 At the end of the 1996–97 season he was handed a chance in the first team following an injury to Tony Elliott and helped Cardiff reach the play-offs before suffering defeat to Northampton Town.Having spent four years with Cardiff, Williams was released by the club and joined Dundalk in 1997.He moved to Shelbourne for the onset of the 1999–2000 and was a major player in their double success that season, having kept seventeen clean sheets.