Members News: The Sky Blues ‘Flying Postman’ Is 56 Today. ‘Happy Birthday’ John!

John in the Sky Blue

CCFPA wishes a very ‘Happy 56th Birthday’ for today to one of our favourite FPs who happens to be one of the Club’s fastest ever players, ‘The Flying Postman’ John Williams. In past seasons John has been a pretty frequent visitor to the Ricoh/CBS, regularly playing his part each season as one of our ‘special guests’ on match days and attending reunion events like our grand annual reunions  as he did at our last one Legends Days 2024 a week ago. He has also taken part in the Former Players’ Legends XI Charity games.

A Brummy born on 11th May 1968, John left his post office route for football with Cradley Town in 1990 and was quickly snapped up professionally by Welsh outfit Swansea Town the following year and he earned his nickname by winning the Rumbelows Sprint Challenge before the Football League Cup Final at Wembley in May 1992 claiming the £10,000 first prize. He beat, amongst others, Efan Ekoku and another former Sky Blue and recent CCFPA recruit  Leigh Jenkinson finishing in a time of 11.49 seconds. Leigh was also at LD22!

The Flying Postman with Billy Bell on stage

His form at the Welsh club (11 goals in 39 league appearances) persuaded Sky Blue manager (and now fellow CCFPA member) Bobby Gould (who was also at LD22) to add him to the roster of his new signings and John promptly scored the first goal of the 1992-93 Premier League campaign after nine minutes against Middlesbrough in a 2-1 win!

A crowd favourite, though not quite as prolific as hoped, John was sent out on loan for periods at Notts. County, Stoke City and Swansea City before leaving Coventry for Wycombe Wanderers in September 1995 having scored eleven goals in 86 appearances in all competitions.

John Williams (‘The Flying Postman’ at LD24

After Wycombe John became something of a rolling stone appearing for the likes of Hereford United (1996-97); Walsall and Exeter City (1997-98);  Cardiff City (1998-99); York City (1999-00); Darlington (2000-01); Swansea City (again) (2001); Kidderminster Harriers (2003); Bath City (2004); Redditch United (2005); Evesham United; Weston-Super-Mare; Stourbridge; Willenhall Town (2007) and Boldmere St Michaels (2008).

After trials at Aris Salonika in Greece and Austria Vienna John finally hung up his boots at age 40 in 2009 with 83 goals from his 502 appearances overall!  Subsequently he has been (amongst other things) a football agent, a youth and community worker in his home city and has run his own promotions company, ‘Flying Postman Productions’ company which arranges Sportsman’s Dinners and the like in the region and the UK.

We hope you have a great birthday today JW and see you again soon!