he was born in Aberaman in the Cynon Valley north of Cardiff in 1903, and that he came to prominence in the 1926/27 season playing for Division Three South strugglers Aberdare Athletic. Williams scored on his Aberdare debut on Christmas Day 1926 in a 3-7 drubbing at the hands of Bristol City. He netted three braces during January 1927 in a 6-1 win over Northampton and two heavy defeats to Plymouth Argyle (5-6) and Newport County (2-5). Two more goals in early February meant that by mid-March his record was nine goals in twelve starts, but he dropped out of the Aberdare side as the Welsh side had to apply for re-election to the Football League.
Having made his name at Aberdare, Williams switched to Clapton Orient in the 1927 close season but failed to make any first team appearances in the 1927/28 season. He had to wait until November 1928 for his Orient bow – he scored in a 2-5 defeat at Preston – and added two more appearances in the remainder of the season ahead of his move to the Tigers.
Williams returned to South Wales and signed for Merthyr Town in August 1930, where he rediscovered his form in front of goal to such an extent that in late December 1931 Division Three South side Bournemouth paid £500 for his services. Two goals in six appearances were not enough for the Cherries to retain Williams’ services in the 1932 close season and after a trial period at Burton Town he signed for Kent League side Ramsgate Press Wanderers. He scored plenty of goals in his three years with the Kentish side, including 38 in the 1933/34 season, before leaving in the 1935 close season. At this point the trial runs cold and no further records of his playing career can be found.
Details
Nationality: Wales
Date/Place of Birth: 1903, Aberaman
Hull City First Game: 17 March 1930, Charlton Athletic A (Division Two), 26/27 years old
Hull City Final Game: 17 March 1930, Charlton Athletic A (Division Two), 26/27 years old
Clubs
Aberdare Athletic (1926-1927), Clapton Orient (1927-1929), Hull City (1929-1930), Merthyr Town (1930-1931), Bournemouth (1931-1932), Burton Town (1932), Ramsgate Press Wanderers (1932-1935)
Hull City Record
Career: 1 apps, 0 goals
Emlyn Williams| Season | LGE App | LGE Gls | FAC App | FAC Gls | FLC App | FLC Gls | EUR App | EUR Gls | OTH App | OTH Gls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1929/30 | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |