Gerald Austin Williams former Guyana Int. 1983 – 1987

Dec 09, 2012 Sports

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World Cup goalkeeper 1984

Statistician Charwayne Walker continues his series on Guyana’s World Cup players; today we are pleased to feature Gerald Austin Williams aka ‘Air Force One’, former Guyana International 1983 – 1987 and World Cup goalkeeper, 1984.
Former Western Tigers and National custodian Gerald Austin Williams is the first World Cup goalkeeper to represent Guyana in qualifiers without any experience at either the national Under-18 or Under-23 levels.
Williams’ predecessors, Wendell Sandiford, Denzil Thompson and Vibert DeFreitas were custodians in World Cup Qualifiers between 1976 and 1980.
Sandiford and Thompson represented Guyana at the Under-18 level while DeFreitas did so at the Under-23 level in 1978.
So the trio all had some level of International experience when they were called for their debut World Cup duties. The same cannot be said of Gerald Williams who was first called to the National team in 1983 but the men performing duties between the uprights were Kenrick ‘Blackie’ Pollard and the late Brian Tracey.
In 1984, Lennox Arthur took over from Mervin ‘Pug’ Wilson as National Coach and the man between the uprights for Guyana was Gerald ‘Air Force One’ Williams, the Western Tigers custodian debut ended in a 3-1 loss to Trinidad and Tobago at Skinner Park.
He was hardly tested in his second International because Guyana thrashed India 3-0 at the GCC Ground, Bourda. Williams was superb in his third game but Suriname won that World Cup Qualifier 1-0 in their capitol, Paramaribo.
Williams admitted that it was his carelessness that caused Suriname to equalize which earned the Dutch speaking nation a 1-1 draw in the return fixture at the GCC Ground, Bourda in August 1984.
According to Williams, Coach Arthur was very upset because Guyana was sent packing from the 1984 World Cup campaign.
He however redeemed himself by performing outstandingly against the same opponents in November when Guyana drew both encounters 1-1. If there were any doubts about Williams’ ability and composure at the highest level, he put those fares to rest in his next series against the Mighty Cubans, January 1985 at GCC.
He spectacularly denied the Cubans strikers in both matches; as a result of ‘Air Force One’ brilliance in goal, Guyana defeated Cuba for the first time in an International series.
Williams still remains the only Guyanese goalkeeper to play in a victorious series against Cuba.
His 7th game was a 1-0 Guyana victory over French Guiana in Cayenne. Suriname seemed to be his biggest nightmare because in the next game the Dutchmen needled Guyana and the English speaking South American nation was eliminated.
Williams and Richard ‘Lion in the Cage’ Alphonso shared duties in his 9th and 10th games against French Guiana under lights at Camp Ayanganna. Guyana won that series 1-0. The same duo shared duties the following year, 1986 when Guyana drew their series against Barbados 1-1 at GCC.
Williams said his easiest series between the up rights was against Venezuela because Guyana won 7-0 and 6-0 in November 1986 at Camp Ayanganna.
Game number 15 for Williams produced 3-1 win for the Guyanese over the Bahamas in an Olympic qualifier in Nassau, 1987. Williams was fearless in his next game when Guyana won 3-1 against St. Lucia in Castries.
In the next match, Guyana blanked the Bahamians 4-0 in the Olympic return fixture at GCC.
He was tearful when he talked about his 18th International because his team mate Julian Moe was arrested and jailed for a banned substance on arrival at the Grantley Adams Airport and despite that challenge; Guyana still drew that friendly 2-2.
Williams said that he was hardly tested in his 19th game, an Olympic Qualifier when Guyana humiliated the Dominican Republic 4-0 at GCC. Surprisingly, he was omitted for the return game in Santo Domingo when Richard Alphonso and Colin Pollard were the men preferred to stand between the uprights.
Williams returned to the International scene against Grenada at GCC in August 1987 and in that series, Guyana drew the series opener 1-1 before going on to secure a solid 3-0 win in the finale which was contested at the Mackenzie Sports Club, Ground, Linden.
Those matches were Williams’ 20th and 21st games, the next ended in a disappointing 2-1 loss to the Trinidad and Tobago’s Soca Warriors at Camp Ayanganna. His next two caps were Olympic Qualifiers; Guyana lost 6-0 and 3-0 respectively to Guatemala in Guatemala City, October 1987.
‘Gerald Air Force One’ Williams’ last duties  in national colours was December 3, 1987 at the Municipal Stadium in Santa Rosa California where Guyana lost to CONCACAF giants Mexico 9-0 playing with exactly 11 men.
According to Deon Barnwell who was the national striker, Gerald was superb in goal although the team lost by such a wide margin.
International Tours
1984    Trinidad – friendly International
1985    Suriname – World Cup Qualifier
1986    French Guiana – CFU Eliminator
1987    Bahamas – Olympic Qualifier
1987    St. Lucia – Friendly International
1987    Barbados – Friendly International
1987    Guatemala – Olympic Qualifier
1987     Los Angeles – Olympic Qualifier
Williams spoiled his impeccable record by absconding with several other players after the Mexico game in Santa Rosa. He played 25 International between 1984 and 1987.

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