Williams relishes debut season as a Toffee

Ashley Williams has spoken of his positive debut season at Everton and insists the club’s proud history continually drives his teammates forward.

Having made the switch from Swansea to Goodison Park last August, the centre back featured heavily throughout the Blues’ 2016-17 Premier League season, missing only one matches.

And the Welsh skipper, who helped Ronald Koeman’s side secure a seventh-place finish and Europa League qualification, has relished his debut season playing in front of the Merseyside fans.

“When you come into the city it’s either red or blue and on a match day you know that the Everton fans are crazy for football and really live for the team,” he said.

“Once you become part of the club you realise how big football is to them and what the club has achieved before so you’re always trying to live up to the standards that have been set.

(Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

“The top six is difficult to break into; we gave it a good go and got European football in the end so it’s been a good season.”

Having played for the Swans during the 2013/14 season, Williams already has Europa League experience under his belt,which should benefit Everton when they begin their qualification campaign on July 27.