Ben Williams rumour is gathering pace online.
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Ben Williams rumour is gathering pace online.
http://www1.skysports.com/football/t...lchesterunitedQuote:
Originally Posted by Speedway
Brilliant signing if it comes off, Kudos to the guy that mentioned this on the PM board ages ago.Quote:
Originally Posted by lewis_1875
Good keeper and one some Championship clubs seemed to be keen on.Quote:
Originally Posted by lewis_1875
Looks very much like Fenlon is going for less signings but getting good players in key positions.
Don't get too excited, as soon as he makes his first mistake the forum will be full of the usual posts berating hibs for signing ***** keepers.Quote:
Originally Posted by Andy74
Williams signed for Colchester United for £60,000 on 10 July 2009. He made his debut in a 7–1 away win over Norwich City on 8 August 2009. His first clean sheet of the 2009–10 season came against Southampton in a 0–0 draw on 5 September 2009. He since kept a further 16 clean sheets during his debut season and has not only established himself as Colchester United's first choice goalkeeper, but has also become a favourite with the U's faithful due to his assured, commanding performances. These solid performances led to Ben Williams winning three Player of the Season Awards at the end of the 2009/10 season for Colchester United, including both the CUSA home and away player of the year awards as voted for by fans and also the Official Player of the Year Award. He decided to leave Colchester when his contract expired in June 2012 in order to follow his desire of playing in the Championship.
can't ask for more than that really. Although once he signs for hibs ........Quote:
Originally Posted by Andy74
Good signing if it comes off.Quote:
Originally Posted by lewis_1875
Starting to look quite solid at the back with McPake, Clancy and hopefully a promising goalkeeper signed.
He's signed now.
BREAKING NEWS: Goalkeeper Ben Williams has signed for Hibernian. The 29-year-old has agreed a two year deal
confirmation on club website, Williams signs
http://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/news/20...262950_2837380
Yep. On official site. http://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/page/La...,10290,00.htmlQuote:
Originally Posted by Thecat23
On hibs twitter too! :flag:
Looks like a cracking signing!!! :thumbsup:Quote:
Originally Posted by hoxtonhibby
Now that is an an encouraging signing. Good news, indeed!Quote:
Originally Posted by hoxtonhibby
Welcome to ER, Ben. :pfgwa
(Does this mean that Mark Brown will soon be offski then?)
Big Bad Ben Williams :aok:
Welcome.
Edit. Jambo colchester fan (must be the only one) at my work spewing...says hes good, 'makes some unbelievable saves'
Welcome Ben.
Welcome aboard :flag::flag:
i've lost touch the last few weeks, what top is that Ben williams is wearing in the pic on official site ? is it just a training one or whit ?
Welcome to the Cabbage, Ben :flag:
Well done Nutsy, things are looking more promising for next season.
Over 300 appearances, definitely the experience we need, great age too :thumbsup:
Good signing.
Hopefully the moaning will subside for Oooh 5 minutes.
Really happy with this signing.
These signings are showing far more ambition than CC ever showed. Cairney - highly rated attacking midfielder on his way up, McPake - a rock solid leader, Clancy - coming from a team looking forward to the Champions League qualifiers and now Williams-a leader, a highly rated keeper who had interest from Championship clubs.
Exactly what we need - a bit of ambition. Keep them coming!
Didn't see a separate thread. We have a keeper. :agree:
Seems like a bit of a coup getting this boy...well done to all concerned. Lets get a decent centre forward in now and that will be a decent spine to the team that we can build round.
I am happy with the look of Fenlons signings, BUT were CC's signings that bad on paper? Ozzy & Pallson - highly rated youngster from the EPL, O'Hanlon - commanding centre half from a club where he had been player of the season, Griffiths - young talented goalscorer on loan from the EPL who was also a Hibee. O'Connor - experienced striker who'd amassed over £4m in transfer fees.Quote:
Originally Posted by Northernhibee
I'm liking that we're building from the back tho. Left back, 2 wingers and striker still to come at least I hope.
