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David Williams (Australian soccer)

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David Williams
Williams with North Queensland Fury in 2009
Personal information
Full name David Joel Williams
Date of birth (1988-02-26) 26 February 1988 (age 36)
Place of birth Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Striker, winger
Team information
Current team
 Perth Glory
Number 9
Youth career
Pine Hills
Westside
2002–2003 Mitchelton
2004–2005 QAS
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2006 Queensland Roar 2 (0)
2006–2010 Brøndby 34 (4)
2009–2010 → North Queensland Fury (loan) 21 (3)
2010–2011 North Queensland Fury 28 (5)
2011 → Sydney FC (loan) 0 (0)
2011–2016 Melbourne City 101 (21)
2016–2018 Haladás 66 (20)
2018–2019 Wellington Phoenix 25 (11)
2019–2020 ATK 18 (7)
2020–2022 Mohun Bagan 37 (10)
2022– Perth Glory 43 (10)
International career‡
2004–2005 Australia U17 14 (11)
2005–2006 Australia U20 12 (10)
2007–2008 Australia U23 11 (7)
2008–2010 Australia 2 (0)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Australia
OFC U-20 Championship
Winner 2005
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 2 May 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 16 November 2010

David Joel Williams (born 26 February 1988) is an Australian professional football player who plays as a forward for Perth Glory. Williams is the first Indigenous Australian player to play for A-League club Melbourne City.[1] He also represented Australia's national team twice.

Born in Brisbane, Williams played youth football at the Queensland Academy of Sport before making his professional debut for Queensland Roar. Williams has played for several A-League clubs including Queensland Roar, North Queensland Fury, Sydney FC and Melbourne City and Wellington Phoenix.

Williams has also played in Europe for Danish Superliga (Denmark) club Brøndby and Hungarian NB I club Haladás.

Williams is a member of the Indigenous Football Australia Council, which oversees John Moriarty Football, an Indigenous grassroots football initiative.[2]

Club career

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Youth career

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Born in Brisbane, Australia, Williams started playing football for amateur clubs Westside and Pine Hills,[3] before moving to play youth football for Mitchelton FC.[4] He attended Northside Christian College while also being a member of the Queensland Academy of Sport (CAS) squad.[4]

He spent time training with Belgian club Club Brugge,[4] and Premier League club Liverpool,[4] and in January 2006, he signed for Australian A-League side Queensland Roar for the remainder of the 2005–06 season.[4] Queensland Roar coach Miron Bleiberg called Williams the best Australian prospect since Harry Kewell,[4] and he was labelled the best young Australian striker by the former technical director of the Australian national team Ron Smith.[4] Following two games as a substitute for Roar,[5] he moved abroad in May 2006 to play for Danish team Brøndby IF on a three-year contract.[6]

Brøndby IF

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At Brøndby, Williams was included in the reserve team, and after 12 goals in five reserve team matches,[4] he made his first team debut under Brøndby coach Rene Meulensteen on 5 August against AC Horsens.[7] On 11 November, Williams scored his first Superliga goal for the Brøndby first team in the home game against Silkeborg IF.[7] He also played against German outfit Eintracht Frankfurt in the European UEFA Cup tournament.[8] In the Royal League game against Swedish side Hammarby IF on 30 November, Williams added another two goals in Brøndby's win over the Swedes. Under new Brøndby manager Tom Køhlert, Williams was promoted to the Brøndby first team squad in December 2006, alongside Marc Olsen.[9] Williams played a total 19 games and scored one goal for Brøndby in the 2006–07 Superliga season.[7] He played 10 games and scored three goals for Brøndby in the 2007–08 Superliga season.[7]

Williams started the 2008–09 Danish season well, as he played five of Brøndby's first six Superliga games,[7] and scored a goal against FC Haka in the UEFA Cup.[10] He prolonged his Brøndby contract in September 2008, extending it until the summer 2011.[11] He injured his knee in a training mishap in September 2008,[12] and when Williams returned to fitness after the turn of the year, newly appointed Brøndby trainer Kent Nielsen left him out of the side. Williams' frustration at not playing led to him making a public outburst in June 2009, claiming he would leave the club in three weeks if they didn't play him.[13] Brøndby responded by sending him out on trial to South African club Bidvest Wits.[14]

A-League

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North Queensland Fury

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He joined the North Queensland Fury FC on a one-year loan deal for the 2009–10 A-League season[15] and signed a permanent contract with the Fury in January 2010.

