Derrick Williams

Aston Villa

Following a number of injuries to Alex McLeish's first team squad in the latter stages of the 2011–12 season, the versatile defender was brought in to train with the first team on a number of occasions. His first competitive involvement with the first team saw him earn a place on the bench for the defeats to Arsenal and Chelsea, and the draw with Liverpool. Williams made his first-team debut under Paul Lambert, as a substitute in Villa's 1–1 Premier League draw against Queens Park Rangers on 1 December 2012.

Bristol City

After struggling to make it into the Aston Villa first team, Williams signed for Bristol City, newly relegated to League One, on a three-year contract on 24 June 2013. He made his debut in a 2–0 away win at Gillingham in the League Cup on 6 August, and continued to solidify his place in the line up, starting almost every league match for City that season. His first professional goal came on 15 February 2014, in a 2–2 draw at home to Tranmere Rovers. Bristol City started the 2014–15 League One season with a 16-match unbeaten run, a club record, and the second longest unbeaten run in the country at the time, only behind Chelsea. Williams was a key fixture in this run, starting every match. His first goal of the season came in this run, in a 3–2 home win over Chesterfield on 11 October, and his second was scored in a Football League Trophy win over Coventry City in early December. Williams was sent off for the first time in his…

Williams was eligible to play for Germany, the United States, and the Republic of Ireland. In February 2011, he made his debut for the Republic of Ireland U19 team against Croatia U19, before going onto play in three of Ireland's four fixtures of the UEFA European Under-19 Championship later that year. On 10 September 2012, Williams made his debut for the Republic of Ireland U21 team, in a 4–2 victory over Italy U21. On 28 May 2018, he made his full senior international debut for the Republic of Ireland national football team in a friendly game against France at the Stade De France. Williams scored his first senior goal in a friendly against New Zealand on Thursday, 14 November 2019

Club

International

As of match played 14 October 2020

Scores and results list the Republic of Ireland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Williams goal.

Williams was born in Hamburg, Germany in 1993, to an Irish mother and an African-American father. With his father serving in the United States Army at the time, Williams moved regularly during spells in Germany and the United States. In 2000, when Williams was seven years old, the family eventually settled in Tramore, County Waterford in Ireland. It was here where he began playing football, and was later spotted playing for Tramore Athletic and Waterford. At the age of 15, he was offered a contract by Manchester United, however he decided to join Aston Villa instead in January 2009, due to their success in developing academy players into first team players.