Former Manchester United star leaves Championship club after playing just five minutes of football

Former Manchester United defender Brandon Williams has departed Hull City just six months into his one-year contract.

Williams returned from a year out of football to sign for Hull last summer, hoping to reignite his career on the pitch.

Anna Gowthorpe

However, things didn’t work out with the Championship side, as he went on to only play five minutes for the Tigers.

Those minutes came in a cameo appearance off the bench in August at the end of a 3-0 home defeat to Blackburn Rovers.

He then only appeared in a matchday squad four more times, with his last appearance in a squad coming on November 25.

talkSPORT understands that Hull have paid up the rest of his contract to allow him to leave after six months, as he had struggled with injuries and ‘previous issues’.

The news was confirmed in a statement on Tuesday, which read: “Hull City can confirm that full-back Brandon Williams has left the club by mutual agreement.

“The 25-year-old’s only first-team appearance after joining the Tigers last August came as a substitute in the Sky Bet Championship home defeat to Blackburn Rovers later that month.

“We would like to thank Brandon for his efforts during his time at the MKM Stadium and wish him all the best for his future career.”

The ex-Man United left-back will now be a free agent and on the lookout for the next step in his journey.

He had previously spent time on loan at Norwich and Ipswich before making the move to Hull last summer.

In total, Williams spent 16 years as a United player ahead of his exit in 2024, with his career marred by off-field problems.

Anna Gowthorpe

Williams’ past issues

Williams was handed a suspended 14-month prison sentence last year for crashing his car in 2023.

He collided with a Ford Fiesta on the A34 and a court heard that he had been travelling at 99mph in a 70mph zone.

The incident saw his Audi A3 smash into the back of the Fiesta before hitting a central reservation, with the driver and passengers in the other vehicle, which was written off, being injured.

Williams was eventually sentenced to 14 months in prison after pleading guilty to dangerous driving and driving without insurance.

He is currently banned from driving for three years and his prison sentence is suspended for two years.

The Carrington graduate has since spoken about his struggles, admitting he had previously ‘fallen out of love’ with football.

Anna Gowthorpe

‘I don’t know if it’s enough’

Williams has officially left Hull after just six months, but there were already murmurs of an upcoming exit before the new year.

Tigers boss Sergej Jakirovic had discussed the defender’s progress at the club in December, hinting at cutting his deal short.

Jakirovic admitted: “He played for the Under-21s and then, together with the club, we will decide what we will do with him in January.

“He will stay with us, or he will fight for his place, so he will continue forward, maybe, to change clubs, but we will see.

“This is also a question for all clubs. Right now, in the U21 games, he showed something, but I don’t know if it’s enough for the Championship.

“This is something that maybe I need to decide what we will do with him….whether he will stay or he will change.”