The Gavin Williams Debacle

It is very rare that any club will actively try and off load arguebly their best player, but off field events have led to boss Jim Magilton offering Gavin William’s service to other clubs.

The events are believed to have been triggered by the unauthorised trip to Amsterdam before Towns FA Cup tie with Chester City.


Williams was not one of the five players originally named the offenders, although soon after the event, Williams name was cropping up on the transfer rumnour merry-go-round, with Welsh clubs Swansea and Cardiff both believed to be interested.

At the time Magilton said: ‘I’m not surprised there is said to be interest in Gavin but he’s going nowhere.

‘Every transfer window throws up speculation over player movement and this January is no different.

‘Gavin is one of our best players and is bound to attract interest, but I’ve not brought in players of the ability of David Wright, Alex Bruce, Dan Harding, Gary Roberts and George O’Callaghan to let our best players go.

‘I’m a realist though, and in today’s football market every player has his price. There are very few clubs in this country that won’t consider selling a player if the price is right.

‘So, I can’t say Gavin will never be sold, but it will take an awful lot of money to prise him away from this football club.’

However only days later Williams himself revealed that Magilton had told the midfielder he was free to leave.

Williams said: ‘The manager told me he was prepared to listen to offers for me and that I can go. I was really surprised to hear that because I feel I have been doing well.’

‘I have no intention of leaving for the sake of it. I like it here. I think Ipswich is a great club and I feel we are going places.’

‘It would be a disaster to me if I was to go. The issue has been playing on my mind and affecting my form.

‘I now want to forget all about it – and concentrate on the big games that await Ipswich Town.’

It would appear that Magilton see’s Williams as a bad influence amongst a young squad, and is keen for the Welshman to either shape up or ship out.

Amsterdam appears not to be the first time Williams has breached club discipline, and while this could all be a PR excercise to convince him to buck his ideas up, Town fans should face up to the fact he could really be on his way.

Williams has scored the winners against both Leeds and Birmingham at Portman Road this season, and despite missing a lot of games through injury is widely regarded as Towns best player.

A player all Town fans would be sad to see leave.