Classic Arsenal Players - Part 7 - Steve Williams
DID TAYLOR NOT LIKE THAT
IT IS MARCH 1987. Arsenal had just been controversially knocked out of the FA Cup by Watford and boyhood Arsenal fan Steve Williams was not happy. Never one to hold back with his opinions at the best of times, Williams, in no uncertain terms, let Hornets manager Graham Taylor know exactly what he thought of him.
This attitude was a feature of Williams' three and half year spell at Highbury, where he fell out with manager Don Howe after his debut before later falling foul of George Graham. But for all that he could still be a very good player.
Steven Charles Williams was born on 12 July 1958 in Romford, Essex and although he grew up in an Arsenal supporting family, the young Williams joined Southampton as a apprentice having come through their London Selection Centre.
He turned professional in 1975 and made his league debut for the club as a 17 year old on 6 April 1976 in a 1-0 local derby victory against Portsmouth.
Williams became a regular in the Saints midfield at the start of the following 1976/77 season where he won the supporters player of the year award, and he would then play a key role as Southampton reached League Cup final in 1979. However they lost 3-2 at Wembley to Nottingham Forest.
Williams replaced Alan Ball as Saints captain in 1983 and during the 1983/84 season he led the club to the FA Cup semi finals and runners up in Division One, their highest ever position.
His great form for Southampton saw Williams rewarded with an England debut against Australia in June 1983 but he only made five more appearances for his country, all after he had left the South Coast.
The following 1984/85 season saw Williams become increasingly disillusioned at The Dell, feeling that he could go no further with the club, and in December 1984 he signed for his boyhood idols, Arsenal for £550,000.
In total he played 349 games for Southampton scoring 27 goals.
Williams joined Arsenal at a difficult time for the club and made his debut in a New Year's Day 2-1 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur.
Having been brought on a substitute in the final minute, Williams was quick to criticise Howe, saying he felt it was a waste of time bringing him on so late in the game. Not perhaps the best way to make on impression.
He did his cause no favours a few weeks later either when he was in the Arsenal side beaten 1-0 at Division Three York City in the FA Cup, conceding the last minute penalty from which York scored the winning goal.
Williams, a tough tackler but also a very good passer of the ball, overcame that rather inauspicious start to establish himself in the side for the remainder of the 1984/85 season, although his relationship with Howe remained fractious.
The following 1985/86 season saw Williams suffer from a series of niggling injuries which meant he only played 23 times, but Howe had left before the end of the season and his replacement, George Graham, did not initially select him.
However an injury to Stewart Robson early in the 1986/87 season saw Williams recalled to the team and he quickly developed a great midfield partnership with Paul Davis, as Arsenal embarked on a club record 22 match unbeaten run.
Williams suffered an injury of his own in February 1987 which saw him miss the Littlewoods Cup semi final victory over Tottenham Hotspur, replaced in midfield by the young, rampaging presence of Michael Thomas, but he was fit for the final against Liverpool.
This was possibly Williams finest performance in an Arsenal shirt as he helped the team come back from 1-0 down to win 2-1 against the previous year's double champions with a typically dogged midfield display, the first and ultimately only winners medal of Williams' career.
During the following 1987/88 season Williams fell out of favour with Graham after his role in the side changed to accommodate the signing of Kevin Richardson from Watford, and that was only ever going to lead to one outcome.
Graham had already decided he preferred the more mobile Thomas in midfield, and when Williams' mouth had led to him getting another suspension for the Littlewoods Cup semi final against Everton, it gave Graham the perfect opportunity to give Thomas an extended run in the team.
When Williams was not even named on the bench for the final against Luton Town in April 1988 it was clear he was now surplus to requirements.
Instead of staying at the stadium to watch the match with the rest of squad, Williams chose to watch it with his frail mother at home. Arsenal lost 3-2 but Williams had already played his last match for the club.
During the close season of 1988 the 30 year old signed for Luton having made 121 appearances for Arsenal, scoring five times.
Williams spent three rather unspectacular seasons at Kenilworth Road, making less than 50 appearances, before joining up with his former Southampton teammate Alan Ball at Exeter City as his assistant.
Williams ended his playing career in 1993 following a brief spell at Derry City in Ireland.
After he stopped playing, Williams dropped out of the game completely and opened a magazine publishing company in Exeter. This proved to be a success and after selling up at a profit he set up a property development business in Devon, Angela and Steve Williams Ltd., which he still runs today.
Williams was a player who regularly frustrated me. I had always admired him at Southampton and I was genuinely excited when he signed for Arsenal, but he never really fulfilled his potential at Highbury.
I feel that this was partly due to the fact that he joined at a time when the club was going through something of a transition, and once things became more settled under Graham he became much more consistent, especially in tandem with Davis.
His performance in the Littlewoods Cup final win over Liverpool was exceptional but ultimately his tendency to speak his mind saw him get on the wrong side of Graham once too often and he was gone a year later.
Despite his inconsistency I always enjoyed Willo's attitude on the pitch. As a fan of the club himself he always played just like we all imagined we would if given the chance.
His constant harassing of referees was a sight to behold long before the likes of Roy Keane et al made a career out of it, and of course that incident with Graham Taylor showed his passion for the club.
