Career Record for Featherstone
Appearances			Tries	Goals	Drop Goals	Points
Total	Start	Sub
211	211	0	30	120	0	330

Jimmy Williams had the distinction of scoring the first points for the club in their historic opening fixture in senior football following their admission to the Northern Rugby League in June 1921. At Bradford on 27 August 1921, he received the ball on the half-way line after two minutes' play and coolly dropped a goal. A try and two more goals were a healthy contribution to a 17-3 victory. He had signed for the highly successful Featherstone junior team in 1919 and had such natural football ability that he adapted to senior football immediately, and was one of the stars who helped establish the club in the 1920s.

He made the most appearances, 37, in that opening season and was second in the points-scoring lists. Whilst Jim Denton dominated the goal and points scoring throughout that period, Williams was a very capable second-choice kicker - but he did not get many chances. He was also adept at drop goals. His best efforts were four goals and one try v Keighley (at home) in March 1927 and five goals v Huddersfield (at home) in September 1927. In that season, the Rovers finished third in the league table, their highest position, and Williams combined with Jack Hirst to create the first try, in Rovers impressive 15-12 Championship semi-final win at Leeds in April 1928. ln the RL Cup, his try at Batley, three-time Northern Union Cup winners, in the first round in February 1922, gave the Rovers a 5-3 victory and was the first of their many legendary cup shocks. A year later, there was almost another cup shock when he excelled in the Rovers' narrow second round defeat by Wigan.

He was talented enough to have gained representative honours but, on his own admission, reckoned that players like Jonty Parkin (Wakefield) and Frank Todd (Halifax) 'took some knocking out'. His wholehearted displays were well illustrated in his nippy breaks and the vigour he displayed. He knew the value of planned moves and was forever trying something new in his attempts to deceive the opposition. The match report of the Widnes game in November 1926 summed up his contribution -'Williams varied his tactics skilfully, and his cross kicks and wide passes, played a great part in victory'.

After the disappointment of losing the League Championship final against Swinton in 1928, there was further disappointment in the 1928 Yorkshire Cup. His two goals and Jack Hirst's memorable try earned a dramatic victory at Huddersfield in the second round and he was then prominent in the semi-final defeat of Castleford. Unfortunately, a broken nose against St Helens Recs in the next match destroyed his Cup Final dreams, although Rovers lost to Leeds 5-0.

He was granted a joint testimonial with Arthur Haigh in 1929. In those days, a match was allocated.  They chose the Bradford game in April and although Rovers won 40-15, and Jack Hirst scored a record five tries, the receipts were only £14! (He eventually received £87.) This was his last game and he played on the wing. In August 1929 he was transferred to York, but was transfer-listed there in November. From 1936 to 1938, he was trainer to the Newcastle RL Club during its brief existence.

 

Biography by Ron Bailey