Paul "Jossie" Williams

[Carl Sagan]

Good to have Jossie make his debut as a Radio Derby pundit on Saturday.

For me he was extraordinarily exciting and skillful as a player when he first broke through, quickly an England U21 midfielder as well as a goalscorer. Then he switched to playing at centre half which I never felt suited him, and saw him decline as a player. So I asked him the question on Saturday about why that change was made.

He responded that we had significant injuries at centre half at one point (can't remember which players he named now) and Roy McFarland approached him and told Jossie that he could play centre half, so at Roy's behest he took the plunge and changed positions. He said something like, "when Roy McFarland tells you that you should play centre half, you have to listen". Interesting to hear but I always thought it was a shame. In a way it strikes me as a similar situation to what we have now with Bielik, who is a very good midfielder but a very average centreback.

[Boycie]

Used to watch Williams develop in the reserves at the BBG when I’d just passed my driving test.  Same age as me, and just as classy.

[ilkleyram]

I thought he did the punditry bit very well. Would be a good addition to the radio Derby line up.

[Gee SCREAMER !!]

1 minute ago, ilkleyram said:

I thought he did the punditry bit very well. Would be a good addition to the radio Derby line up.

After diving under that ball at Wembley and demanding a move repeatedly as soon as Jim Smith came in the door, I'd struggle to hear him criticising someone else's bad play or desire to fight for the cause to be honest.

[Simon Bradley]

I grew up with his mum as she was my nans best friend I was gutted when he left us for Coventry and so was his mother she never let him live it down 

[Crewton]

He played 7-8 seasons at PL level as a CB, so he can't have been that poor. In fact, I remember Derby fans in general praising his performances after he'd made the switch - it's when the "Josie, Josie" chants began iirc. Too much is possibly made of his playoff error, when in fact the goal should have been disallowed for a foul (correction - assault) on Martin Taylor. He was an elegant and dynamic midfielder as a young man, but as his body developed, he put on bulk which perhaps caused McFarland to suggest a switch of positions. It's true, the manner of his departure rankled, but he's still one of the better players DCFC have produced in my time as a fan. 

[Crewton]

BUT, I kind-of know where Carl Sagan is coming from. Josie WAS a dynamic midfield player as an U21 player - he had a touch of the Rioch's about him.

I particularly remember this game against Watford, which turned out to be Peter Shilton's last. A nobber who used to sit behind me hated Josie (I'm pretty sure he didn't like any black players) and was giving him the dog's abuse early on. Josie "responded" by cracking a superb hat-trick against David James and, when the third one went in, I turned around to said nobber and gave him a 3-2-1 sign, with a long emphasis on the 1 ?

 

[Archied]

21 hours ago, Boycie said:

Used to watch Williams develop in the reserves at the BBG when I’d just passed my driving test.  Same age as me, and just as classy.

Yea but could he change a light bulb??‍♂️

[rynny]

13 hours ago, Archied said:

Yea but could he change a light bulb??‍♂️

The real question is can @Boycie?

[Boycie]

5 hours ago, rynny said:

The real question is can @Boycie?

Bulbs grow in gardens young man!

[rynny]

1 hour ago, Boycie said:

Bulbs grow in gardens young man!

Just as I expected, the lights are on but no one is home.

[Boycie]

2 hours ago, rynny said:

Just as I expected, the lights are on but no one is home.

Shrrruup and get me that pint.