I should add that I'm also much more excited about who the striker we bring in may be after a signing of this calibre.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stevie Reid
If bringing in the likes of Maybury and Kerr (I know that they haven't signed) means that we can spend a bit more on bigger priorities, then it makes sense IMO.
any rumours on signing some strikers?
new signings look good to me, but seams like as we've shut the door at the back we've no outlet upfront. IMO Doyle is very light weight
Cheers for that, sounds promising! :thumbsup:Quote:
Originally Posted by Andy74
I think that Doyle has looked excellent at times for us, and would be the perfect foil for a big target man - the fact that we were prepared to have a look at Kyle suggests that we are looking for one.Quote:
Originally Posted by hoxtonhibby
Just said similar on another thread. Then think of De Graaf, Hart, Miller, Stokes, even Maka and O'Brien!Quote:
Originally Posted by CallumLaidlaw
Let's see how they translate to the pitch!
Very happy with this signing. Looks to be a solid keeper. Welcome to the club Ben. :thumbsup:
From Wikipedia:
"He decided to leave Colchester when his contract expired in June 2012 in order to follow his desire of playing in the Championship."
Admittedly this is unsourced but why on earth did he choose to come to us? :confused:
Sounds like another good signing! Let's add a couple more players of this calibre and get a few more solid squad players in and things will be starting to look very positive.
Maybe we offered him a decent wage, more chance of first team football and an outside chance of European football?Quote:
Originally Posted by Rawr.rar
Yes Stokes was a real disaster for Hibs. A miserable 22 goals in 40 matches.Quote:
Originally Posted by Andy74
love to be wrong but can't see him getting 15-20 goals even with a big man up front with him, and with no O'Connor and no Griffiths we've got 27 goals to make up so we need at least 2 new strikers IMOQuote:
Originally Posted by Stevie Reid
Welcome aboard Ben:thumbsup:
Time will tell. I'm confident that he'll be a very important player for us next season, but that means **** all in the grand scheme of things.Quote:
Originally Posted by hoxtonhibby
Hate to be a bucket of cold water, but the last goalie Hibs signed from Colchester was Simon Brown.
:duck:
In fairness, this guy does have a better background and more experience.
Maybe now we can just tell Mark Brown to bugger off.
4-3-2-1 formation
Williams
Clancy
McPake
Hanlon
(New LB or CB and move Hanlon to LB)
Stevenson
Ozzy
Claros
(New Signing)
Cairney
(New Signing)
Release Galbraith, O'Hanlon, Kujabi and Scott. Don't give Brown/O'Connor new deals.
On top of the above three signings in the First Team, Sign:
Centre Midfielder
Centre Forward
Still have Antel, Grant, Smith, Booth, Taggart, Stephens, Wotherspoon, Stanton, Caldwell, Handling, Sproule, and Doyle as subs/squad players.
That would give us a squad of 25 players.
5 new signings and I would be happy. As well as releasing the three players above who I feel aren't good enough for Hibs.
(Realise Scott is on Loan already, think Stephens has more potential than O'Hanlon, Galbraith just isn't good enough - keep Booth as our LM cover)
Don't think so - if the keeper gets injured I don't want to be replying on kids.Quote:
Originally Posted by Renfrew_Hibby
At one stage we had Stack, Brown, and Mak when he was still about injured and at least we had Smith to fall back on.
If just one goes we are at the kids.
Hold on a minute here!!
Just had a look at this clowns Wikipedia page and that says he's only 6ft. Clearly too small and therefore not Hibs class.
****ing boooooooooo. PETRIE!!!!!!!!!
:flag:
Williams is two years older than Brown was when he signed, and has made twice as many first team appearances.Quote:
Originally Posted by Part/Time Supporter
Great signing if it goes ahead...
Hats off to Paddy!
:pfgwa
Why wouldn't he want to come to us? Who says the English Championship is better than the SPL? Not me. We are a far bigger club that most of the teams in that league and contrary to what Sky Sports and the tabloids say, it's no better a standard than the SPL. Bigger wages yes, better standard no.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rawr.rar
Welcome Ben. :)
The boy Antell (spelling) seems to be a decent prospect with a fair amount of 1st team football behind him already. Lower leagues i know but decent goalie by all acounts. So Brown can just pee off!
