Ashley Williams (footballer)

Ashley Williams (right ) in 2010

Ashley Errol Williams ( born August 23, 1984 in Tamworth, England) is a Welsh footballer. The central defender played for Swansea City and the Welsh national football team.

Club career

Williams was a member of various youth teams from West Bromwich Albion, but was rejected by 16 years. Instead, he made his debut in 2001 in the men's team to the Conference National - Absteigers and former sixth division side Hednesford Town. Although he was not a regular player during his two years, the two English fourth division Oldham Athletic and Stockport County offered him a professional contract so that he rose to the year 2003/ 04 moved to Stockport and was fully professional.

Williams quickly became regulars force of the club and was the age of 23 already captain of the team. In the summer of Stockport struck two deals for Williams of Cardiff City and Luton Town for £ 500,000 each. The contract was awarded in March 2008, the then third division Swansea City on loan first, before Williams was taken after promotion to the Championship Swansea completely under contract.

In the season 2010/11, Williams scored with his team the third place in the table and sat down in the play-off semi-finals with 0-0 and 3-1 against Nottingham Forest by. In the final, Swansea beat Reading FC 4-2 and thus, was the first Welsh club to the Premier League. Ashley Williams was elected together with his teammates Scott Sinclair into the PFA Team of the Year due to its good performance.

National

Although Williams was born in the English Midlands and raised, he is eligible to play for his coming from the Rhondda Valley Welsh grandfather for Wales. His first cap for Wales, he completed in March 2008 against Luxembourg. Until 21 June 2009, he played a total of 13 times for Wales, including six games of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup; he remained scoreless except an own goal in the away match against Germany.