10 facts about: Ben Williamson
You may know that the striker hit his third goal in six games to go to joint-top of this season’s scoring charts but do you know these other Williamson facts?
1. Williamson studied mathematics and business studies at the University of Brighton but he had to put his studies on hold when he was signed by the Glenn Hoddle Academy.
2. Apparently the academy was studying his Worthing strike partner Ross Treleaven but Williamson caught the eye with a hat-trick.
3. Williamson is a life-long Arsenal supporter.
4. His fifth and final appearance for Bournemouth was in the 89th minute of their League One play-off match with Huddersfield. Williamson replaced a certain Danny Ings, now scoring goals in the Premier League.
5. When he first joined the Valiants he quipped “Burslem is a bit different to Bournemouth, never mind south-west Spain I still haven’t found the beach…”
6. Williamson had to wait ten games before getting off the mark for Vale. His first goals were a brace in a 3-2 defeat to Shrewsbury in September 2011.
7. His goalscoring form for Jerez Industrial in Spain was pretty spectacular as this promotional video shows:
8. He is one of only a handful of Vale players to be born on Christmas Day (another being former captain Doug Loft).
9. The striker is not one to have trouble with discipline. His yellow card this season against Chesterfield was just the second handed out in over 150 Vale appearances.
10. Williamson actually made his Vale debut as a substitute for striker partner (and perhaps strike rival) Tom Pope in August 2011.