Hows about this for a possible starting XI and formation for Tannadice on the 5th Aug:
Williams
Clancy McPake Hanlon Maybury/Other
Ozzy Claros
Spoony Cairney Booth
New Big Forward
Its the 4-2-3-1 formation now being favourd more and more. Basically its a 6 man defensive unit and a 4 man attacking unit. Ozzy and Claros sit deep and protect the defense and move the ball to the line in front of them. The 3 behind the striker are very fluid and can get up and have free range to narrow or widen the play and when in possesion flood forward in support of a main target man.
Dreamy stuff i know Spoony and Booth aint Silva or Iniesta I know but i think Booth could be a really good player in a more advanced roll.
He's wearing a training top with '1' on, on the fishy.Quote:
Originally Posted by Phil the Hibby
Brown as backup then?
Is this how the Ben Amos rumour came about? Goalkeeper called Ben, formerly of Man Utd?
Would rather have this one anyway.
I tweeted a local Colchester Sports journo. I asked if Williams was better than Simon Brown. He said he doesn't make as many mistakes. Phew!
He did think Simon Brown was good though!
He is surprised he is coming to us as there was talk down there he was going to Ipswich!
3 POTYs on the trot at Colchester as well.
Yeah brown had a few good games in cup but sorry has not fulfilled his potential.Quote:
Originally Posted by Speedway
Williams will be NO1 with Brown and the others vying for the starting berth!
I thought the good ones were only available on 31 July :wink:Quote:
Originally Posted by Andy74
WELCOME BEN!! :thumbsup: Well done Nutsy! :thumbsup:
Agree that that might be formation but have a feeling the middle to front maybe slightly differentQuote:
Originally Posted by Renfrew_Hibby
I would like this
Williams
Clancy. McPake (c) McManus or Hanlon Pa or booth
Kerr Ozzy
Winger Deano LG or Cairney
Beattie
You all must think I'm nuts but that's ma starting line up for UTD. Or there or there abouts. If we don't sign McManus then the boy Lubo.
Sounds like a solid citizen.
Amazing though when you think of all the famous goalies who used to ply their trade at ER.
Who has ever said that?Quote:
Originally Posted by TQM
Seems a decent signing. Hopefully a solid keeper who does the basics right. Think Mark Brown may have miss his chance at staying at Hibs. Player s are. Going to learn there is not buckets of cash outside the EPL and that deals at decent well run clubs are going to be at premium.
Cant say I know much about him but from what im reading about it, im very excited about this signing! Welcome to the Hibs family Ben! :aok::flag:
Brown's offer will have been as back up or at least not guaranteed first choice so nothing changes on that front.Quote:
Originally Posted by lucky
Ultimately I think that, if Williams proves to be a better keeper than we've had previously, we've got a good chance of being able to show real improvement in the Goalie department.
welcome to the hibees Ben
:flag::flag:
Well said Einstein! You will get a job summarising on the BBC if you aren't carefulQuote:
Originally Posted by Speedway
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rivers Cuomo
Don't see this very often on this site do we?
With an even more restricted player budget this year and a first team squad size that's likely to number 24 or less, we cannot afford to have three experienced keepers plus a back-up in the U-20s. Antell has now had considerable match experience, albeit in Division 3.Quote:
Originally Posted by Andy74
I'm hoping the offer to Mark Brown was simply contingency planning in case the Williams deal did not get finalised. I doubt that Brown's going to want to be a second choice goalie anywhere anyway.
Can't say I know much about him either.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sean1875
A quick look at his stats from last season don't look too bad:
He conceded 53 goals in 39 appearances and kept 10 clean sheets.
He conceded 6 against Stevenage, 5 against MK Dons and 4 against both Bury and Notts County so outwith these games he conceded 34 goals in his other 35 appearances.
