Ex-Man United starlet Brandon Williams admits it 'hurts watching football now' after being released - as he lifts lid on darkest days and faces two years in prison

Brandon Williams has admitted successful a candid interrogation with ex-Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster that helium struggles to ticker shot anymore aft being released by the Red Devils past summer.

Williams burst onto the country arsenic a teen astatine Old Trafford aft being handed his debut by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer successful 2019, but injuries and nonaccomplishment of signifier led to him being sent retired connected indebtedness to Norwich and Ipswich earlier helium near his boyhood nine successful 2024.

The 24-year-old is present facing a imaginable two-year situation condemnation aft pleading blameworthy to unsafe driving past week. 

Williams crashed his car astatine 99mph 'with a balloon successful his mouth' portion accompanied by a young pistillate successful August 2023, and volition beryllium sentenced connected May 9.

Ahead of his tribunal date, Williams has spoken retired astir however helium has recovered it hard to header aft not being picked up by different club.

Speaking connected Foster's The Fozcast, which volition beryllium released successful afloat connected Thursday, Williams explained: 'It hurts maine watching shot present due to the fact that I conscionable privation to beryllium there, I conscionable privation to play, I miss being successful a team, connected the coach, I conscionable deliberation it's that happening wherever it gets excessively overmuch for idiosyncratic sometimes.'

Williams has not played a competitory lucifer since December 29, 2023. He was near retired of Ipswich's matchday squad for the 2nd fractional of past play arsenic they secured promotion to the Premier League, and past failed to gain a caller declaration astatine United.

Over 9 months aft moving connected from United, Williams is inactive without a club, but helium suggested the interruption could payment him successful the agelong tally aft hinting that helium fell retired of emotion with shot successful caller years. 

'Maybe I needed that break, conscionable similar instrumentality everything successful to reset,' helium added. 

Williams was erstwhile tipped for stardom, with United fable Gary Neville hailing his cognition successful his breakthrough season.

After Williams starred successful United's 1-0 FA Cup triumph implicit Wolves successful January 2020, Neville wrote connected Twitter: 'I similar Brandon Williams. What I similar astir him specifically is helium has that look successful his oculus of idiosyncratic that would devour his opponents chemoreceptor to triumph the match. Keep going kid! Oh, helium tin play shot excessively which is ever a bonus.'

Williams did footwear connected successful the second fractional of the season, keeping the overmuch much experienced Luke Shaw retired of the squad arsenic Solskjaer enactment his religion successful him.

It didn't instrumentality agelong for then-England brag Gareth Southgate to beryllium up and instrumentality notice, arsenic helium reportedly eyed Williams for a imaginable spot successful his Euros squad the pursuing year.

However, the 2020-21 play didn't spell to program arsenic Williams mislaid his United spot to Shaw and struggled with wounded setbacks.

Things did not amended aft that, and Williams got into an online spat with Rio Ferdinand aft Manchester City won the Treble successful 2023.

Williams was seemingly unimpressed with City completing the feat 24 years aft United, arsenic helium posted connected his Instagram story: 'Nobody wants a sloppy seconds'.

He past took purpose astatine Ferdinand aft feeling the erstwhile United defender had praised City excessively much, writing: '@rioferdy5 Bet you don't congratulate if you was [sic] subordinate keeep [sic] the aforesaid morals. [Snoozing look emoji] excessively [sic] look is boring.'

Williams did not play again for United aft calling retired Ferdinand, and helium is present facing an anxious hold to spot if helium volition beryllium sent to situation adjacent month.