Williams welcomes PFA support in new club search

Jonny Williams spent the last three season playing for Gillingham [Getty Images] Former Wales midfielder Jonny Williams says he will remain "patient" and "calm" while searching for a new club. Williams, 32, is out of contract following his release from League Two club Gillingham, and has enrolled on a pre-season training programme funded by the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA). The 12-week residential initiative held at Champneys Springs in Leicestershire is now in its third year, and offers free agents an opportunity to train and play together as they hope to attract new employers. "At the moment the aim is to sign for a team, but you have to remain patient and wait for the right one," Williams told BBC Wales' Feast of Football podcast. Jonny Williams: What next? "Ideally I'd want to play in England. I really enjoy the atmosphere and the football in the top four leagues. "I want to stay in the EFL, really, but if something else comes up that is appropriate and ticks some boxes then I'd be willing to take a look at that as well." Williams played 27 times for Gillingham last season, having joined the club on a free transfer in 2023. He made the last of his 33 appearances for Wales against Poland in June 2022, registering his second international goal in the Nations League defeat. Having not featured at the 2022 World Cup, Williams announced his Wales retirement four months later, aged 29. The hunger to extend his club career remains strong, though, and Williams believes the PFA's training programme gives him the best opportunity possible to attract potential suitors. "I want to play as high as I can for as long as I can, but it's so important to find the right manager, the right style of football and have a nice dressing room that you enjoy seeing people every day," he added. "I had that last year to be fair. So I'll just stay patient and try to stay calm because it can be an uncertain time. "But that's why this place is so great because there are 40 of us in the same boat, feeling the same way, so you can lean on each other in that regard."