Danny Williamson

Daniel Williamson (born 5 December 1973) is an English former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.

He notably played in the Premier League for West Ham United and Everton, as well as in the Football League for Doncaster Rovers and for non-league side Farnborough Town. He suffered a foot injury in 1997 which would eventually lead him to prematurely retire three years later.

Early life Williamson was born in West Ham, London in December 1973. As a youth, he cheered on the Hammers from the North Bank at Upton Park. He played for Newham and Essex Schoolboys, signed schoolboy forms with West Ham, completed a two-year apprenticeship and signed professional forms in 1992. He was a strong-running right-footed attacking midfielder, who liked to play in a central position but was equally at home on the right-hand side.

Club career West Ham United After signing professional forms with West Ham in July 1992, Williamson was loaned out to non-league side, Farnborough Town, making his debut in a 3–2 home defeat against Runcorn on 6 February 1993 and a total of six appearances between February and March 1993. He was loaned out again to Third Division side, Doncaster Rovers, in October 1993 where he made 16 league and cup appearances, scoring three goals. He played the final three games of the 1993/94 season for West Ham, making his debut in a 2–0 win at Arsenal on 30 April 1994 and scoring his first goal for the club in a 3–3 draw with Southampton on 7 May 1994. Competition for the midfield places from John Moncur and Don Hutchison and an ankle injury restricted him to only four appearances in 1994/95. However, he gained a regular place in the first-team in the 1995/96 season, when he made 37 league and cup appearances and scored four goals, helping West Ham to finish in the top-half of the table for the first time in ten years. Harry Redknapp said of him, "He was an outstanding passer of the ball. He had a terrific shot on him and I always thought he was going to be a very good player."

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