Ryan McWilliams

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Ryan McWilliams

| image = Ryan McWilliams.jpg

| image_size = 250px

| alt =

| caption = McWilliams playing for Greenock Morton in 2009

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1989|11|24}}

| birth_place = Greenock, Scotland

| height =

| currentclub = Saltcoats Victoria

| position = Goalkeeper

| youthyears1 = |youthclubs1=Largs Thistle

| youthyears2 = {{0|0000}}–2009|youthclubs2=Greenock Morton

| years1 = 2009–2010 | clubs1=Greenock Morton|caps1=4|goals1=0

| years2 = 2010 | clubs2=→ Largs Thistle (loan)|caps2=8|goals2=0

| years3 = 2010–2012 | clubs3=Ayr United|caps3=3|goals3=0

| years4 = 2012–2013 | clubs4=Albion Rovers|caps4=4|goals4=0

| years5 = 2012 | clubs5 = → East Stirlingshire (loan) | caps5= 5| goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2013–2014 | clubs6 = Largs Thistle | caps6=13 | goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2014–2018 | clubs7 = Greenock Juniors | caps7 = 138 | goals7 = 0

| years8 = 2018– | clubs8 = Lesmahagow Juniors | caps8 = 4 | goals8 = 0

| years9 = 2018–2021 | clubs9 = Benburb | caps9 = 35 | goals9 = 0

| years10 = 2021–2022 | clubs10 = St.Peters | caps10 = 14 | goals10 = 0

| years11 = 2022 | clubs11 = Greenock Juniors | caps11 = ? | goals11 = 0

| years12 = 2022- | clubs12 = Saltcoats Victoria | caps12 = 16 | goals12 = 0

| totalcaps = 244

| totalgoals = 0

| club-update = 10 March 2023

}}

Ryan McWilliams (born 24 November 1989) is a Scottish footballer who plays for Saltcoats Victoria as a goalkeeper.

Career

Born in Greenock, McWilliams began his career at Greenock Morton. He worked his way through the youth system to the Under-19s and then was called up to the first team. On 15 August 2009, he made his professional debut in a game against Dunfermline Athletic.

McWilliams made his debut for Morton on 15 August 2009, against Dunfermline Athletic after Bryn Halliwell was injured in the warm-up.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_div_1/8200730.stm|title=Morton 0–2 Dunfermline Athletic|publisher=BBC Sport|date=15 August 2009|accessdate=15 August 2009}}

McWilliams was loaned to his old club, Ayrshire junior side, Largs Thistle towards the end of the 2009–10 season.{{cite news|url=http://www.gmfc.net/News/&action=fullnews&id=349|title=Player News|website=gmfc.net|date=26 March 2010|accessdate=26 March 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100331212919/http://www.gmfc.net/News/%26action%3Dfullnews%26id%3D349|archivedate=31 March 2010}}

After being released by Morton, on 30 July 2010, Ryan signed for Ayr United on a 1-year deal as back up to David Crawford.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_cups/8869515.stm|title=Elgin v Ayr|publisher=BBC Sport|date=30 July 2010|accessdate=31 July 2010}} At the end of the 2010–11 season, McWilliams signed a one-year extension with Ayr, but left at the end of the 2011–12 season.

McWilliams signed a one-year contract with the Second Division outfit Albion Rovers,{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19037867|title=Scottish Division Two ins and outs|publisher=BBC Sport|date=7 August 2012|accessdate=7 August 2012}} then immediately after Rovers played against Morton in the Challenge Cup he was loaned out to East Stirlingshire on a 6-month deal, with his first game ironically to be against Morton. He asked to be released from his contract with Rovers in January 2013, after falling to third choice at the club.{{cite news|url=http://www.scottishfootballleague.com/news/article/rovers-release-mcwilliams/|title=Rovers release McWilliams|website=Scottish Football League|date=22 January 2013|accessdate=22 January 2013|url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130216182442/http://www.scottishfootballleague.com/news/article/rovers-release-mcwilliams/|archivedate=16 February 2013}}

East Stirlingshire traveled to play Rangers on 18 August 2012, where McWilliams earned the Man of the Match award after several point blank and double saves; these helped keep the score respectable as the Shire lost 5–1. He was recalled by Albion after an injury to Chris McCluskey.{{cite news|url=http://www.scottishfootballleague.com/news/article/mcwilliams-returns-to-rovers/|title=McWilliams returns to Rovers|website=Scottish Football League|date=31 August 2012|accessdate=31 August 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130201221807/http://www.scottishfootballleague.com/news/article/mcwilliams-returns-to-rovers/|archivedate=1 February 2013}}

McWilliams also coached the goalkeepers at youth level for Morton.{{cite news|url=http://www.scottishfootballleague.com/news/article/mortons-past-present-and-future-under-hawkes-eye/|title=Morton's past, present and future under Hawke's eye|website=Scottish Football League|date=9 December 2012|accessdate=10 December 2012|url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130126085156/http://www.scottishfootballleague.com/news/article/mortons-past-present-and-future-under-hawkes-eye/|archivedate=26 January 2013}}

After his release by Albion Rovers, McWilliams returned to first club Largs Thistle. After leaving Largs, he moved to Greenock Juniors.{{cite news|url=http://www.greenocktelegraph.co.uk/sport/juniors/articles/2015/05/04/531231-report-greenock-2-benburb-3/|title=REPORT: Port Glasgow 0 Blantyre Vics 1|website=Greenock Telegraph|date=30 March 2015|accessdate=6 May 2015|first=Gary|last=Pews|publisher=Newsquest}} After four seasons with his home club, Ryan signed a one-year deal with South Lanarkshire outfit Lesmahagow Juniors for season 2018–19.{{cite news|url=https://www.carlukegazette.co.uk/sport/football/lesmahagow-juniors-sign-ex-senior-keeper-ryan-mcwilliams-1-4754110|website=Carluke Gazette|date=13 June 2018|accessdate=29 August 2018|author=Craig Goldthorp|title=Lesmahagow Juniors sign ex-senior keeper Ryan McWilliams|publisher=Johnston Press}}

Ryan decided to leave Lesmahagow and signed a deal with Govan-based side Benburb until the end of season 2018–2019.

After narrowly missing out on the West Region Championship Ryan continued his stay at Benburb until the summer of 2021 when he decided to leave due to injury.

Ryan then moved on to newly formed West of Scotland Football League 4th division Paisley based side St.Peters. Ryan played a handful of games during this season but due to injury they were limited. After a solitary season, Ryan decided to return to hometown club Greenock Juniors.

Ryan is now currently out on loan until Christmas at Ayrshire outfit Saltcoats Victoria.

Ryan then signed permanently with Saltcoats Victoria until the end of the season.