Colchester finished 10th in League 1 last season, so he had a fairly reasonable team in front of him.
I reckon this will either be a great signing or a ***** signing......just a feeling I have
great signing:top marks
Good news about signing a keeper, welcome aboard
Woo hoo!
:flag:
Welcome to Easter Road Ben!
As a avid 5-a side Goalie... Ben Williams is a tremendous athlete and a great shot stopper from what i've seen. I see him as a great Number 1 for us !! What a signing !
He Came across well on the news
Looks to be a good signing and spoke very well in his interview, sounds ambitious. PF also saying he is the right type of character again.Welcome aboard Ben.
Does he have a decent website?
We needed a keeper, we have one now. :aok:
What will he be like with McPake in front of him :top marksQuote:
Originally Posted by Bobo
There was an arrogance about him on the news whenhe was being interviewed that I liked.
I also like the fact we're signing players on the back of a successful season rather than after being released or loaned from a bigger club, looks good signing players from the likes of Aston villa (and other clubs I can't think of just now) but signing players on their way down has maybe added to the whole lack of confidence and contributed to the bad attitude at the club.
Looks like we will be doing ok at the back. A LB to go but 3 out of 4 ain't bad.
I reckon this will either be a great signing or a ***** signing......just a feeling I have
:greengrinQuote:
Originally Posted by Stantons Angel
Wer gettin there...Goalie...CH...now a striker..thats the backbone of the team now to build around it
Another good move by Fenlon.
Done a bit of snooping on the Colchester fan forums, some of them seem bitter that he left and are incredibly arrogant concerning the stature of their club, i.e. laughing at the fact he is coming to Scotland etcetera, whereas the people I talked to directly have said not to listen to the majority of the fans, he was an excellent keeper for them and a couple of weeks of lost form is what most of the other fans are basing their opinions on. Very happy with this signing, but as Colchester are my local club, I feel a bit stupid that I didn't know more about him.:greengrin
Welcome to the Hibernian family Ben , poty 3 times :agree: that will do for me .
ggtth
It's like Rod has been paying attention to the supporters.
Welcome to the Hibees family!
Welcome Ben, feeling he will be a good 'un. :thumbsup:
Interview here
http://www.youtube.com/user/HibernianTV?feature=mhee
Ipswich town wanted him....but he opted for spl giants hibernian instead
http://www.ipswich.vitalfootball.co....e.asp?a=286793
Looks like Ipswich Fans don't think the same ... http://www.ipswich.vitalfootball.co....e.asp?a=286793Quote:
Originally Posted by Hibs-1875
Quote:
Town Target Signs For Hibs
Any hopes Ipswich had of signing the highly-rated keeper Ben Williams have been dashed after he joined SPL giants Hibernian.
The Hibees swooped for the out-of-contract goalie who has just left Colchester United after the Blues failed to follow up initial interest.
As long as he comes for crosses well on a Saturday.Quote:
Originally Posted by cocopops1875
Interesting, new found respect for Ipswich. :wink:Quote:
Originally Posted by Bobo
clearly too tall to be a hibs goalie.
If a didnae awready have 1 , this would have me scurrying off to buy ma season ticket. C.MON guys back Paddy and his dream, things are looking up.
I hope he proves to be a good solid keeper. Imagine one of those at Hibs, it's unheard of! Four signings now, let's hope we're on the right course.
You will find out on a Sunday at around 10pm I guessQuote:
Originally Posted by Future17
Can he kick the ball? Does he come and catch crosses? The two key attributes of goalkeeping.
Signing number 4 things are moving, but need tae move a wee bit quicker, I dont think we will see any big signings coming to the club especially if the article below is anything to go by,
http://www.scotsman.com/sport/footba...nlon-1-2403648
Are we really that short of cash we couldnae keep Billy?
No big signings? McPake was a big one really. Williams had offers from Championship clubs and came here.Quote:
Originally Posted by Phil MaGlass
Brown I think would have been a nice to have for Pat but its right we focus on the playing side and put any resource we have into that.