Football

Penblwydd hapus i Marc Lloyd Williams (Jiws)

Marc Lloyd Williams in his first game back for Porthmadog in the 2008-09 season against Bangor City. Citizens defence Michael Johnston is in pursuit. Picture: Emyr Gareth

Happy birthday to the Welsh Premier League’s all-time record goal scorer Marc Lloyd Williams.

The player affectionately known as Jiws tops the 29-year-old league’s overall chart having netted 319 times in 467 appearances.

He was the league’s leading goal-getter in both the 2001-02 and 2004-05 campaigns.

His greatest season came as a Bangor City player in 2001/02, when he set the league scoring record with 47 and would have won the European Golden Boot award had Wales enjoyed a higher Uefa coefficient. Lloyd Williams was also named WPL Player of the Season.

In the WPL, he also represented Porthmadog, Aberystwyth Town, TNS, Newtown, Rhyl and Airbus UK Broughton. He has won the league title three times, twice with TNS and once while at Bangor City.

Lloyd Williams is City’s record goal scorer in the Welsh Premier with 149 goals.

Born on February 8, 1973, Jiws hails from the village of Llanberis, who he has also played football for, as well as Halifax Town, York City, Stockport County, Colwyn Bay, Southport and Altrincham in the English pyramid, and Haugesund of Norway.

Nowadays, Jiws is a sports lecturer and also a match reporter for BBC Sport. He has also managed the Welsh Colleges football team with great success.

Marc Lloyd Williams – Welsh Premier League stats (league appearances and goals only)

1992-93: Porthmadog – appearances 37 goals 6
1993-94: Porthmadog – appearances 38 goals 22
1994-95: Bangor City – appearances 29 goals 21
1996-97: Bangor City – appearances 20 goals 10
1997-98: Bangor City – appearances 38 goals 21
2000-01: Bangor City – appearances 21 goals 21
2001-02: Bangor City – appearances 34 goals 47
2002-03: Bangor City – appearances 17 goals 10
2003-04: Aberystwyth Town – appearances 32 goals 18
2004-05: Total Network Solutions – appearances 34 goals 34
2005-06: Total Network Solutions – appearances 33 goals 26
2006-07: Bangor City – appearances 30 goals 19
2007-08: Rhyl – appearances 13 goals 7
2007-08: Newtown – appearances 20 goals 16
2008-09: Porthmadog – appearances 33 goals 24
2009-10: Airbus UK Broughton – appearances 34 goals 16
2010-11: Newtown – appearances 4 goals 1

Total Welsh Premier appearances: 467
Total Welsh Premier goals: 319

Welsh Premier Player of the Season 2001-02

Marc Lloyd Williams battles for possession for Porthmadog against Welshpool. Picture: Emyr Gareth

Welsh Premier Appearances/Goals breakdown

Bangor City: 189 – 149
Total Network Solutions 67 – 60
Porthmadog: 108 – 52
Aberystwyth: 32 – 18
Newtown: 24 – 17
Airbus: 34 – 16
Rhyl 13 – 7

Other clubs (league stats only)

1995-96: Stockport County (Football League Division Two) – appearances 18 goals 1
1996: Altrincham (Football Conference) – appearances 3 goals 0
1996: Colwyn Bay (Northern Premier League) – appearances 20 goals 14
1996: Haugesund (Norwegian First Division) – appearances 5 goals 0
1998-99: Halifax Town (Football League Division Three) – appearances 24 goals 6
1998-99: York City (Football League Division Two) – appearances 11 goals 4
1999-2000: York City (Football League Division Three) – appearances 11 goals 5
2002-03: Southport (Football Conference) – appearances 18 goals 3
2012-14: Llanberis (Welsh Alliance) – appearances 13 goals 7

Career league appearances: 580
Career league goals: 359

* Cup goal stats not all available