BEN Williams admits he would probably still be at Valley Parade if City had made more of an effort to re-sign him earlier.

The goalkeeper set a new club record last season with 22 clean sheets and another five in the FA Cup.

But he will begin next term with League One rivals Bury after taking the extra security being offered by David Flitcroft's side.

Williams looks back fondly on two eventful years with the Bantams – but there is also a sense that his efforts were not fully appreciated from above.

He was frustrated there was no offer from Phil Parkinson during last season's record-breaking run and felt, when it did come, the new deal did not reflect his position.

Williams met Stuart McCall and joint-owner Edin Rahic before opting for Gigg Lane, where he is more confident of establishing his number one status despite the arrival of Chris Kirkland.

The keeper said: "Stuart McCall was great – he made it clear he wanted to keep me and I was an integral part of his squad. Edin as well, to be honest, said 'we do need players like you'.

"It wasn't that Bury's offer was far and above Bradford's offer financially. But I had to think about my long-term future as a player and I felt my contract situation should have been resolved a lot earlier.

"That wasn't Stuart McCall's problem, or the new owners' problem. The Bradford offer came about quite late.

"Phil Parkinson and the chairmen said they would address it further down the line. I was waiting and waiting and waiting and nothing came about. There were initial discussions with Phil but with him leaving, everything was thrown into the open.

"We probably wouldn't be having this discussion now if my contract had been put on the table in January or earlier on because it probably would have got signed.

"If I was being totally honest, I didn't feel the contract offer – and not just financially – was much of a recognition of those achievements and the fact I took a pay-cut to come to Bradford before establishing myself as number one.

"That's what I wanted to continue but I just wasn't sure how long that would be the case for."

It was an eventful spell in West Yorkshire for a keeper initially signed on a monthly basis as back-up to Jordan Pickford.

With Sunderland blocking Pickford from playing in the cups, Williams was limited to knock-out action for the bulk of his first year. It was only when City landed the dream draw with Chelsea that he was given a longer deal.

Pickford's departure finally opened the door for a crack at the number one spot – which he held throughout last season once the ill-fated Brad Jones episode quickly ended.

Williams said: "Someone once told me that memories are better than dreams and inspirations and I have some great memories.

"There's the Chelsea win, the Sunderland game at home in the FA Cup and the support we had, plus the clean sheet record we achieved last season and the belief it gave us as a squad.

"The highlight would have to be the Chelsea game because of the magnitude of it and the fact it was the FA Cup.

"I'm a very proud player and the Scunthorpe game last season, when we beat the clean sheet record, would run it very close. That was a fantastic feeling for us because it was what we all strived for.

"I've always said, it's never just about me as a goalkeeper and it doesn't mean I'm making dozens of saves. A lot of it is down to the defence and their work ethic, which was magnificent.

"At times you do feel invincible, not necessarily because you're in your peak form but because you've got the right unit to do the right job and have faith in all those players.

"You develop a strong bond with each other because you're all fighting for the same cause week in and week out.

"I think that's something the manager and the backroom staff did very well. They brought in characters that would gel together and fight for each other."

Williams is already eagerly anticipating Bury's trip to Valley Parade on New Year's Eve and it could be a very different landscape. Yet he feels the new City regime of McCall, Rahic and Stefan Rupp can continue the good work of the last few years.

"Football changes overnight and it has done, so I just hope everyone at Bradford is singing off the same hymn sheet and they get the squad together and carry on that same success," said Williams.

"The new owners have the best interests of Bradford City at heart, they really have, and I hope the plans they implement work.

"But I just thought for my family's short-term future and my long-term aspirations to keep playing for as long as I can and keep progressing, I felt it was best to move on.

"Initially it's a longer contract (at Bury) but the Bradford contract could potentially have been longer. It was dependent on a number of factors – but in football there are no guarantees. When you've got a young family, you need guarantees.

"I loved every minute of it at Bradford, so it was a very difficult decision because people who know me know that I'm a loyal, hard-working person who gives everything for the cause.

"I'm certainly not motivated by money but I'll leave behind a lot of good friends who I'll keep in touch with."