▁on ▁free ▁trans fers ▁before ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 9 – 2 0 0 0 ▁season . ▁Williams ▁represented ▁England ▁at ▁under - 1 8 ▁level . ▁He ▁made ▁his ▁first - team ▁debut ▁for ▁B irmingham ▁in ▁August ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁playing ▁once ▁in ▁the ▁League ▁Cup ▁and ▁then ▁three ▁First ▁Division ▁matches , ▁but ▁his ▁development ▁was ▁interrupted ▁by ▁the ▁need ▁for ▁a ▁h ern ia ▁operation . ▁Though ▁he ▁recovered ▁sufficiently ▁to ▁res ume ▁playing ▁reserve ▁team ▁football , ▁scoring ▁the ▁goals ▁which ▁put ▁the ▁team ▁into ▁the ▁semif inal ▁of ▁the ▁B irmingham ▁Senior ▁Cup , ▁a ▁sp ate ▁of ▁inj uries ▁meant ▁that ▁those ▁four ▁games ▁were ▁all ▁he ▁played ▁for ▁B irmingham ' s ▁first ▁team ▁before ▁being ▁released ▁when ▁his ▁contract ▁exp ired . ▁ ▁He ▁had ▁a ▁trial ▁at ▁Cre we ▁Alex andra , ▁on ▁the ▁recommendation ▁of ▁former ▁assistant ▁manager ▁Brian ▁East ick , ▁then ▁Academy ▁Director ▁at ▁B irmingham , ▁but ▁no ▁contract ▁en su ed . ▁ ▁He ▁joined ▁Conference ▁side ▁Sc ar borough ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 3 – 0 4 ▁season , ▁but ▁sust ained ▁a ▁broken ▁rib ▁and ▁pun ct ured ▁lung ▁in ▁only ▁his ▁second ▁game , ▁comp lications ▁from ▁which ▁meant ▁a ▁prolong ed ▁stay ▁in ▁hospital ▁and ▁three ▁months ▁out ▁of ▁football . ▁Return ing ▁in ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁he ▁played ▁a ▁further ▁ten ▁league ▁games , ▁but ▁was ▁only ▁an ▁un used ▁substitute ▁in ▁the