Coming up next time I look back at a late, dramatic win at Coventry City in September 1984, that glorious autumn where for a few weeks at least we looked like a better version of 1974 Holland. Look out for that one coming soon.
IT IS MARCH 1987. Arsenal had just been controversially knocked out of the FA Cup by Watford and boyhood Arsenal fan Steve Williams was not happy. Never one to hold back with his opinions at the best of times, Williams, in no uncertain terms, let Hornets manager Graham Taylor know exactly what he thought of him.
Steven Charles Williams was born on 12 July 1958 in Romford, Essex and although he grew up in an Arsenal supporting family, the young Williams joined Southampton as a apprentice having come through their London Selection Centre.
He turned professional in 1975 and made his league debut for the club as a 17 year old on 6 April 1976 in a 1-0 local derby victory against Portsmouth.
Williams became a regular in the Saints midfield at the start of the following 1976/77 season where he won the supporters player of the year award, and he would then play a key role as Southampton reached League Cup final in 1979. However they lost 3-2 at Wembley to Nottingham Forest.
Williams replaced Alan Ball as Saints captain in 1983 and during the 1983/84 season he led the club to the FA Cup semi finals and runners up in Division One, their highest ever position.
His great form for Southampton saw Williams rewarded with an England debut against Australia in June 1983 but he only made five more appearances for his country, all after he had left the South Coast.
The following 1984/85 season saw Williams become increasingly disillusioned at The Dell, feeling that he could go no further with the club, and in December 1984 he signed for his boyhood idols, Arsenal for £550,000.
In total he played 349 games for Southampton scoring 27 goals.
Having been brought on a substitute in the final minute, Williams was quick to criticise Howe, saying he felt it was a waste of time bringing him on so late in the game. Not perhaps the best way to make on impression.
He did his cause no favours a few weeks later either when he was in the Arsenal side beaten 1-0 at Division Three York City in the FA Cup, conceding the last minute penalty from which York scored the winning goal.
Williams, a tough tackler but also a very good passer of the ball, overcame that rather inauspicious start to establish himself in the side for the remainder of the 1984/85 season, although his relationship with Howe remained fractious.
The following 1985/86 season saw Williams suffer from a series of niggling injuries which meant he only played 23 times, but Howe had left before the end of the season and his replacement, George Graham, did not initially select him.
However an injury to Stewart Robson early in the 1986/87 season saw Williams recalled to the team and he quickly developed a great midfield partnership with Paul Davis, as Arsenal embarked on a club record 22 match unbeaten run.
Williams suffered an injury of his own in February 1987 which saw him miss the Littlewoods Cup semi final victory over Tottenham Hotspur, replaced in midfield by the young, rampaging presence of Michael Thomas, but he was fit for the final against Liverpool.
This was possibly Williams finest performance in an Arsenal shirt as he helped the team come back from 1-0 down to win 2-1 against the previous year's double champions with a typically dogged midfield display, the first and ultimately only winners medal of Williams' career.
During the following 1987/88 season Williams fell out of favour with Graham after his role in the side changed to accommodate the signing of Kevin Richardson from Watford, and that was only ever going to lead to one outcome.
Graham had already decided he preferred the more mobile Thomas in midfield, and when Williams' mouth had led to him getting another suspension for the Littlewoods Cup semi final against Everton, it gave Graham the perfect opportunity to give Thomas an extended run in the team.
When Williams was not even named on the bench for the final against Luton Town in April 1988 it was clear he was now surplus to requirements.
Instead of staying at the stadium to watch the match with the rest of squad, Williams chose to watch it with his frail mother at home. Arsenal lost 3-2 but Williams had already played his last match for the club.
Williams spent three rather unspectacular seasons at Kenilworth Road, making less than 50 appearances, before joining up with his former Southampton teammate Alan Ball at Exeter City as his assistant.
Williams ended his playing career in 1993 following a brief spell at Derry City in Ireland.
After he stopped playing, Williams dropped out of the game completely and opened a magazine publishing company in Exeter. This proved to be a success and after selling up at a profit he set up a property development business in Devon, Angela and Steve Williams Ltd., which he still runs today.
Williams was a player who regularly frustrated me. I had always admired him at Southampton and I was genuinely excited when he signed for Arsenal, but he never really fulfilled his potential at Highbury.
I feel that this was partly due to the fact that he joined at a time when the club was going through something of a transition, and once things became more settled under Graham he became much more consistent, especially in tandem with Davis.
His performance in the Littlewoods Cup final win over Liverpool was exceptional but ultimately his tendency to speak his mind saw him get on the wrong side of Graham once too often and he was gone a year later.
Despite his inconsistency I always enjoyed Willo's attitude on the pitch. As a fan of the club himself he always played just like we all imagined we would if given the chance.
His constant harassing of referees was a sight to behold long before the likes of Roy Keane et al made a career out of it, and of course that incident with Graham Taylor showed his passion for the club.
Coming up next time I look back at a late, dramatic win at Coventry City in September 1984, that glorious autumn where for a few weeks at least we looked like a better version of 1974 Holland. Look out for that one coming soon.
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