For the majority of the Bristol City squad, the festive season was a period of chaos on the pitch as they contended with five games in the space of just 13 days. For the then-injured Joe Williams however, Christmas and New Year presented a very different challenge.
The 28-year-old was in the midst of a spell on the sidelines having suffered a partial Achilles tear in the Robins’ win over Preston North End back in November. While the issue wasn’t as severe as initially feared, it did mean that he wasn’t able to feature as the Reds closed the gap to the play-off places in the final days of 2024.
Fortunately, Williams had more than enough to keep him occupied as he and his partner Ellie welcomed a baby girl, Noa, into the world on Christmas Eve. Although that ensured the midfielder had some festive chaos of his own to contend with, the former Everton prospect was desperate to be back on the field with his City teammates.
“It’s been awkward,” he admitted after the Reds’ win over Blackburn Rovers. “Obviously, I had the injury and at the start, I thought it was bad and it wasn’t as bad as I thought. It was a quicker recovery time so I had to try and get back as quickly as I could.
“But then I had the baby coming along as well so it was a bit of a hectic period. Me and my girlfriend are getting on fine with her and it’s been okay so far, but I don’t want to speak too soon.
“I wouldn’t say so,” Williams continued when asked if being sidelined over Christmas was a blessing in disguise. “I don’t think my Mrs would see it like that because I was pacing up and down the house when all the games were on.
“I just want to be playing football as much as I can really so I was gutted I missed the Christmas period. The lads were doing really well then as well so I’m just delighted to be back in and amongst it now.”
While Williams has managed to avoid any major injuries over the last couple of seasons, the 28-year-old is all too familiar with the Robins’ treatment table. The first 18 months of his time at Ashton Gate were plagued by fitness issues that limited him to a single league appearance in City colours in his first season and just 13 Championship starts in his second campaign in the West Country.
It would be easy for a player to allow their frustration to bubble over after multiple injury setbacks. Instead, the ex-Wigan midfielder channelled his emotions into his recovery and did everything he could to ensure that his time on the sidelines was as brief as possible.
“I had a few trips back and forth to London just to try and get the actual diagnosis of it,” explained Williams. “I was in a boot for a couple of weeks and then out of the boot and it was just about doing a lot of rehab work really.
“I lost a lot of muscle when I came out of the boot. When I found out it wasn’t as bad as I first thought, it was just about trying to hurry the process up to try and get back as soon as possible. It was a tough time out, it was frustrating but I’m just glad to be back now.
“I had a week of training last week, I was on the bench against Coventry and it’s been difficult to train this week because we’ve had so many games. I think next week, a full week of training will benefit me but I obviously haven’t played 90 minutes since November and I know I’m not at the 90-minute stage yet. That will come but whenever the gaffer calls me I’ll give 100 per cent all the time and I’ll be ready.”
Williams returned to the Ashton Gate for the first time since his injury in the second half of Bristol City’s 2-1 win over Blackburn on Saturday afternoon. He found himself immediately involved in the action as he slipped Nahki Wells behind the away side’s defence with a perfectly weighted pass that allowed the Bermudian international to score his seventh goal of the season and secure all three points for Liam Manning’s side.
In the time since the 28-year-old’s last outing in BS3, the Reds have claimed 23 points from a possible 48 available to just about keep the pace in the race for Championship play-off places. In that time, Max Bird and Jason Knight have combined well to form an excellent midfield partnership that has been the beating heart of Manning’s team.
Although that makes it even more difficult for both Williams and Marcus McGuane to force their way into the starting line-up, the former believes the competition for places all over the pitch will only spur the side on in the coming months.
“We’ve got a load of good players and competition is high as it should be,” he insisted. “You’ve got to keep your shirt, play well and more than anything, you’ve got to back yourself, have a bit of ego about you and say: ‘No, you’re not getting in, I’m keeping the shirt.’
“That’s how it’s got to be, in a good way where we all support each other as well, the lads who aren’t playing, the lads who are on the bench, it’s got to be driven in a good way.
“It’s been really good competition and it’s been like that all over the team really. I think we’ve got near enough two spots in every position where someone’s pushing someone else so it’s been really good.”
Since he made the move to Ashton Gate in the summer of 2020, Williams has worked under three managers. He joined under the management of Dean Holden, found his feet in red and white when Nigel Pearson was in charge and has impressed when fit under Manning. Under the 39-year-old’s stewardship, the Reds have found themselves in a position where they have a genuine chance at a top-six finish.
Following Saturday’s win over Blackburn, Bristol City sit ninth in the Championship, three points adrift of the play-off places with 17 games to play between now and the end of the season in May.
The messaging from Manning and the players for much of the campaign has been that they simply have to take each game as it comes and let the table take care of itself. Of course, Williams will have probably bought into that philosophy, but he is taking a much more bullish approach when discussing his aspirations and ambitions for the season.
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“I think this is the strongest squad I’ve been involved in since I’ve been here,” admitted the midfielder. “Obviously the first couple of years was a process, there were a lot of players going out, a lot of players coming in and then as soon as this manager has come in he’s had clarity and everything he wants to do, he’s stuck to.
“He’s stuck to his principles, stuck to our identity and he’s probably the best manager I’ve worked with since being here. No disrespect to any of the other managers, they were all great, but the work that he puts in and the work he puts into all of us, all the lads, he’s just been top since he came in.
“I’ve really enjoyed working with him so hopefully we can challenge this year. We’re not doing too bad, we’re three points off so it’s more about just sticking to what we’ve been doing and tidying a few little bits up. If we tidy a few areas up, we should have a good chance.
“We shouldn’t really be scared or in fear of saying that. We should back ourselves to say we have got a good chance of getting in there.”