Mark P. Williams (born 18 March 1964) is a former

Australian rules football Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modified cricket ground. Points are scored by k ...

er who played with

Carlton Carlton may refer to: People * Carlton (name), a list of those with the given name or surname * Carlton (singer), English soul singer Carlton McCarthy * Carlton, a pen name used by Joseph Caldwell (1773–1835), American educator, Presbyterian ...

and Footscray in the Victorian/Australian Football League (VFL/AFL). Before starting his VFL career, Williams played at Fawkner and then St Mark's, where he was recruited from. A small forward, he never made more than five appearances in a season for Carlton. He spent most of his time in the reserves and was a member of their 1986 and 1987 reserves premiership teams. Williams, whose father John also played with Carlton, was let go by his club and picked up by Footscray at the 1989 Pre-Season Draft. He starred on his debut, against his former club in the opening round of the

1989 VFL season The 1989 VFL season was the 93rd season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest level senior Australian rules football competition and administrative body in Victoria and, by reason of it featuring clubs from New South Wales, Queensl ...

with 35 disposals but only played two seasons. He moved to

Victorian Football Association The Victorian Football League (VFL) is an Australian rules football league in Australia serving as one of the second-tier regional semi-professional competitions which sit underneath the fully professional Australian Football League (AFL). It ...

club Coburg in 1991, and then to

Sandringham Sandringham can refer to: Places * Sandringham, New South Wales, Australia * Sandringham, Queensland, Australia * Sandringham, Victoria, Australia **Sandringham railway line **Sandringham railway station **Electoral district of Sandringham * Sand ...

in 1992, where he played two seasons and was part of the 1992 premiership team. He has had great success as a coach in the

Victorian Football League The Victorian Football League (VFL) is an Australian rules football league in Australia serving as one of the second-tier regional semi-professional competitions which sit underneath the fully professional Australian Football League (AFL). It ...

. From 1998 to 2003, Williams was in charge of the Northern Bullants. In 2004 he became coach of

and steered them to premierships in his first three seasons, the first VFA/VFL coach to achieve the feat since Gary Brice in the early 1980s. He joined the AFL in 2008 when appointed as a development coach at

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

At the end of the 2011 season he left Melbourne and became an assistant coach at Richmond Football Club. In 2015 he was Richmond's midfield spread coach. He was inducted into the Sandringham Football Club Hall of Fame in 2014.

References

Sources

* Hillier, K. (2004) ''Like Father Like Son'', Pennon Publishing, Melbourne. . {{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Mark 1964 births Living people Carlton Football Club players Western Bulldogs players Preston Football Club (VFA) coaches Coburg Football Club players Sandringham Football Club players Sandringham Football Club coaches Australian rules footballers from Victoria (Australia)