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Jonny Williams explains what made him do a sudden U-turn snubbing Bradford for Gillingham despite the Bantams putting him in a hotel.
On the 20th May 2023, the 29 year old saw his contract at Swindon expire, so was let go and in came the offers for him fellow Football League sides.
Fast forward to the 13th June 2023, and it was reported that he turned down the likes of Northampton, Wrexham, Notts County and Gillingham in order to sign for Bradford City, who paid for a hotel for Williams to stay in and were set to announce him as a new signing the following day.
The next day saw a surprise turn of events as the move to Bradford City was now OFF and he instead joined Gillingham, who announced Williams in their new third kit.
šØļøāIt was a hard decision, a lot of thought, not a lot of sleep ā¦ā
Jonny Williams says it was ācoming back homeā that made him change his mind and snub #bcafc deal to sign for Gillingham instead ā¦ @Bradford_TandA
ā Simon Parker (@ParkerTandA) June 15, 2023
When he was questioned about the day of twists annd turns, he said as per KentOnline: āIt has been an exciting one. A lot of thought went into it, it is the next three years of my life, I feel like I am coming back home.
āI am from Kent and this is the only Kent team in the Football League.
āI have always wanted to play for Gillingham one day and today is the day it feels right. To be close to family and friends, but also to be part of this project.
āI have been made well aware that this is a project that wants to keep moving forward, and having the new chairman come in in January, he wants to succeed and make this club better and I am delighted to be here. Hopefully I can contribute on and off the pitch.
āI had a soft spot for them, I have always liked the idea of playing for them.
āI am excited to work under (manager) Neil Harris. I have played against his teams many times, he has achieved some great success elsewhere and I have heard a lot of good things from players who have played under him.
āI am excited to work under him, I understand it is a good group and that is important. If you want to achieve promotion you want to be part of a tight-knit group and when you play against Gillingham you come across a good group of people that are honest, they want to win and I want to be part of it.
āBradford is a very big club, a great club in this division, a well respected club. It has its positives but when Gillingham came in it was a hard decision, a lot of thought, not a lot of sleep, but I want to be near home, that is where my friends and family are.
āI want to be part of this project and it was an opportunity I have always wanted to take in my career, to play for Gillingham, close to home and be a part of a team that is likely to achieve success and I want to be a part of that.
āHere I am, I am looking forward to the future, it was too good an opportunity to turn down for myself and my family.
āFirst impressions is that itās lovely people.
āThey are lovely people, people you want to work with every day.
āEvery day you want to enjoy your life, life is too short. I have always wanted to it, coming home and playing for Gillingham. To get this opportunity now with a man that cares a lot about the club and has put a lot into it already and to see the change from January onwards.
āI want to be a part of that in the next three years and be part of the success and I will be giving 110% to do so.ā
š¬ | šŖš¶š¹š¹š¶š®šŗš: āI am really excited, this is a club with a lot of potential. I was born in Kent so I am delighted to be home.
āIāve got a lot to give, the Chairman is great and I want to be a part of the journey.ā#Gills pic.twitter.com/qbdZTaFj09
ā Gillingham FC (@TheGillsFC) June 14, 2023
Fans reacted as Jonny Williams explains what made him do a sudden U-turn snubbing Bradford for Gillinghamā¦
@DavidPCowie: His agent has done his job well.
@Calvey94: I donāt get what some expect the club to have done different as getting into a bidding war and paying stupid wages never ends well. Heās got himself the perfect offer financially and location wise. Anyone saying theyād do different in his shoes isnāt being honest #bcafc
@SPHscout: Why take it to the last minute, why did he ask for more moneyā¦ He was fishing for deals and used us. No tough decision at all. Canāt wait to see him at VP for a āwarmā reception.
@RocketJonnie: How anyone can blame the board, or the pull or anyone connected to #bcafc on missing out here when he simply went for location and offered more money, thatās it! We should be pleased Ryan, Mark and Stephen got a player of that calibre just about on the dotted line!
@ianpdobson: Dodged a bullet šš¼š
@allmoshnopit: Telling you now weāve dodged a bullet. Last thing we need is another injury prone player at VP chasing the pay packet. Plus heās 5ā6 lmao #bcafc
@lofty2021: People fuming about this make me laugh š¤£ He has zero loyalty to us ā his loyalty is to his own interests ā his family, his life, his contentment. Gillingham fit the bill more than us, simple. Fair play to him, he owes us fuck allā¦apart from a Ā£200 hotel bill. #bcafc
@NathSowden0801: Slept well in that hotel city paid for lol
@bottslock: Absolutely zero integrity from this guy. If you agree a deal you honour it. All this bollocks about being from Kent. It was about a better financial pay packet, why doesnāt he have the balls to admit it? Disgrace of a so-called sportsman.
@GAV__1903: Couldnāt agree more. Iāve no problem with people chasing the money in football. But when you give your word to people and take their hospitality, itās a clear sign of the person he is that he went back on it.
@joesutcliffe86: Donāt be absurd š if you went for an interview and you were about to agree/sign the contract, then another company came in for you last minute offering a lot more money. Youāre saying you wouldnāt take the new offer??
@Tom1903BC: Williams was seemingly willing to move? Seems unlikely any of us normals would be willing to move half way across the country, especially with family commitments.
@DamianClough2: Heās done the right thing for himself but he knows as well at the same time he has done the dirty. You can do both.
@Seanjames344: Understand him looking after himself & his family-suspect we all would do in same circumstances. However suggest that City have spent 2 much time & money in past on players who are at stage of their careers whereā looking after themselves & familyā not their careers is the priority
@JohnWil23712714: Iām glad anyway that he is not joining we have better players than him but hopefully city may get scotty banks back and also hopefully gilly will stay at city as its another striker they need too
@Rickwoollin: This is so Bradford City ā¦. š
@patelj28: Not sure how you blame the club when he changes last minute ā¦. anywayā¦ sure there are more able bodied chaps out there.
@amir_heshi: Banter club us
@BlaineAllenn: Chosen the more organised, professional, means business club. Cannot knock him one bit absolutely had Sparks / Hughes and our pants down. Best part is weāll give him all the reason to slam in a late winner again when we spend 180 minutes booing and giving him shit š¤”
@ChrisHilton83: Wow this doesnāt look good on the club, marquee signing changing his mind last minute to go to fucking Gillingham, Iām sure theyāll play it up somehow but with only a few weeks before training resumes this isnāt good preparation is it #bcafc
@mwnl: Better off if he doesnāt want to be here, we need hungry players not players just here for the cash #bcafc
@iammattbrookes: Slid down the divisions without playing many games and very injury prone. Would have been big wages too. Iām considering this one weāve ended up dodging
@dazzler_wright: Good.. another player chasing a pay packet from our club.. dodged another injury prone player ā¦ Good bye and go to a tinpot club
