Ben Williams

**~~HappyHanlon~~** · 22-06-2015 11:24 AM

Ben Williams would be a class signing.

Remember him making a string of great saves when Bradford put Chelsea out the cup earlier on in the year.

He suffered in the 2nd season because a good goalkeeping coach was replaced by a pie eating waste of skin.

Come on home Ben!

**Delboy4** · 22-06-2015 02:33 PM

Originally Posted by GreenArmyyy!

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Would be absolutely delighted if true. Cracking keeper, much better than Oxley and had a great passion for us.

Hibs contacted him on the phone last week...in talks at the moment. It will most probably be up to Hibs offer if he signs.

**GreenArmyyy!** · 22-06-2015 04:31 PM

Originally Posted by Delboy4

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Hibs contacted him on the phone last week...in talks at the moment. It will most probably be up to Hibs offer if he signs.

Great stuff mate! Glad to hear it.

**Lago** · 24-06-2015 10:52 AM

Originally Posted by Delboy4

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Hibs contacted him on the phone last week...in talks at the moment. It will most probably be up to Hibs offer if he signs.

Not according to todays Daily Mail, apparently still under contract and fee required, hibs unwilling to pay.

***BSEJVT*** · 24-06-2015 11:08 AM

Williams was better than most we have had in recent years but IMO it would be a mistake to sign him.

Like most others of that team he showed his mental fragility when that arse Butcher came in and his performances went spectacularly downhill.

There is going to be massive pressure on this squad to get us promoted next year and I would prefer someone in such a key position to have greater mental fortitude than he showed.

Loads of goalies look good when they have lots of work to do, good goalies look good when they have little to do.

A big part of that is there mental strength, IMO Williams has been found wanting in that department.

I think a big factor in last seasons upturn in fortunes was getting rid of that type of player, something I am glad has continued into this season.

Going back to a club seldom works even for great players, I would prefer not to repeat the mistakes of the past by bringing in the wrong type again.

***CapitalGreen*** · 24-06-2015 11:21 AM

Originally Posted by BSEJVT

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Like most others of that team he showed his mental fragility when that arse Butcher came in and his performances went spectacularly downhill.

Yes his performances dropped but less so than those around him.

Originally Posted by BSEJVT

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There is going to be massive pressure on this squad to get us promoted next year and I would prefer someone in such a key position to have greater mental fortitude than he showed.

Are you happy that we have retained Hanlon, Forster, Cummings and Stevenson from the relegation squad for next season?

Originally Posted by BSEJVT

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Loads of goalies look good when they have lots of work to do, good goalies look good when they have little to do.

No sure how this tired cliché supports your point as Williams was arguably playing better when he had less to do under Fenlon during 12/13.

Originally Posted by BSEJVT

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A big part of that is there mental strength, IMO Williams has been found wanting in that department.

I think a big factor in last seasons upturn in fortunes was getting rid of that type of player, something I am glad has continued into this season.

People close to the club actually state he was a really good influence within the dressing room and a top professional. I can't think of anything to suggest he was mentally fragile. In fact, his penalty record would suggest he performs well in pressure situations.

***BSEJVT*** · 24-06-2015 11:40 AM

Originally Posted by CapitalGreen

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Yes his performances dropped but less so than those around him.

That's a matter of debate and I would have to disagree

Are you happy that we have retained Hanlon, Forster, Cummings and Stevenson from the relegation squad for next season?

Yes, it would not have been possible to change the entire team so quickly, these guys also had youth / relative youth on their side and the experience could have been seen as formative for them.

No sure how this tired cliché supports your point as Williams was arguably playing better when he had less to do under Fenlon during 12/13.

One mans tired cliché is another man's fact ( but thanks for being patronising) and that defence never had little to do!

People close to the club actually state he was a really good influence within the dressing room and a top professional. I can't think of anything to suggest he was mentally fragile. In fact, his penalty record would suggest he performs well in pressure situations.

So you don't think that his severe dip in performances suggested that he was mentally fragile, when the chips were down in the Accies game he never sniffed one of their penalties.

I know from someone who worked with Hibs Goalies at that time that Marsella's time as a goalkeeping coach was an out and out disaster and that it did effect his confidence and subsequent performance.

Having said all the above, he was by no means the worst goalie we have had and if he were to pitch up now ( for the first time) and perform as he did for the first season and a half everyone would be well enough pleased.

My view is that second time around's seldom work and if I wanted to take that chance it would be on a player of greater ability and stature than Ben Williams and one not tainted by that collapse and subsequent relegation and the questions that that should raise.

***allezsauzee*** · 24-06-2015 11:45 AM

One thing that separates Ben Williams from the majority of keepers that we have had over the past 10 years is that the fact that he is not mentally fragile! I'd be delighted to have him back.

