Ex-MK Dons Player of the Year calls time on his playing career

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The Irishman spent nearly three years in Milton Keynes

Ex-MK Dons man Shaun Williams has called time on his career, aged 38.

The Irishman had been playing at Eastbourne Borough this season after leaving Gillingham last summer.

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Williams had been a stand-out in the League of Ireland during his early career, but financial problems at his club Sporting Fingal helped him make it to Milton Keynes in March 2011. Unable to play until the following season, Williams, though a midfielder by trade, was becoming a fixture for Karl Robinson’s side at centre-back.

His prowess over set-pieces too proved important for the side, and in his second season, swept the board by winning Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year.

Racking up 137 appearances and scoring 24 goals, Williams departed in January 2014 with six months left on his deal, moving up a division to Championship Millwall where he would spent the next seven years.

Making nearly 300 appearances for the Lions, Williams was much celebrated as a regular, and helped them to promotion back to the second tier in 2016/17.

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A year at Portsmouth followed before he moved to Gillingham in June 2022, but left last summer, dropping into the non-leagues with Eastbourne.

Now aged 38, Williams has decided to call time on his playing days.

“After 19 incredible years in the game, I have made the difficult decision to retire from professional football,” he wrote on X. “It's one I've discussed at length with my family.

“ ‘From the League of Ireland to the Championship, League One, and League Two. Captaining my hometown club in the Europa League, promotion at Wembley, winning the FAl Cup and to top it all off playing and scoring for Ireland are experiences I will treasure forever.

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“A huge thank you to all my incredible teammates, coaches, and staff for being such a big part of this journey. I'll forever be grateful for your support, the life long friendships I've made and of course all the laughs we've shared along the way.

“Above all, to my wife, our two boys, and my family-your unwavering support and dedication to helping me live my dream is the reason I've had the career I've had. For that, I am forever grateful.

“Looking forward to and excited for my next chapter in football.”

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