Drogheda United are delighted to announce the signing of forward Dean Williams from Shamrock Rovers.
Williams joined Rovers in 2016 and played for both their U17 and U19 sides until 2018. He made his senior debut for the Hoops in 2018 in a Leinster Senior Cup tie against St. Mochta’s before making his league debut in September 2018 against Limerick.
He scored 18 goals across the 2019 season between his loan spells at both Athlone and Bray before returning to Rovers for 2020.
The 2020 season saw Dean play for Rovers in both the Premier Division and for the Rovers II team in the First Division. Dean scored his first competitive goal for the Hoops in a 6-1 win at home to Waterford.
Williams also featured in the Europa League against both AC Milan and Ilves Tampere, scoring a penalty in the 12-11 shootout victory over the Finnish side.
The 21 year-old made ten appearances for Rovers off the bench in 2021 before joining Longford Town on loan for the second half of the season. There, under now Drogheda assistant manager Daire Doyle, the forward netted 7 goals in 17 appearances.
Manager Kevin Doherty expressed his delight at securing the signature of the forward.
“Delighted to have him. Really, really exciting signing for us, for the club. He’s a goalscorer, his movement is fantastic, he’s sharp, he can finish. It’s an excellent signing for the club. There was a lot of interest in him, but we’re delighted to have him.
“I’m looking forward to getting him into the group when we get going in the next couple of weeks. It’s an important phase of his career, where he’s making a permanent transfer now,” Kevin Doherty said.
“Shamrock Rovers were very good to him, the learning he got there, and going out on loan to Athlone, Bray and Longford have all been step ups every single time. Hopefully this is another one for him.
“It’s a permanent transfer to us, a Premier Division club so it’s the next step in his career. I spoke to him a couple of times and his enthusiasm for it is infectious,” Doherty said.
Dean Williams explained his delight at the move, as he now looks forward to getting started with Kevin Doherty’s side in the new year.
“I spoke to Kevin Doherty, he was the first one to contact me, and it didn’t take much convincing to make me sign for Drogheda. I also know Daire, and I have a good relationship with him so I just can’t wait to get started.
“I felt like it was time. I’ve been at Rovers now the last couple of years after my first loan moves with Athlone and Bray,” Williams said.
“I done well but I think at this stage in my career, it’s time to move on now. As I said, I spoke to Kevin, he really likes me, I can’t wait to get going and playing games for Drogheda United next season.
“The loan moves were brilliant for me, the experience I got last year with Longford. The experience I got with them is going to help me further in my career. I think I done really well with all the loan moves, even a couple of years ago with Athlone and Bray, scoring goals,” Williams explained.
