{{short description|English footballer}} {{use British English|date=November 2023}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Jacques Williams | image = | caption = | fullname = Jacques Roger Williams | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1981|4|25|df=y}}<ref name="Hugman">{{Hugman|21231|access-date=6 November 2023}}</ref> | birth_place = Wallasey, England | currentclub = | height = {{height|ft=5|in=9}}<ref>{{cite book |title=Playfair Football Annual 2000–2001 |editor1-last=Rollin |editor1-first=Glenda |editor2-last=Rollin |editor2-first=Jack |date=2000 |publisher=Headline |isbn=978-0-7472-6620-4 |page=25}}</ref> | position = Midfielder | youthyears1 = 199?–1999 | youthclubs1 = Bordeaux | years1 = 1999–2002 | clubs1 = Birmingham City | caps1 = 3 | goals1 = 0 | years2 = 2003–2004 | clubs2 = Scarborough | caps2 = 12 | goals2 = 1 | years3 = 2005–2006 | clubs3 = Excelsior Virton | caps3 = 3 | goals3 = 0 | years4 = 2007–2008 | clubs4 = Tractor Sazi | caps4 = 0 | goals4 = 0 | years5 = 2008–2009 | clubs5 = Steel Azin | caps5 = 7 | goals5 = 1 | years6 = 2009–20?? | clubs6 = Emirates Club | caps6 = 44 | goals6 = 0 }} '''Jacques Roger Williams''' (born 25 April 1981) is an English professional footballer who played as a midfielder for Birmingham City in the Football League.
==Football career== Williams was born in Wallasey, Cheshire, and raised in France.<ref name=SignsBCFC>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/black-country-evening-mail-luntala-wil/134733094/ |title=French coup for Francis |first=Colin |last=Tattum |newspaper=Black Country Evening Mail |location=West Bromwich |date=15 July 1999 |page=102 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> He started his football career in the youth system at Bordeaux, and played for the Bordeaux junior side which won the French under-18 championship.<ref name=scarboro584>{{cite web |url=http://www.scarboroughfc.com/news/index.php?news=584 |title=Jacques of all trades |publisher=Scarborough F.C. |date=2 August 2003 |access-date=31 March 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060618144148/http://www.scarboroughfc.com/news/index.php?news=584 |archive-date=18 June 2006}}</ref> At the age of 18 he came to England with fellow French youngster Trésor Luntala for trials with Birmingham City, and both players signed on free transfers before the 1999–2000 season.<ref name=SignsBCFC /> Williams was on standby for the England under-18 match against Switzerland in September 1999, but an ankle problem prevented his taking part,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/sunday-mercury-williams-standby-england/134733992/ |title=A Brummie bonjour to French kids |first=John |last=Simpson |newspaper=Sunday Mercury |location=Birmingham |date=12 September 1999 |page=100 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> and he was named in the preliminary squad for European Under-18 Championship qualifiers in October but remained unused.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://newspapers.com/article/birmingham-evening-mail-williams-named-i/134734642/ |title=Call-up gloom for Blues boss |first=Colin |last=Tattum |newspaper=Birmingham Evening Mail |date=24 September 1999 |page=109 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/MatchRsl/MatchRslTmU19pg1.html |title=Match results under 19 1985–2010 |website=England Football Online |publisher=Chris Goodwin and Glen Isherwood |date=24 September 2021 |access-date=6 November 2023}}</ref><!-- some sources e.g. <ref name=scarboro584/> suggest he actually played for the U18s, but this does not appear to be the case --> He made his first-team debut for Birmingham in August 2000, playing once in the League Cup and then three First Division matches, but his development was interrupted by the need for a double hernia operation.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:BPOC&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0F6E1C5E64B34513&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=0D0CB57AB53DF815 |title=Football: Stan's the man to keep Blues on pace |newspaper=Birmingham Post |date=3 October 2000 |access-date=6 November 2023 |via=NewsBank}}</ref> Though he recovered sufficiently to resume playing reserve team football, scoring the goals which put the team into the semifinal of the Birmingham Senior Cup,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Blues+are+too+strong+for+Boro%3b+FOOTBALL%3a+LAST+NIGHT%27S+ACTION%2c+FROM...-a070442817 |title=Blues are too strong for Boro |newspaper=Coventry Evening Telegraph |date=14 February 2001 |access-date=6 November 2023 |via=The Free Library (Farlex)}}</ref> a spate of injuries meant that those four games were all he played for Birmingham's first team before being released when his contract expired.<ref name=scarboro584/>
He had a trial at Crewe Alexandra, on the recommendation of former assistant manager Brian Eastick, then academy director at Birmingham,<ref name=crewe>{{cite news |url=http://www.creweguardian.co.uk/news/5266092.Midfielder_and_striker_are_hoping_to_shine_on_trial/ |title=Midfielder and striker are hoping to shine on trial |newspaper=Crewe Guardian |date=3 July 2002 |access-date=18 March 2016}}</ref> but no contract ensued.
