Who is Alex Williams? Shock West Brom debutant who stole the show v Derby County
Ryan Mason handed Alex Williams his senior West Brom debut in the Carabao Cup loss to Derby County on Tuesday evening.
The Albion manager had a dilemma at right-back after Darnell Furlong was sent off in the Championship season opener against Blackburn.
He chose to turn to the academy on 12 August, and the 20-year-old did not disappoint despite an underwhelming night at The Hawthorns.
Here, West Brom News looks at Williams' rise to stardom.
Williams proves he can step up for Mason
There were concerns that West Brom would have a crisis at right-back if Furlong was out at any point, but Williams proved that Mason has a legitimate option at right-back.
The Welsh starlet completed 90 per cent of his 50 pass attempts, made five passes into the final third and completed all three long balls that he attempted in an encouraging attacking display, via Fotmob.
He was even better defensively, making three recoveries, winning half of his four tackle attempts and winning all four ground duels that he attempted, for a 100 per cent success rate.
| Stats | Williams |
| Pass accuracy | 45/50 (90%) |
| Passes into final third | 5 |
| Long ball accuracy | 3/3 (100%) |
| Recoveries | 3 |
| Tackle success | 2/4 (50%) |
| Ground duels won | 4/4 (100%) |
Who is new West Brom star Williams?
Williams has progressed through every group of the youth ranks at the Albion after joining at 11.
He made his debut for the Under-21s at the age of 16 and has been a stalwart of the development teams in the last few years.
He made eight appearances in the U18 Premier League in the 2020/21 campaign, notching two goals for Peter Gilbert's side.
He would feature in that competition 20 times in the 2021/22 season, also making five appearances in Premier League 2 and playing three times in the youth cups.
In the 2022/23 campaign, Williams featured 17 times in the U18 Premier League and six times in the PL2, notching three assists.
He signed his first professional deal with the Baggies in January 2023 but spent two more seasons in the youth ranks, making another 29 appearances in the PL2, with another three goal contributions.
He spent a month on loan in September 2024 with non-league outfit Stratford Town, gaining experience of senior football.
He has also worked his way through the Wales youth ranks and has been capped four times by the Dragons' Under-21 team.
He signed an extension to his contract earlier this summer, which will keep him in the West Midlands until June 2026 with an option to extend for another year.
After his latest display, Furlong may be sweating over his long-term future in the team.
What kind of player is Williams?
Williams is considered a great defensive presence who is capable of also making an impact in attack.
Academy Manager Richard Stevens commented on him after he signed the new deal in 2023, saying: “When I first saw Alex, there was something about him which I really liked.
"He’s a modern‑day full‑back, a great one‑on‑one defender, has a lovely poise and calmness about him, and he can affect the game in the front half of the pitch."
This could be his breakthrough year.
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