Having been at Connah’s Quay Nomads since the age of nine, Josh Williams has closely followed the club’s previous European adventures.
From triumphing over Norwegian side Stabæk to upsetting Scotland’s Kilmarnock on their own patch, the teenager has watched with intent and now he has the chance to be involved in a conquest on the continent himself.
This week, the Nomads travel to Iceland to face KA Akureyri in the first leg of the UEFA Europa Conference League first qualifying round on Thursday night – which also happens to be Williams’ 19th birthday.
“Coming through the academy, I have grown up watching all of our games in Europe and the success that we have had,” Williams says. “I know how much it means to everyone and I’m really looking forward to it, so hopefully I can be involved.
“It would be a great way to celebrate to get on the pitch and get a result. But just being out there on my birthday will be crazy, I can’t wait.”
The heroes of the Nomads’ past triumphs in Europe – the likes of George Horan, John Disney, Callum Morris and Michael Wilde – are now Williams’ team-mates and they bring crucial knowhow to the side.
“They help everyone so much, especially us younger lads,” the teenager says. “Having someone like Dis, who has played in my position in midfield, is great because he supports me through games so well. That experience is so important going into this tie.”
The Nomads’ tie against KA Akureyri follows a second-place finish in the JD Cymru Premier last season, which proved to be a breakthrough campaign for Williams in the team’s midfield.
Craig Harrison handed Williams his first league start on the final day of the 2021/22 season, but departed for The New Saints on the eve of the new campaign and left the teenager needing to impress new boss Neil Gibson.
Williams was in and out of the team up until the end of 2022 but then established himself as a key cog and started 12 of the final 14 matches. He scored his first senior goal against Cardiff Met in April and was nominated for the JD Cymru Premier Young Player of the Season award.
“I had a good pre-season under Craig and I was a bit worried when Gibbo came in because it’s kind of like you have to prove yourself all over again,” Williams says.
“But he spoke to me straight away and gave me confidence, telling me to keep working hard and I would get my chance. He stuck to his word and I ended up playing in over half of our league games, which I felt was a massive achievement.”
Williams’ performances caught the eye of Cymru C manager Mark Jones, who handed the teenager a call up to the squad to face England C in Altrincham in March. The hosts were narrow 1-0 winners on the night, but it was a proud moment for Williams who came on as a substitute in the 78th minute.
“I never expected the call-up,” Williams says. “When Jonah [Mark Jones] rang me, I was so buzzing. I told my dad straight away and he rang the whole family, everyone was so delighted for me.
“Being in the group for those few days we had together was amazing. All of the lads looked out for me and everyone was really welcoming. I definitely learned a lot from that experience and felt we were really unlucky to lose the game on the night.”
The next challenge that awaits for Williams is the UEFA Europa Conference League first qualifying round and it has been a busy few weeks for the Nomads in preparation for their tie against KA Akureyri.
Eight new players have been brought in by Neil Gibson, while the squad has travelled to Scotland and Northern Ireland for friendly matches.
“It has been a tough pre-season because we have done a lot of travelling, but everyone has put in so much hard work and effort to make sure we are ready for the European tie,” Williams says. “The squad has been strengthened by players coming in and we have done a lot of preparation and analysis.”
KA Akureyri are competing in Europe for the first time in 20 years after finishing second in the Icelandic top-flight in the 2022 campaign, but the current season has proved slightly trickier as they find themselves sixth in the table after 14 matches.
“We have watched a few of their games, seen what their shape is like and who their key players are,” Williams explains. “But to be fair, we have mostly been focusing on our jobs and how we are going to play. We want to press, we won’t just be going there to sit back. We want to try to win the game.
“We are a confident group and I think we look really strong. It is a big squad so we have players who can come off the bench and make an impact, we have plenty of experience too. We just want to put on a good show and hopefully make it through.”