He joined Conference club Scarborough for the 2003–04 season, but sustained a broken rib and punctured lung in only his second game, complications from which meant a prolonged stay in hospital and three months out of football.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.scarboroughfc.com/news/index.php?go=previous&news=665 |title=Williams still in hospital |publisher=Scarborough F.C. |date=6 September 2003 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060618145614/http://www.scarboroughfc.com/news/index.php?news=666 |archive-date=18 June 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/s/scarborough/3221543.stm |title=Williams resumes training |publisher=BBC Sport |date=28 October 2003 |access-date=31 March 2008}}</ref> Returning to action in November 2003, he played a further ten league games,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.soccerfactsuk.co.uk/s2003/player_details.php?playerid=7664 |title=Player Details: Season 2003–2004 Jacques Williams |website=SoccerFactsUK |access-date=31 March 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929032945/http://www.soccerfactsuk.co.uk/s2003/player_details.php?playerid=7664 |archive-date=29 September 2011}}</ref> but was only an unused substitute in the club's FA Cup fourth round match against Premier League club Chelsea,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/fa_cup/3403723.stm |title=Scarborough 0–1 Chelsea |publisher=BBC Sport |date=24 January 2004 |access-date=31 March 2008}}</ref> despite scoring and hitting the post in the preceding league game.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:LNWB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=1003825B2C06D4E3&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=0D0CB57AB53DF815 |title=Jacques the lad – Conference |first=Peter |last=Welbourn |newspaper=News of the World |location=London |date=18 January 2004 |access-date=6 November 2023 |via=NewsBank}}</ref> He then injured an ankle,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.scarboroughfc.com/news/index.php?news=945 |title=Shrews news |publisher=Scarborough F.C. |date=19 February 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060618124334/http://www.scarboroughfc.com/news/index.php?news=945 |archive-date=18 June 2006}}</ref> and was released at the end of the season.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2384579/NATIONWIDE-CONFERENCE-CLUB-BY-CLUB-GUIDE-20042005.html |title=Nationwide Conference club-by-club guide 2004/2005 |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |date=13 August 2004 |access-date=6 November 2023}}</ref>
He spent the 2005–06 season with Belgian Second Division club Excelsior Virton for whom he made three substitute appearances.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sportwereld.be/Uitslagen/Sporter/Index.aspx?competitie=VBCOHKL2BE0506&speler=VBCOHKL2BE0506-VB0506JMAS-6LYRJU |title=Jacques Williams |website=SportWereld.be |language=nl |access-date=31 March 2008 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130115032827/http://www.sportwereld.be/Uitslagen/Sporter/Index.aspx?competitie=VBCOHKL2BE0506&speler=VBCOHKL2BE0506-VB0506JMAS-6LYRJU |archive-date=15 January 2013}}</ref>
In August 2006 he had a trial with Brighton & Hove Albion, scoring in an 11–0 rout of French amateur side Racing Club Port du Havre and making a promising substitute appearance in a 2–0 defeat against Le Havre AC,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://world.seagulls.co.uk/page/Latest/0,,10433~869342,00.html |title=Comprehensive victory for Albion |first=Paul |last=Camillin |publisher=Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. |date=1 August 2006 |access-date=18 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180319005343/http://world.seagulls.co.uk/page/Latest/0,,10433~869342,00.html |archive-date=19 March 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/6814636.Albion_back_on_Brittain_s_trail/ |title=Albion back on Brittain's trail |newspaper=The Argus |location=Brighton |date=22 July 2006 |access-date=6 November 2023}}</ref> but manager Mark McGhee decided against signing him.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/849554.july-26-loan-man-a-must-after-hinsh-blow/ |title=July 26: Loan man a must after Hinsh blow |first=Tom |last=Gurney |newspaper=The Argus |location=Brighton |date=26 July 2006 |access-date=6 November 2023}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Soccerbase}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Jacques}} Category:1981 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from Wallasey Category:English men's footballers Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:FC Girondins de Bordeaux players Category:Birmingham City F.C. players Category:Scarborough F.C. players Category:Royal Excelsior Virton players Category:Steel Azin F.C. players Category:Tractor S.C. players Category:English Football League players Category:National League (English football) players Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Iran Category:21st-century English sportsmen