**DH1875** · 24-06-2015 03:08 PM

Can't see this happning, not if his club are looking for a fee anyway.

***Brightside*** · 24-06-2015 03:09 PM

Chat is that they aren't looking for a fee.

**Smartie** · 24-06-2015 03:45 PM

I'd be delighted to have him back. He showed more than enough to suggest that he was a good keeper when he was playing under Fenlon.

If we still had a dick of a manager and a crap team then I'd suggest that he might not do so well as those were the circumstances under which he struggled before.

We have a good guy as a manager, a good squad coming together and it's night and day from what he worked under before.

I don't know why but I always seem to have a bit more respect for players who came through the ranks at Manchester United under Fergie. They rarely seem to be the troublesome type (although I suppose Brebner had his demons).

Even those who didn't necessarily make the grade at Old Trafford would often go on to have good, solid professional careers and they normally picked up good habits during their time there.

I always thought that Ben seemed like a good lad and would be astonished if there were attitude issues. It only seemed to go wrong for him at ER when Butcher and co came to town and there weren't any players who flourished under him so Ben wasn't alone.

I'd love to have him back.

**~~Iggy Pope~~** · 24-06-2015 05:16 PM

Originally Posted by Smartie

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I'd be delighted to have him back. He showed more than enough to suggest that he was a good keeper when he was playing under Fenlon.

If we still had a dick of a manager and a crap team then I'd suggest that he might not do so well as those were the circumstances under which he struggled before.

We have a good guy as a manager, a good squad coming together and it's night and day from what he worked under before.

I don't know why but I always seem to have a bit more respect for players who came through the ranks at Manchester United under Fergie. They rarely seem to be the troublesome type (although I suppose Brebner had his demons).

Even those who didn't necessarily make the grade at Old Trafford would often go on to have good, solid professional careers and they normally picked up good habits during their time there.

I always thought that Ben seemed like a good lad and would be astonished if there were attitude issues. It only seemed to go wrong for him at ER when Butcher and co came to town and there weren't any players who flourished under him so Ben wasn't alone.

I'd love to have him back.

Ryan Giggs pumping his sister in law was pretty troublesome as I recall. And Colin Murdoch was *****.

**Stax** · 24-06-2015 06:14 PM

Originally Posted by Iggy Pope

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Ryan Giggs pumping his sister in law was pretty troublesome as I recall. And Colin Murdoch was *****.

Contender for post of the year

***O'Rourke3*** · 24-06-2015 06:16 PM

Originally Posted by Iggy Pope

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Ryan Giggs pumping his sister in law was pretty troublesome as I recall. And Colin Murdoch was *****.

Michael Stewart another solid influence.... Ben's form for me was doubtful in the Malmo game at ER. We ended up in a hammering and his contribution was at least 2 of those and one when the game was still getable. Big fan when he was here but I think his return is a backward step.

***eastterrace*** · 24-06-2015 07:52 PM

Originally Posted by Smartie

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I'd be delighted to have him back. He showed more than enough to suggest that he was a good keeper when he was playing under Fenlon.

If we still had a dick of a manager and a crap team then I'd suggest that he might not do so well as those were the circumstances under which he struggled before.

We have a good guy as a manager, a good squad coming together and it's night and day from what he worked under before.

I don't know why but I always seem to have a bit more respect for players who came through the ranks at Manchester United under Fergie. They rarely seem to be the troublesome type (although I suppose Brebner had his demons).

Even those who didn't necessarily make the grade at Old Trafford would often go on to have good, solid professional careers and they normally picked up good habits during their time there.

I always thought that Ben seemed like a good lad and would be astonished if there were attitude issues. It only seemed to go wrong for him at ER when Butcher and co came to town and there weren't any players who flourished under him so Ben wasn't alone.

I'd love to have him back.

i really hope we miss out on him as will be big mistake him coming back , he saved a few pens and everbody thought we have a good keeper, he was prone to mistakes but not as much as the dross keepers we have had before him so thats why he looked better than what he was .

**Smartie** · 24-06-2015 08:04 PM

Originally Posted by eastterrace

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i really hope we miss out on him as will be big mistake him coming back , he saved a few pens and everbody thought we have a good keeper, he was prone to mistakes but not as much as the dross keepers we have had before him so thats why he looked better than what he was .

All keepers are prone to the odd mistake.

He was playing at a higher level before and at no point during his time at the club was the defence/ goalkeeper anything like the weakest part of our team.

We were relegated because we didn't score enough goals, whilst our defensive unit wasn't brilliant it was ok.

Fontaine and Gray have been added to the back line, Forster and Hanlon are a few years further down the line. Stevenson had a good season at left back.

Ben Williams is as good a keeper as we have had in years. I grew up with the Rough/Goram/Burridge/Leighton years and was spoiled really, given the various shades of cack that have come our way since then.

