9th December 1909

Newport, Monmouthshire

Forward

With Fred Whitlow’s record seasonal tally of 33 league goals set in 1932/33, Rod Williams came close to matching it when he netted 29 times in 1936/37 which was his only season with Exeter City. Welsh-born, but growing up in London, he had played top amateur football in the South East before playing professionally with Crystal Palace and Norwich City ahead of his arrival at St James’ Park. Having also scored eight times in cup competitions for the Grecians, he soon moved to Reading for a record fee but later also appeared for West Ham and Clapton Orient by the time the outbreak of war ended his career.  

Rod played for Sutton United, Epsom and Uxbridge Town before he got a Football League opportunity with Crystal Palace in 1932 although he didn’t make the first team during his time with the club. Moving to Norwich City in 1933 he netted 9 goals in 19 league games before signing for Exeter City in the summer of 1936. 

An immediate success he made this debut against Notts County on 29 August 1936 and, after two goals against Torquay United in his second match, went on to score 29 of City's 59 league goals that season in a poor side that finished second-bottom in Division Three (South). As well as a single strike in the Division Three (South) Cup, he netted seven times in City's run to the 5th round of the FA Cup with goals against Folkestone, Walthamstow Avenue, Oldham Athletic and Leicester City (in the 4th round) to bring his overall tally for the season to 37.

Attracting attention from other clubs, Rod left City after a single season to join Reading for a club record fee with the Grecians' chairman citing financial reasons in the wake of an unsuccessful season in the league. Rod subsequently signed for West Ham United in 1937, where he scored five times in nine games, before moving to Clapton Orient in 1938 and contributing 18 goals from 38 starts before war intervened.

Returning to the Norfolk area, Rod died in East Dereham in 1987.

League 41, FA Cup 5 (46)

Plus two games in the Division Three (South) Cup.

League 29, FA Cup 7 (36)

Plus one goal in the Division Three (South) Cup.