Page 29 - Bath City v Peterborough Sports - Saturday 16 January 2020 - FA Trophy 4th Round

BATH CITY HERO

seemed to enjoy a new club every season. 48 games
for the Chairboys was followed by spells at Hereford
United, Walsall and Exeter before a more successful
12 goals in 43 outings for Cardiff City in 1998/99.
Single season stints at York City and Darlington were
preceded by a third spell with Swansea City, where he
spent two seasons playing 68 matches between 2001
and 2003. The following year, he famously netted
a goal for Kidderminster Harriers against top-flight
Wolverhampton Wanderers in the third round of the
FA Cup, before being enticed to Twerton Park for a
spell with Southern League side Bath City by manager
Gary Owers. The City boss had been tracking the
experienced striker for a year and finally got his man
when the 36-year-old veteran signed in June 2004.
Upon his arrival, Owers told the Worcester Evening
News; “I have been trying to persuade him to come
here for quite a while. He played in the League last
season and, like a lot of players who have been
released, was waiting to see if he would get picked up
Another in our series of Bath City Heroes ,this by a League club. We managed to get him to sign for
afternoon we look back on the career of former us and I'm very excited about it. He will bring pace,
power, experience and enthusiasm to the team and he
City striker John Williams. Despite only enjoying
one season at Twerton Park, he became a real fans’ is up for it - there is no doubt about that."
favourite and played a huge part in City enjoying an John made his début for City on the opening day
FA Cup run that year. The man, dubbed the “flying of the season, a 2-1 win over Banbury United, in
postman”, was once the fastest player in the Football which he played 85 minutes before being substituted
League and counted Swansea City, Cardiff City and for youngster Ricky Hulbert. He made an instant
Coventry City as former clubs… impression and, despite drawing some criticsm from
John Nelson Williams was born in Birmingham on the some supporters for his effort in pre-season, he opened
11th May 1968 and began his career with local West his account from the penalty spot on 66 minutes. He
soon became a firm fans favourite with seven goals
Midlands League side Cradley Town in 1990. The 6ft,
1 inch striker soon had scouts taking notice, and within in his first 11 matches, and his strong running and
a year he signed for Swansea City, who at the time hold-up play helped City build a promising FA Cup
run. John scored the winner against Leatherhead in
were a Third Division (League One in today’s money)
side. After contributing 11 goals in 39 matches, the the 4th qualifying round to earn City a first round tie
at Conference leaders Barnet and was instrumental
pacey forward joined Coventry City, who had just
earned promotion to the newly formed Premier League. in helping City pull off a giant killing victory, which
earned a tie at Peterborough United in round two.
That summer he took part in the Rumbelows’ 100 Perhaps he will be best remembered for his hat-trick
Metre Sprint Challenge event at Wembley Stadium
following the League Cup final, and won the £10,000 of headers which tuned a 2-0 deficit into a 4-2 win
at rivals Chippenham Town on Good Friday 2005,
prize beating, amongst others, Wimbledon star
Efan Ekoku in a time of 11.49 seconds. Having which wrote his name into City folklore. He ended the
started as a postman during his non-league days, season injured after being knocked unconscious in the
act of scoring at Solihull Borough and his final return
the nickname “the flying postman” was given to
him following his success at Wembley. John made a of 43 appearances and 19 goals was a superb return.
A move to Conference North side Redditch United
brilliant first impression by netting just the second ever
Premier League goal when he was on target against in May 2005, to be nearer his Birmingham home,
Middlesbrough in the Sky Blues 2-1 win. Over the next ended his stay at Twerton and he went on to play for a
number of non-league sides including Evesham United,
three years, the Birmingham born player made 80
appearances for the Highfield Road club, scoring 11 Weston-super-Mare and Gloucester City before finally
retiring in 2008.
times, but was loaned out during this period to in order
to get more regular game time. ADAM MATRAVERS
Temporary stints at Notts County, Stoke City and back
at former employers Swansea followed before he
joined Wycombe Wanderers permanently in 1995.
This heralded a nomadic career as the popular striker
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