Sydney FC (loan)

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On 16 February 2011, Sydney FC signed Williams on a short-term deal from the Fury for the AFC Champions League 2011 campaign.[16][17] He made a total of 4 appearances for the club, during the unsuccessful campaign, in which Sydney FC finished third in the group.

Melbourne City

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On 22 June 2011, he signed for A-League club Melbourne Heart (Melbourne City FC) on a three-year deal.[18] He signed a two-year contract extension with the Heart on 20 March 2014, tying him to the club until the end of the 2015–16 season.[19]

On Sunday 10 August 2014, Williams featured in the 2014 A-League All Stars Game, coming on as a 63rd-minute substitute for Alessandro Del Piero in what was the latter's last game in Australia. Williams was released from the club in January 2016.[20]

Haladás

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On 25 January 2016, Williams signed with Hungarian club Haladás in hopes of rejuvenating his hopes of playing for Australia.[21] In June 2018, Williams left Haladás.[22]

A-League return

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Wellington Phoenix

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On 23 July 2018, it was announced that Williams had signed a one-year deal with Wellington Phoenix to return to the A-league.[23]

On 10 June 2019 it was announced that Williams would be leaving the Wellington Phoenix.[24]

Indian Super League

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ATK

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On 28 June 2019, Indian Super League club ATK signed him from A-league club Wellington Phoenix on a one-year contract.[25] Williams scored his first goal for the club in their 5–0 routing of Hyderabad FC. He ended the season with 7 goals and 5 assists and the Indian Super League title.

Mohun Bagan

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On 8 September 2020, Mohun Bagan confirmed the signing of David Williams on a one-year contract.[26] On 21 December 2020, he scored the first goal for the club in a 1-0 win over Bengaluru FC.

Perth Glory

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Williams returned to Australia to sign with A-League Men side Perth Glory in August 2022.[27]

International career

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He was most noted for being selected in both of Australia's squads for the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship in the Netherlands and the 2005 FIFA U-17 World Championship in Peru; however, as the World Youth Championship (U-20) was held before the U-17 World Championship, Williams was ruled ineligible to play in Peru, leaving Australia with only 19 members in its U-17 World Championship squad.

He was selected for Australia's World Cup qualifier with China on 22 June 2008, and came on as a substitute for James Holland.[28]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of 7 May 2023[29]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Queensland Roar 2005–06 A-League 2 0 — — 2 0
Brøndby 2006–07 Danish Superliga 19 1 0 0 2[a] 0 21 1
2007–08 10 3 1 1 0 0 11 4
2008–09 5 0 1[b] 0 4[a] 1 10 1
Total 34 4 2 1 6 1 42 6
North Queensland Fury (loan) 2009–10 A-League 21 3 — — 21 3
North Queensland Fury 2010–11 A-League 28 5 — — 28 5
Sydney FC (loan) 2010–11 A-League 0 0 — 4[c] 0 4 0
Melbourne City 2011–12 A-League 15 1 — — 15 1
2012–13 24 5 — — 24 5
2013–14 26 12 — — 26 12
2014–15 26 3 1 0 — 27 3
2015–16 10 0 1[d] 0 — 11 0
Total 101 21 2 0 4 0 107 21
Haladás 2015–16 NB I 14 2 — — 14 2
2016–17 25 11 — — 25 11
2017–18 27 7 — — 27 7
Total 66 20 0 0 0 0 66 20
Wellington Phoenix 2018–19 A-League 27 11 — — 27 11
ATK 2019–20 Indian Super League 18 7 — — 18 7
Mohun Bagan 2020–21 Indian Super League 20 6 — — 20 6
2021–22 17 4 — 9[e] 6 26 10
Total 37 10 0 0 9 6 46 16
Perth Glory 2022–23 A-League Men 18 5 — — 18 5
Career total 352 86 4 1 19 7 375 94
  1. ^ a b Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League
  2. ^ Appearance(s) in Danish Cup
  3. ^ Appearance(s) in AFC Champions League
  4. ^ Appearance(s) in Australia Cup
  5. ^ Appearance(s) in AFC Cup

