Steve Williams

Southampton

He started out as an apprentice with Southampton, having been a product of the Saints' London Selection Centre and joining the club straight from school. He turned professional in 1975 and made his debut aged 17 on 6 April 1976, in a 1–0 victory away to local rivals, Portsmouth in a game where Peter Osgood was dropped for disciplinary reasons. He went on to establish a partnership with Alan Ball, with Ball's short passing game being complemented by Williams' deep surges into the opposition half. After his first full season at Southampton in 1976–77, he was awarded the club's Player of the Season Award and earned recognition for England at under-21 level. In the 1978–79 season, he was an ever-present in Saints' run to the 1979 League Cup final which they lost 3–2 to Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest. He succeeded Alan Ball as team captain and led The Saints to an FA Cup semi-final and to runners-up position in the 1983–84 First Division. The following season, manager Lawrie McMenemy was becoming disillusioned with Southampton, feeling that he had taken the club as far as he could and this disillusionment spread to several senior players including Williams, leading to a transfer request. In all, he played 349 times for Southampton, scoring 27 goals.

Arsenal

In December 1984 Williams moved to his boyhood club Arsenal for £550,000. After making his debut in a North London derby match against Tottenham Hotspur on 1 January 1985, Williams was a regular…

Williams played fourteen times for England's under-21s. He also won six caps for England, his debut coming against Australia on 12 June 1983.

Williams was born in 1958 in Romford, Essex. His parents ran a grocery shop. Williams excelled in sport at a young age, but he admitted opportunities were limited as his parents were too busy.

Southampton

Football League Cup runner-up: 1978–79 Arsenal

Football League Cup: 1986–87 Individual

Southampton Player of the Season: 1977