Jan-Michael Grantley Williams (born 26 October 1984) is a Trinidadian football coach and former player who works as goalkeeper coach for HFX Wanderers. A former goalkeeper, he made 80 appearances for the Trinidad and Tobago national team and played professionally in Trinidad, Belgium, Hungary, Honduras, Guatemala and Canada.[1]
Club career
W Connection
Williams played for W Connection in Trinidad and Tobago and had trials with Rangers in 2003 alongside Kenwyne Jones. He was the Pro League Player of the Year in 2006 as well as the T & T Pro League Goalkeeper of the year in 2006.
On 27 March 2007, he was the first goalkeeper to score in a Pro Bowl game when he scored a header against United Petrotrin in injury time to send the tie into extra-time and penalties. He saved 2 penalties to send his team into the final of the 2007 Pro Bowl competition. The final, against Superstar Rangers also went to a penalty shoot-out when Williams saved another 2 penalties to help his team win the T&T Pro League Trophy.
With W Connection Williams has a T&T PFL Championship winners medal, earned in 2005 and a CFU Club Champions Cup winners medal, earned in 2006.
White Star Woluwe
Williams again left his country in June 2007 for trials with Hungarian club Újpest FC who offered him a contract but he delayed his decision in order to trial with Sheffield United. In July 2007, while on trial with Sheffield United, Williams played in a pre-season friendly against Alfreton Town. On 25 July 2007, he was offered a contract by Sheffield United. While waiting for his work permit, he signed a short-term contract with Belgian Third Division side White Star Woluwe.[2]
Ferencváros
After he had his work permit application rejected, he signed a 1+1 year contract with Ferencváros on 15 July 2008.[3] He played his first game for the green and white club against Sheffield United the previous day. Williams was in summer 2009 released rejoined W Connection.
Williams again left his country in August 2011 on trial with Belgian Third Division club ROCCM where he joined fellow T&T teammate Radanfah Abu Bakr.
In the next couple of years Sacachispas, a Second Division team in Guatemala, was his team.
HFX Wanderers
Williams signed with HFX Wanderers on 10 January 2019.[4] He was named the first ever captain of the squad, and made his debut against Pacific FC in the club's inaugural match on 28 April 2019.[5] Williams suffered injury problems as the season went on, and partway through the season backup Christian Oxner took as the number one. He went on to make twelve league appearances that season and three in the Canadian Championship.[5] Williams retired at the end of the season, but was hired on with the club as a goalkeeping coach.[1]
Williams was selected as the second-choice goalkeeper for T&T at the 2001 FIFA Under 17 World Championship. He was also part of the 2003 Under-23 squad.
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