Football has come full circle for Mickey Williams.

The 35-year-old returned last November to help revive the of fortunes Bradford Moor, the team he started out with as a 17-year-old before moving on and eventually playing in English football's top flight.

"After my league career had ended I worked 18 months in America coaching," said Williams. "I'd never lost touch with some of the lads at the club and Dave Smith and Eddie Alexander, who had turned out with Moor in my time and were still playing on a regular basis, asked me to come down on my return and help with some of the young players.

"Injuries had finished my career and though the idea was to concentrate on helping training and play when needed, I found that because the club were struggling to put a side on the park most weeks I became a regular."

Williams' Saturday career started at Green Lane before a step up to Ossett Town, who were managed at the time by Mickey Bullock.

Maltby Main was the next stop and with manager Colin Walker once on the Wednesday staff, the new manager was impressed enough to recommend him for a trial at Hillsborough.

In the meantime, Howard Wilkinson nipped in to give him a two-month trial at Elland Road which came to nothing when Wilkinson told the right-sided midfielder he wasn't the player Leeds were looking for.

A short spell back at Maltby saw Williams then gain a three-month trial at Wednesday.

"Ron Atkinson offered me a year contract, but once he moved on to Villa I thought the idea would fall through and I was relieved when Trevor Francis rang me to say the contract would be honoured," recalls Williams.

He made his first-team debut in the UEFA Cup, as a right back, and after gaining a three-year extension to his original contract he spent six years with Wednesday.

His only league goal came against Ipswich Town, a mazy run from midfield he recalls, and his biggest highlight was playing for Wednesday against his boyhood team Manchester United in a live Sky match.

A knee ligament injury and an eventual operation limited his first-team appearances to 72 before Chris Waddle took him to Burnley.

When Waddle moved on and differences occurred with his replacement, Mickey moved on to Oxford.

More ligament trouble and a second operation followed before his career terminated after a spell on a week-to-week contract at Halifax Town.

Bradford Moor had meant much to him as a young player playing in a 'mates side' under the early guidance of manager Derek Wardman.

Williams' affection for Steve Pattinson and John Waite, who had done much to keep the club alive during some of its struggling years, saw Williams back in harness at Seymour Street, but unable to stop the slide from Division One into 1B.

There were problems last season following the drop from Premier football with players continually missing training and the apathy which ran through the club stoked fires of the club folding.

Tony Hurtauldt, probably the best midfielder in Bradford until a car injury finished his career, has agreed to manage the club this season as the club looks to rebuild, with Williams as his right-hand man.

And although the club haven't started the new campaign well, losing their three games, Williams isn't at all despondent. "We've got a full contingent turning up for training and out of the three games we should have won two of them," he said.

The club has secured several promising youngsters and Williams has picked out midfielder Simeon Brown and striker Fidel Robinson as the two most likely to enjoy successful local careers.

With a blend of one or two older players Williams is confident that Moor have turned the corner.