What can Bury fans expect from their six new signings?

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The 33-year-old goalkeeper Williams joins The Shakers from Bradford City following an impressive campaign where he helped The Bantams to a play-off finish, whilst keeping a club record 22 clean sheets along the way. Despite being rewarded with the club’s Player’s Player of the Year for his efforts, the Manchester-born shot-stopper turned down the offer of a new contract at Valley Parade in order to sign a two-year deal at Gigg Lane.

Williams began his career as a trainee at Manchester United, before departing for Crewe Alexandra in 2004. After consolidating himself as number one at Gresty Road during his first two seasons, Williams was diagnosed with meningitis, forcing the club to close their training ground for a brief period of time, in order to prevent other players from catching the disease.

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Luckily, Williams recovered and went on to make a total of 125 appearances for the club before leaving for Carlisle United in 2008. After just one season in Cumbria, he was on the move again, this time to Colchester United.

Williams made his debut for The U’s in their famous 7-1 annihilation of Norwich City. It was an auspicious start and was followed by a year in which he kept 16 clean sheets and picked up three players of the season awards. Williams became a firm fans favourite in Essex, but left in 2012 in search of Championship football. However, it was not to be, and after a move north of the border to Hibernian, Williams found himself back in League One two years later when former Bury player Phil Parkinson offered him the chance to join Bradford.

The signing of the experienced shot-stopper is a reassuring one for Bury supporters, particularly after the club used seven goalkeepers over the course of 2015/16. Williams is expected to go straight in as The Shakers number one, and will provide a safe pair of hands between the sticks after a season of uncertainty in that position.