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Next Game: Scarborough In The League At Edgar Street On Tuesday 19th November At 7.45pm

Tuesday, June 06, 2023

428 games at Football League clubs later, Andy Williams is back

Andy Williams firing a shot wide of the post in Rob Purdie's testimonial in 2019
Hereford have announced the signing of Andy Williams - a name popular among supporters thanks to the part he played in securing promotion back to the Football League in 2006.

But he left the Bulls in 2007 after Bristol Rovers, who had already made two bids for the forward, were promoted to League Two.

After Hereford accepted a £150,000, Williams initially turned down the move having already said he was happy at his hometown club and was not interested in moving to a club in the same division.

But, of course, promotion changed that.

He then joined Hereford again in the 2008/09 season, this time on loan from The Gas, netting two goals in 26 appearances, compared with 18 in 72 during his first stint.

In May 2010, he rejected a new deal with Bristol Rovers and signed a two-year deal with League One rivals Yeovil Town - scoring 22 goals in 72 appearances.

After that contract ended in 2012, he went to League One newbies Swindon. While there, he scored 32 goals in 89 matches.

He then failed to score in nine games during a season-long loan at former club Yeovil, with his season cut short due to injury.

A three-year stint at Doncaster Rovers came in 2015, with Williams penning the deal despite interest from Bradford City, Scunthorpe United, Sheffield United and Millwall.

He made 92 appearances for the club, scoring 23 goals, before moving again to Northampton Town where he netted 20 goals in 71 appearances.

In 2019, there was a brief return to Edgar Street as he played in Rob Purdie's testimonial - slicing an effort well wide.

A one-year contract at Cheltenham came next, and promotion meant a contract clause was triggered and he extended his stay for a second season. There, he scored 12 times in 68 games.

When his release from Cheltenham was announced in 2022, Hereford fans got their hopes up and wondered whether a return to Edgar Street might be on the cards.

But it wasn't to be and he stayed in the Football League for another year with Walsall - finding the back of the net once in 27 games.

Hereford fans will remember pace being a big part of his game, especially that special 2005/06 season - THAT season when the Bulls made their long-awaited return to the Football League.

But it will be interesting to see what role he takes up in Paul Caddis's refreshed Bulls squad.

Now 36, Williams has come a long way since his days playing for the Hereford United youth team.

In fact, he's made 428 appearances for Football League clubs since his second spell at Hereford came to an end, taking his career total to 614.

Caddis has said Williams had "other, more lucrative full-time deals on offer" but chose part-timers Hereford.