Brandon Williams, a former Manchester United defender, is currently on trial with League Two club Rotherham United as he seeks to reignite his professional football career. The 25-year-old full-back, who came through Manchester United's youth academy, has experienced a challenging period in recent years.
In May 2025, Williams received a 14-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, following a dangerous driving conviction. The incident occurred on August 20, 2023, when Williams crashed his Audi A3 at nearly 100 mph. He was observed driving erratically before colliding with another vehicle and veering into the central reservation of the A34 in Cheshire.
Williams did not play a professional match for 20 months after his release from Manchester United. He later signed with Hull City in August of the previous year, but his tenure with the Tigers was brief, ending by mutual consent in February after making only one five-minute substitute appearance.
Now, Williams is training with Rotherham United, managed by Alex Bruce. He featured in a pre-season friendly against Parkgate, playing the second half. Bruce commented on Williams' potential, noting his pedigree from working with top-level players and competing against them. "He's had a tough couple of years," Bruce stated. "He's not done a proper pre-season for two or three years now and he's had a few problems with injuries. It's a case of just seeing where he's at, getting a good pre-season into him and seeing where we go with it."
Rotherham United aims for promotion back to League One in the upcoming season, and Williams is expected to see further game time as preparations intensify. "He's going to continue training, we're going to have a good look at him," Bruce added. "I think he's enjoyed it here so far. So we'll give him time, get the fitness levels into him and then, when both parties are happy, we'll try to make a decision."
Williams, who previously played for England at the Under-21 level, also faced significant injury issues. Before his move to Hull, he spent time on loan at Norwich City and Ipswich Town. He officially departed Manchester United at the end of his contract in June 2024.
In May 2025, Williams expressed his desire to be "100 per cent focused" on football again and to "kick on" with a new club. He mentioned receiving interest from clubs in America, Europe, and England, but felt he was not ready at the time. He stated a preference for experiencing a different culture, potentially in Europe for three or four years.
During his dangerous driving incident, Williams admitted he was attempting to impress a female passenger. A witness reportedly filmed him with a balloon near his mouth. Prosecutors noted it was fortunate that no one was seriously injured or killed. Judge Eric Lamb banned Williams from driving for three years and ordered him to complete 180 hours of unpaid community work.