International

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Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Australia 2008 1 0
2009 0 0
2010 1 0
Total 2 0

Honours

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ATK

Australia U20

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "David- Williams becomes the first indigenous player to represent a Melbourne A-League club after singing with Heart". Herald Sun. 23 June 2011.[permanent dead link‍]
  2. ^ Gitsham, Jo (2 November 2023). "David Williams appointed to Indigenous Football Australia Council". Moriarty Foundation. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  3. ^ "FFA – Olyroos profile". Archived from the original on 27 May 2011.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Teen learns how sweet it is to be loved by the Danes, The Sydney Morning Herald, 29 October 2006
  5. ^ OzFootball profile
  6. ^ (in Danish) David Williams til Brøndby IF, Brondby.com, 24 May 2006
  7. ^ a b c d e David Williams at DanskFodbold.com
  8. ^ "Brøndby IF". brondby.com. Archived from the original on 28 November 2006.
  9. ^ (in Danish) Olsen og Williams rykkes op, Brondby.com, 18 December 2006
  10. ^ FC Haka – Brøndby IF Archived 5 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Brondby.com, 14 August 2008.
  11. ^ (in Danish) David Williams forlænger Archived 5 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Brondby.com, 22 September 2008.
  12. ^ (in Danish) Jallow forlod træningen Archived 5 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Brondby.com, 15 September 2008.
  13. ^ Williams: Play Me Or I Will Quit Archived 4 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine, FourFourTwo, 30 June 2009
  14. ^ (in English) Williams Sent Out On Africa Trial Archived 7 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine, FourFourTwo, 3 July 2009
  15. ^ "The Courier Mail | Breaking News Headlines for Brisbane and Queensland | Courier Mail". www.couriermail.com.au.
  16. ^ Micallef, Phillip (16 February 2011). "Sydney FC snares Williams". SBS The World Game. Retrieved 22 June 2011.
  17. ^ Ormond, Aiden (20 February 2011). "Fury Funding Confusion". FourFourTwo Australia. Archived from the original on 23 February 2011. Retrieved 22 June 2011.
  18. ^ Windley, Matt (22 June 2011). "David Williams becomes the first indigenous player to represent a Melbourne A-League club after singing with Heart". Herald Sun.[permanent dead link‍]
  19. ^ "A League: David Williams clinches new deal with Melbourne Heart". The Sydney Morning Herald. 21 March 2014. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
  20. ^ "Williams to Pursue Overseas Opportunity". Melbourne City FC. 19 January 2016. Archived from the original on 22 January 2016. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  21. ^ "A-League striker to Hungarian club". Football Federation Australia. 25 January 2016.
  22. ^ "Former Socceroo departs European club". FourFourTwo Australia. 7 June 2018. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  23. ^ "Wellington Phoenix double down on experienced A-League campaigners". Stuff.co.nz. 23 July 2018.
  24. ^ Rollo, Phillip (10 June 2019). "Phoenix confirm Williams departure". Stuff.co.nz.
  25. ^ "ATK confirm capture of David Williams". 28 June 2019.
  26. ^ "Mohun Bagan confirm capture of David Williams". 8 September 2020.
  27. ^ Taylor, Nick (25 August 2022). "Perth Glory bring experienced forward David Williams back to Australia as rebuild continues". The West Australian. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  28. ^ Socceroos sunk by a Chinese stunner Archived 11 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine, FootballAustralia.com.au, 22 June 2008.
  29. ^ David Williams at Soccerway
  30. ^ "Australia win OFC U20 Qualifiers". Oceania Football Confederation. 31 January 2005. Archived from the original on 10 October 2012.
  31. ^ "A-League All Stars vs. Juventus 2 – 3". Soccerway. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
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