When we played Merthyr Tydfil at Penydarren Park on Boxing Day 2003, STEVE WILIAMS had to make just a two-minute walk to play for us. But there is no question of divided loyalty for Steve when we play
the Martyrs. Steve was actually born in Cardiff but grew up in the shadow of Merthyr's ground. The Williams family are close friends of Martyrs secretary Anthony Hughes while his next-door neighbour has not missed a home game at Penydarren for around 20 years.
Steve said: "I had been looking forward to Boxing Day rather than Christmas and it was a big occasion for our family. My parents Lynne and Paul have always supported me and watch all our home games. We also had my cousin John Herbert over from California and it was his first football match. He absolutely loved it and thought our fans were tremendous.
"I was absolutely devastated when Merthyr scored their equaliser and I thought we deserved to win. My neighbour said he was just glad I didn't score."
Whisper it, but Steve's first football love was a team playing in blue about 15 miles to the west of Newport. It was perhaps understandable because he was attached to the Bluebirds from the age of 11 when he started attending their centre of excellence at Hawthorn, Pontypridd under the direction of John Gall, father of Yeovil Town striker Kevin. At the age of 14 Steve signed schoolboy forms for Cardiff and though he was not offered a scholarship when
he was 16, that came a year later after he had completed his GCSEs and he spent two years at Ninian Park on a full-time basis.
Steve said: "I had always played on the right side of midfield but City youth team coach Colin Pascoe said I should be a right-back and I played there for Cardiff. The highlight was probably a game away to Portsmouth reserves when I marked former England winger Steve Stone. We lost 4-0 but I thought I did well. "
Colin Pascoe also had a high opinion of Steve and told him he would put his case to manager Lennie Lawrence for a professional contract. However, the City boss had bad news and informed Steve the club was looking upwards and would not be retaining him. He said: "I had been with them for eight years and it was very disappointing though I suppose I did expect to be released. Richard French, who also lives in Merthyr ; said that Glyn Jones had been asking about me so I took his advice and phoned Glyn. He asked me to come training and I didn't look elsewhere."
Steve signed on a non-contract basis and he is delighted he decided to do so. He has applied to join the police force though he hopes it would not affect his football and the indications are that if he were successful, there would be no problems with his availability to play for us.
He said: "I am really enjoying my football because we have a great set-up here and I don't want to go anywhere else."
With Terry Evans having made the right-back position his own, Steve has shown his versatility recently by giving some impressive displays in his favoured position on the right side of the midfield quartet. But his versatility extends beyond football.
He is probably the first Exile to have been a tennis and table tennis champion, having won a mini - Wimbledon competition in Merthyr five years in a row. Any thoughts of Steve becoming the next Tim Henman can be forgotten though because he has given up all other sporting pursuits except for football.
Steve has scored goals in the past and hit two in a 4-1 win for Cardiff against Plymouth in a youth team game. His distinctive white boots make him easy to spot on the field, and he hopes they will soon be hitting the target for us.