Today marks the two-year anniversary of Joe Williams' move to Bristol City.
It's been a turbulent last couple of years with his debut campaign limited to just one league appearance. In the second season, Williams again struggled with recurring hamstring injuries having featured 22 times across the campaign.
It also meant he has yet to experience a Severnside derby against Cardiff as a player during his time with the Robins. Injury initially ruled him out of the away fixture one year ago when Andi Weimann scored twice to seal a 2-1 victory.
He was then an unused substitute in the reverse 3-2 victory against the Bluebirds in January as manager Nigel Pearson opted to start with the midfield duo of Han-Noah Massengo and Andy King. Therefore as far as anniversary gifts go, it doesn't get much better for Williams than a derby match against Steve Morison's side.
Williams is no stranger to a rivalry having come through the ranks with Everton. Even in the youth side, there was always extra motivation to get one over Liverpool in the Merseyside derby.
During his loan spell at Barnsley, he experienced the Yorkshire derby against Leeds while his former club Wigan always endured a fiery contest against Preston in the Lancashire derby. Sunday will prove a new experience for Williams and he can't wait to get stuck into it.
"I've been involved in a few derbies and to be honest with you, I love them," he said. "I love the atmosphere and the bite in the game and I'm really, really looking forward to this one.
"Obviously I was brought up with derby games being big games and that was Everton versus Liverpool so massive, massive games.
"Even when I was in the Championship I've always seen Bristol City vs Cardiff on Sky and I know how big they are. I was unfortunate I couldn't play in them last year but the atmosphere was unbelievable and they'll be wanting to get one back on us this year.
"We're fully aware of that but we're looking to do exactly the same as we did the other night. It's just another game for us but we'll be ready and up for it.
"It will be a good atmosphere and crowd and we'll have to just keep our emotions in check and not do anything stupid. We don't want any stupid sending offs but we want to be on the front foot and be hard but fair. That's how we want to play.
"We want to be firm and tough to beat and hopefully, we can get a win for our fans."
Derby game or not, there's always a tenacity to Williams' game that seems to ruffle the feathers of the opposition. Against Wigan, Joe Bennett somehow escaped a red card when he kicked out at the City midfielder before squaring up with James McClean at the full-time whistle.
To Williams, that doggedness just comes down to the mentality that he developed as a child playing on the streets of Merseyside.
"I've been brought up playing football on the streets with your mates," he added. "I just really want to win, that's my mentality I'll do anything to win. Whatever I can do to get that 10 per cent or one per cent. I'd go and do it. I wouldn't go as far as to say I go and wind people up, I just concentrate on my own game."
Pearson has been understandably cautious with Williams' game time at the beginning of the season to avoid a repeat of the injuries sustained over the previous two seasons. There's a reluctance to play him in midweek fixtures meaning he was left out of the squad in the Carabao Cup victory over Coventry City before coming off the bench for the final 14 minutes against Luton Town on Tuesday after Mark Sykes' red card.
With City light on the ground in the middle of the park, keeping Williams fit for the duration of the season will be imperative to any success the club will achieve. Although the player admits he almost feels at the level where he can feature in three games a week.
He added: "I'd say as I've been here I've matured a bit and come to terms with it. Obviously, it's never nice to miss a game and I feel like I am getting to the stage where I don't think that will go on much longer but that's up to the gaffer and Dave (Rennie) to see how I recover after games.
"I feel like I'm doing really good and hopefully I'll be able to do the Saturday/Tuesday games because I have done in the past and I've made good strides in getting that done.
"Last year was in the past, it happens and that's football. People go through phases whatever that may be and things happen. I'm really positive and really looking forward to this season. I just play every game to the best of my ability, I don't really think about getting injured."
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