Coming through the Palace Academy from the age of eight, he made his debut at the start of the 2011/12 campaign and by the beginning of the historic 2012/13 promotion season, he was ready to make his mark.
Quickly nicknamed ‘Joniesta’ for his precious ability, he recovered from an injury and made 35 appearances on the road to Wembley, starting the Play-Off Final against Watford as Palace reached the promised land just a few years after flirting with extinction.
Williams was named the club’s Young Player of the Season in 2013, and made 12 Premier League appearances for the club. He became a full Wales international, and earned 33 caps – travelling to the 2016 European Championships and the 2022 World Cup – before announcing his international retirement in March 2023.