FORMER Premier League player Brandon Williams is staying with Rotherham United during pre-season in a bid to win a deal that could see him get his career back on track.
The defender came through the youth ranks at Manchester United and made more than half a century of appearances for the Red Devils before loans spell in the top flight and Championship with Norwich City and Ipswich Town respectively.
Brandon Williams in action for Rotherham Unitd against Parkgate tonight. Picture: Jim Brailsfordplaceholder image
Brandon Williams in action for Rotherham Unitd against Parkgate tonight. Picture: Jim Brailsford
After a troubled time since 2024, he is training with the League Two Millers under new head coach Alex Bruce who says the player may be given the chance to stay with them permanently.
Williams, who has been hit by injury problems and personal issues, has been training with the club at their Roundwood base for a fortnight and played the second half of the 1-0 win over non-league neighbours Parkgate tonight in the first summer friendly.
"Brandon has a good pedigree," Bruce told the Advertiser. "He's worked with the very best and played against the best. He was showing me a game between Manchester United v Liverpool at Anfield where he was playing. We know what he's capable of.
"He's had a tough couple of years. He's not done a proper pre-season for two or three years now and he's had a few problems with injuries. It's a case of just seeing where he's at, getting a good pre-season into him and seeing where we go with it."
Williams - whose most recent club was Hull City, whom he left in February – is set for more game time on Tuesday when the the Millers head to another non-league side, Emley.
On the prospect of a contract being offered, Bruce said: "He's going to continue training, we're going to have a good look at him. I think he's enjoyed it here so far.
So we'll give him time, get the fitness levels into him and then, when both parties are happy, we'll try to make a decision."
Rotherham left it late to topple Parkgate on the non-leaguer outfit's' pitch next door to Roundwood, winning the match with academy youngster Alfie Ramsell's 86th-minute header.
"It's the first time I've seen some of the lads play," Bruce said. "Every time I see them play in the coming weeks, they have to impress, They need to stake a claim to be in the team for the first game of the season. It'll be interesting to see what I see over the next few weeks.
"It's first game of pre-season. We haven't done a lot of work on tactical things and how we're going to play just yet. It's more of a physical thing to get them running around and showing enthusiasm for just having a game of football. It's as simple as that. Use it for the fitness levels we need to build up for the start of the season. From that point of view, it was a good workout."
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