We have a job to do next season and I'm convinced that Ben Williams would be up to it. He's a known quantity and I accept his form tailed off towards the end of his time with us. But there many mitigating factors for that.

With the right people around him (i.e. a defence that doesn't contain Ryan McGivern, Michael Nelson and Alan Maybury) then I think he could do well for us again, as he did for most of his spell with us the last time.

**DH1875** · 25-06-2015 06:30 AM

Yip, Ryan McGivern cost us the celtic cup final not big Ben. McGivern was badly to blame for 2 of their goals IMO.

***Aldo*** · 25-06-2015 06:49 AM

Originally Posted by DH1875

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Yip, Ryan McGivern cost us the celtic cup final not big Ben. McGivern was badly to blame for 2 of their goals IMO.

Williams ball watched and was as much to blame as McGivern who was also ball watching and should of tucked in.

**MWHIBBIES** · 25-06-2015 07:36 AM

Originally Posted by DH1875

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Yip, Ryan McGivern cost us the celtic cup final not big Ben. McGivern was badly to blame for 2 of their goals IMO.

So was Kevin Thomson for being MIA in supporting McGivern, so was our whole midfield for standing watching Brown run the game, so was Doyle for missing a sitter.

We lost that game all over the pitch, no 1 player was to blame.

**Thecat23** · 25-06-2015 07:41 AM

Originally Posted by MWHIBBIES

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So was Kevin Thomson for being MIA in supporting McGivern, so was our whole midfield for standing watching Brown run the game, so was Doyle for missing a sitter.

We lost that game all over the pitch, no 1 player was to blame.

This.. The whole team were utter dross that day.

***Jack*** · 25-06-2015 07:53 AM

Still, we got to two cup finals in row which is an achievement in itself for such a fragile team.

Although conversely this probably papered over chasms and cracks that are only now being addressed at the club.

***Winston Ingram*** · 25-06-2015 08:01 AM

Williams was arguably the best keeper we've had here since Daniel Anderson.

As we're in the Scottish Championship, it kind rules us out the race for David De Gea.

Williams is a goal keeper who we know, trust and is approaching the peak of his career. He's be a fantastic signing.

**DH1875** · 25-06-2015 08:12 AM

Originally Posted by MWHIBBIES

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So was Kevin Thomson for being MIA in supporting McGivern, so was our whole midfield for standing watching Brown run the game, so was Doyle for missing a sitter.

We lost that game all over the pitch, no 1 player was to blame.

So you agree, it wasn't all down to Ben Williams ;)

**Sir David Gray** · 25-06-2015 08:15 AM

I would take him back in a second.

Best goalkeeper we've had in over 10 years.

**Salt N Sauzee** · 25-06-2015 09:04 AM

Originally Posted by BSEJVT

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Williams was better than most we have had in recent years but IMO it would be a mistake to sign him.

Like most others of that team he showed his mental fragility when that arse Butcher came in and his performances went spectacularly downhill.

There is going to be massive pressure on this squad to get us promoted next year and I would prefer someone in such a key position to have greater mental fortitude than he showed.

Loads of goalies look good when they have lots of work to do, good goalies look good when they have little to do.

A big part of that is there mental strength, IMO Williams has been found wanting in that department.

I think a big factor in last seasons upturn in fortunes was getting rid of that type of player, something I am glad has continued into this season.

Going back to a club seldom works even for great players, I would prefer not to repeat the mistakes of the past by bringing in the wrong type again.

Surely that's good enough a reason to sign him again? Regardless of his "mental strength"

***BSEJVT*** · 25-06-2015 10:24 AM

Originally Posted by Salt N Sauzee

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Surely that's good enough a reason to sign him again? Regardless of his "mental strength"

2 points

He wasn't up against much in winning that accolade !

Only if you think we can't do better

I think we can

I won't be suicidal if he re-signs but I won't be hanging out the bunting either.

**TheFamous1875** · 25-06-2015 10:52 AM

Originally Posted by Salt N Sauzee

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Surely that's good enough a reason to sign him again? Regardless of his "mental strength"

I tell you what; you'd need some mental strength to've consistently performed well under Butcher & Malpas! Ben Williams to me, seemed one person who had mental strength; he could've performed a lot worse than what he did under those two (and that's saying something because he was pretty rank in that period!)

Williams, in a good set-up, with good teammates, good coaches and good tactics would flourish. He's not perfect, but at this level? I'd be more than happy to hive him in between the posts for Hibernian (unless we can find better which obviously I'd hope we could).

**ManBearPig** · 25-06-2015 11:41 AM

He's quality keeper multiple player of the year awards at both col u and then one at hibs if I recall. He's solid good leader and has experience we need at the moment. I think he may know gray already from ****chester days?