Biography
Young goalkeeper Michael John Williams was born in Hull during the latter stages of World War Two and played for Hull Schoolboys as a youngster in the late 1950s. Amidst much interest from other clubs Williams signed amateur terms for Hull City in June 1960 then apprentice professional terms three months later, all before his 16th birthday. He served his time in the youth and reserves sides for two years then in September 1962 injuries to first choice keeper Bernard Fisher and Mick Grainger saw Williams thrust into the first team six weeks before his eighteen birthday. He thrived despite his tender years and was handed his first full professional contract when he turned eighteen, keeping his first team place for the remainder of the 1962/63 season – much to the annoyance of Fisher, who quickly handed in a transfer request.
After 53 consecutive first team starts between September 1962 and September 1963 Williams dropped out of the first XI in favour of newly-signed Irish international keeper Maurice Swan. Mike returned for ten games between December 1963 and February 1964 but Swan was soon reinstated. Despite this setback Williams remained patient and was back in the side for one game a fortnight after his 20th birthday in November 1964. A month later Swan suffered an injury and Willams started the remaining 24 senior fixtures of the season.
Mike kept his first team place at the start of the 1965/66 season as a promotion campaign began to take shape. However in October 1966 a cut hand saw Williams drop out of the first team to be replaced by Swan, and the Irishman kept his place for the rest of the season and became a famous Hull City figure for his role in the 1965/66 Division Three title winning side. Williams left the Tigers in July 1966.
Mike joined Aldershot when he left Hull City but in two seasons he was unable to make any first team starts. In July 1968 he switched to Fourth Division Cumbrian side Workington, where he was reserve goalkeeper and made 15 starts in two seasons. He returned north to sign for Scunthorpe United in July 1970, making only one start in his first two years at the Old Show Ground before making 25 appearances in the 1972/73 season as the Iron suffered an immediate relegation back to the Fourth Division. Mike made 7 starts for Scunthorpe in the 1973/74 season, taking his tally over four years to 33 appearances before leaving the club in June 1974.
Williams saw out his career at Scarborough and Bridlington Trinity, by the late 1970s he was working for BP Chemicals in Hull. He held that job for over 35 years before retiring in 2014 to his Willerby home.
Details
Nationality: England
Date/Place of Birth: 23 October 1944, Hull
Hull City First Game: 13 September 1962, Millwall H (Division Three), 17 years, 325 days old
Hull City Final Game: 13 October 1965, Oldham Athletic A (Division Three), 20 years, 355 days old
Clubs
Hull City (1960-1966), Aldershot (1966-1968), Workington (1968-1970), Scunthorpe United (1970-1974), Scarborough (1974-1975), Bridlington Trinity (1975-1976)
Hull City Record
Career: 100 apps, 0 goals
Mike WilliamsSeason | LGE App | LGE Gls | FAC App | FAC Gls | FLC App | FLC Gls | EUR App | EUR Gls | OTH App | OTH Gls |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1960/61 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
1961/62 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
1962/63 | 39 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | - | - | - | - |
1963/64 | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
1964/65 | 25 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
1965/66 | 10 (0) | 0 | - | - | 2 (0) | 0 | - | - | - | - |