Former Manchester United star Brandon Williams is on trial at Rotherham United as he aims to get his career back on track.
Williams, 25, made 51 appearances for the Red Devils after coming through their youth academy, but he has endured a difficult period.
In May 2025, the full-back was handed a 14-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, after crashing his Audi A3 at almost 100mph on August 20, 2023. He was convicted of dangerous driving.
The 25-year-old, who was once paid £3.4million a year as a promising young defender, had been ‘driving erratically’ in his Audi A3 before hitting a Ford Fiesta and careering into the central reservation of the A34 in Cheshire.
Williams didn’t play a professional game for 20 months before he signed for Hull City in August last year, 14 months after United released him.
However, that move didn’t work out and he left the Tigers by mutual consent in February after making just one five-minute substitute appearance.
Former Manchester United star Brandon Williams is on trial with League Two side Rotherham
Williams, 25, was sentenced to a 14-month jail term, suspended for two years, in May 2025
And now, as he attempts to get his career back on track, the former England Under 21 star is on trial with Rotherham, who were relegated to League Two last season.
The Millers are now managed by Alex Bruce, son of veteran manager Steve, and Williams has been training with them at the start of pre-season.
Former United coach Steve McClaren, who served as assistant to Sir Alex Ferguson and later Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford, is also the Head of Football at the club.
Williams, who has similarly faced significant injury troubles, subsequently featured in Rotherham’s pre-season friendly against Parkgate on Friday night.
The full-back played the second half of the match and speaking afterwards, Bruce provided insight into why he was training with the club.
‘Brandon has a good pedigree,’ he told the Rotherham Advertiser. ‘He’s worked with the very best and played against the best.
‘He was showing me a game between Manchester United and Liverpool at Anfield where he was playing. We know what he’s capable of.
‘He’s had a tough couple of years. 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.’
Williams is expected to receive more gametime as the Millers, who will hope to battle for promotion straight back to League One, step up their preparations for the new season.
Pressed on whether Williams is likely to be part of their plans in the long-term, Bruce added: ‘He’s going to continue training, we’re going to have a good look at him. 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.’
Since his exit from Hull, Williams has occasionally shared snaps on social media of him training or on trips around the world, including one to The Seychelles.
Williams has played just five minutes of football in the past two seasons but he is hoping to revive his career
The 25-year-old originally broke into United’s first team under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer during the 2019-20 season and impressed, before he began to struggle. He subsequently spent time on loan at both Norwich and Ipswich.
Speaking in May 2025, Williams said that he wanted to be ‘100 per cent focused’ on his football again and ‘kick on’ with a new club, wherever that may be.
‘It hurts me watching football now because I just want to be there, I just want to play. I miss being in a team, on the coach, travelling to games, having meals together and just doing things,’ he said.
‘I want to have that feeling again of winning and being around the changing room environment.
‘I’ve had loads of teams trying to get me out – America, Europe and England – but I haven’t been ready. I want to go somewhere 100 per cent focused and kick on.
‘I would like to experience that different culture. I’m only 24 so I could do three or four years abroad. Definitely Europe at a good club or an upcoming club.’
In regards to his car crash, Williams admitted he had been trying to show off to a female passenger who was sitting next to him, and a witness is said to have filmed him with a balloon by his mouth. Prosecutors said it was ‘fortunate’ nobody was seriously injured or killed.
Judge Eric Lamb also banned Williams from driving for three years and ordered him to do 180 hours of unpaid work.
The homegrown United talent announced in June 2024 that he would leave the club at the end of his contract, and when the incident took place – in August 2023 – Williams had been on loan at Ipswich.
