Biography

Left sided attacking threat Gareth Williams first joined the Tigers in September 1992 when he had a one month loan spell from Barnsley, though his four appearances yielded two draws and two defeats. Williams returned to Boothferry Park in January 1994 and stayed until the end of the season as manager Terry Dolan attempted to consolidate on a excellent opening two months to the 1993/94 season. Williams made 16 starts and opened his Hull City goalscoring account at the end of January 1994 with a consolation effort in 1-3 defeat at Leyton Orient.
Born in Newport on the Isle of Wight, Gareth Williams was a talented Vectis product who had a trial at Southend United as a 16 year old, but not even the managerial appeal of ex-England captain Bobby Moore could prevent the young Gareth from experiencing homesickness and returning home within a few weeks. He impressed as a teenager turning out in the Island League for Whitecroft Barton and in the East Hampshire League for East Cowes Vics, while working during the week as a postman. In 1986 Williams signed for Gosport Borough, a South Hampshire-based Southern league Premier Division side. By the end of 1987 he was attracting interest from several League clubs and in January 1988 he signed for Aston Villa, who had been relegated from the First Division the previous summer and were assembling a successful promotion campaign in 1987/88 season. Gareth scored plenty of goals for Villa’s reserve side and made his first team debut in an April 1988 draw at Crystal Palace. Over the next two seasons Villa, back in the top flight, used Williams sparingly as he made fifteen further appearances in all senior competitions, injuries reducing his availability for First Division action. After being frozen out of the first team completely in 1990/91, Gareth joined Barnsley in August 1991 and made 20 appearances in his first season. However in the two subsequent seasons he was rarely picked by The Tykes, which led to his two loan spells at Hull City.
Williams was released by Barnsley after his second loan spell at City ended and he started 1994/95 season at Bournemouth. After only one appearance for The Cherries he moved to Northampton Town in September 1994 and in two seasons he established himself as a first team regular for the first time, making 41 senior appearances in 1995/96. In the 1996 close season Williams joined Scarborough where he was practically ever-present for two and a half seasons, making 123 appearances and scoring 29 goals for the Seadogs, including 15 league goals in 1997/98.
This consistency led to a third transfer to Hull City in November 1998, this time a permanent move. An early signing of Warren Joyce’s managerial tenure, Williams debuted a third time for City on the same day as defensive legend Justin Whittle. He was a mainstay on the left side of attack as Joyce plotted an unlikely ascent from the foot of the Fourth Division to deliver Hull City’s Great Escape season. At the start of 1999/00 season Williams was used as a backup left midfielder and, from mid-September until mid-November, a useful forward-thinking left back. However in November 1999 Williams transferred back to Scarborough, who had dropped down into the Conference the previous summer, as City looked to trim a fattening wage bill.
Williams spent several further years playing on the non-league scene well into his 30s, he then managed Matlock Town between 2004 and 2010. Williams settled in Ashbourne and worked as a personal fitness coach after his playing days were over.
Details
Nationality: England
Date/Place of Birth: 12 March 1967, Newport IOW
Hull City First Game: 19 September 1992, Rotherham United H (League Division 2), 25 years, 191 days old
Hull City Final Game: 7 December 1999, York City A (Associate Members’ Cup First Round), 32 years, 270 days old
Clubs
Whitecroft Barton, East Cowes Victoria Athletic (1985-1986), Gosport Borough (1986-1988), Aston Villa (1988-1991), Barnsley (1991-1994), Hull City (1992, loan), Hull City (1994, loan), Bournemouth (1994), Northampton Town (1994-1995), Scarborough (1996-1998), Hull City (1998-1999), Scarborough (1999-2000), Ilkeston Town (2000-2001), Gainsborough Trinity (2001-2002), Matlock Town (2002-2010)
Hull City Record
Career: 63 apps, 5 goals
Gareth WilliamsSeason | LGE App | LGE Gls | FAC App | FAC Gls | FLC App | FLC Gls | EUR App | EUR Gls | OTH App | OTH Gls |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1992/93 | 4 (0) | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
1993/94 | 16 (0) | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
1998/99 | 24 (1) | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 (0) | 1 |
1999/00 | 12 (1) | 1 | 1 (0) | 0 | 2 (0) | 0 | - | - | 1 (0) | 0 |