Williams was born in Buckley, Flintshire, to coal miner William Williams and his wife, Elizabeth Williams.[8] A prolific scorer in junior football, he played for Bury, though not in the Football League, and for Accrington Stanley before impressing on trial with Second Division club Birmingham. Williams signed for them in August 1908,[1] and made his debut on 7 September 1908, playing at inside left in a 3–1 win at home to Bradford. He was given a decent run of games in the starting eleven,[9] but failed to impress, and returned to Accrington Stanley in February 1909.
In the 1909 close season, he moved to Crystal Palace of the Southern League.[1] With Palace his best position was centre forward or inside right, though he was capable of playing in any forward role. Described as "an eager, neat and busy little footballer who possessed a snappy tackle and plenty of enthusiasm and determination", he scored 58 goals from 149 appearances in all competitions, including scoring five in one match against Southend United in September 1909.[2] Williams remained with the club for nearly five seasons, during which time he won two caps for Wales.[10] In February 1914 he joined Millwall, also playing in the Southern League,[1] and remained with the club for about a year.[4]
^As a footballer, the player's first given name is generally recorded as James.[1][2][3] However, confusion has arisen about his first name,[4] and it seems possible that his birth was registered under the name John, hence that name appearing on his military service record. His name (including the signature) on his application form, which identifies his occupation as professional footballer, are both John.[5]
References
^ abcdeMatthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. pp. 134–35. ISBN978-1-85983-010-9.
^ abArticle from Palace Echo by Alan Russell about Crystal Palace F.C. players killed during the First World War, reproduced by the author as a forum posting. "Palace players in WW1". CPFC BBS. 18 November 2008. Retrieved 24 September 2023.