At one point in his career, Brandon Williams appeared to be Manchester United’s logical successor to Luke Shaw. According to The Athletic, Ed Woodward, the former CEO of the 13-time Premier League champions, had even informed the public that Williams was their top pick for the left-back position.
During a Europa League trip to Kazakhstan in the 2019–20 season, when they lost to FC Astana 2-1, Woodward made remarks regarding the team’s preferred left-sided defender that were kept under wraps until the article surfaced.
Career Statistics for Brandon Williams
Club
Games
Objectives
Helps
Red/Yellow Cards
Manchester United
51
One
One
14/0
Manchester United U18
38
3.
7.
5/1
City of Norwich
29
0
One
9/0
Manchester United U21
17
0
5.
2/1
Town of Ipswich
17
2.
0
5/0
UEFA U19 Manchester United
9.
0
2.
0/0
The 24-year-old ace, who was born in Crumpsall, may be thinking whether there is a path back now that he is at a crossroads and without a club. Williams was a once-talented full-back who made more than 50 appearances for his youth team but found it difficult to make an impression in senior competition.
Many supporters of the Old Trafford team are wondering the same thing: what went wrong? The Carrington graduate once made a commitment to the world. It’s uncertain if he will ever return to top-flight play given his current unemployment and impending imprisonment for reckless driving.
Man United Chiefs “Are Not Persuaded” He’ll Join the Premier League Again
Ten Hag, the former manager of Manchester United, believed he had no place at Old Trafford.
Some Red Devils officials believe Williams won’t return to the top level of football until his priorities are resolved, according to The Athletic. According to the story, the club was “alarmed” by what they had learnt about their employee, and former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag had already determined that Williams was not part of his future plans when he returned to Greater Manchester.
The last time Williams played senior football was in Ipswich’s goalless draw with QPR on December 29, 2023.
He was allegedly “getting his priorities badly wrong after the money and stardom arrived,” and there was “evidence of a player who started to lose his way and was not listening to the right people.” The Red Devils’ boardroom leaders, including the former Ajax custodian, had no qualms about allowing him go despite the fact that left-back was a problem for Ten Hag and his group due to Shaw’s constant ailments and Tyrell Malacia’s problems, even if he wasn’t on loan.
Williams Admits to Driving Dangerously
The left-back’s sentencing is scheduled for May 9.
There is a persistent cloud over Williams’ head, regardless of what football-wise he faces in the future. According to a BBC story, the former Ipswich Town star entered a guilty plea in March 2025 to charges of reckless driving and driving without third-party insurance.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) claims that in August 2023, Williams was observed driving a fast and unpredictable Audi A3 on the A34 close to Cheshire. He broke the law at the time by driving 99 mph in a 70 mph zone while carrying a female passenger.
Witnesses said the car was out of control when it struck a blue Ford Fiesta and then crashed into the central reservation, with a balloon reportedly in his mouth. Williams caused significant damage to the central reservation, his car, and the Fiesta, but the results of a breathalyser test were negative.
Williams had entered a not guilty plea to driving recklessly in Wilmslow, Cheshire, in August 2023 before acknowledging his crime. The defender, who was reportedly making £65,000 a week, also denied driving without a valid insurance policy.
According to senior CPS prosecutor Andrew Madden, his driving did not demonstrate that he was a careful or capable driver. Witnesses reported that Williams continued to accelerate before abruptly braking. He was obviously out of control of the car,” Mr. Madden remarked.
The speed was egregiously excessive, and the driving was unpredictable. Williams eventually lost all control and crashed.
Mr. Madden went on to say that it was really lucky that no one was killed or gravely hurt. Williams, a former England Under-20 and Under-21 international, is expected to be sentenced at Chester Crown Court on May 9.
An in-depth look at Williams’ 51-game Manchester United career Defender spent time on loan at Ipswich Town and Norwich City
When his Old Trafford contract expired on June 30, Williams’ childhood ambition of playing for one of the top teams in world football came to a tragic end. Williams joined the club at the early age of seven.
Williams is officially unemployed after no team signed him over the summer when his contract with the Red Devils expired, five years after Manchester United’s aforementioned trip to Kazakhstan, when Woodward identified him as their first candidate.
Nevertheless, considering how badly he performed after receiving a new deal after his breakthrough 2020–21 season, his departure from Manchester United was a long-overdue favour for all involved.
https://www.instagram.com/branwilliams/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=0d1fb8da-8872-4cfa-9a69-dd7d62389f19
Rangers, a Scottish Premiership team, were apparently interested in signing the left-back during the most recent summer transfer window. However, a reported move to Glasgow fell through, leaving him without a club.
Williams demonstrated his ability to play on either side of the Manchester United back line. It is unclear if he will return to top-flight action next season, but for the time being at least, it is hard to predict where he will finish up.
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