*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20:09, 21 December 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18:27, 16 November 2021 (UTC)
William John Sass-Davies (born 17 February 2000) is a Welsh professional footballer who plays for National League club Hartlepool United. He has also represented Wales at under-19 and under-21 levels.
Club career
Crewe Alexandra
Sass-Davies signed professional terms with Crewe Alexandra in July 2017.[2] After being on the substitutes bench for the opening five games of the 2017–18 season, he made his first-team debut, aged 17, on 29 August 2017, being named in the starting line-up in an EFL Trophy group stage game against Newcastle United U21s at Gresty Road.[4]
He joined Northern Premier League side Leek Town on loan in November 2018.[6]
In January 2019 he joined FC United of Manchester on loan[7] making his debut, and being voted man of the match, the next day in a victory in a league match against Bradford Park Avenue.[8] In March 2019, he joined Altrincham on loan and made one appearance, as a second-half substitute, in a 1–0 win at York City.[9][10] On 19 April 2019, Sass-Davies made his first league start for Crewe, playing in a 2–0 win over Yeovil Town at Gresty Road.[11]
Sass-Davies scored his first professional goal, for Crewe, in a 2–1 defeat to Lincoln City in the first round of the EFL Cup at Gresty Road on 5 September 2020.[15]
On 7 November 2020, he rejoined Altrincham on loan for a month.[16] He made seven league appearances during his second loan spell at the club. On 3 December 2020, Sass-Davies was recalled by Crewe Alexandra following injuries to several first-team players.[17]
On 9 February 2021, Sass-Davies joined National League side Yeovil Town on a one-month loan deal,[18] making his debut in a 1–0 defeat at Eastleigh later the same day.[19] He scored his first league goal for Yeovil in their 4–1 win at Barnet on 2 March 2021.[20] The loan was then extended for a further month,[21] and eventually continued until the end of Yeovil's season in late May. Meanwhile, on 13 May 2021, Crewe announced that it had triggered a contract extension.[22]
Sass-Davies was sent off after 13 minutes of Crewe's second game of the 2021–22 season, an EFL Cup first round tie at Hartlepool United on 10 August 2021.[23] He made his next appearance in the EFL Cup second round tie at Premier LeagueLeeds United, where Crewe conceded three late goals to lose 3–0,[24] but did not make a league appearance for Crewe (his first in three seasons) until 25 September 2021 in a 1–1 draw at Rotherham United. On 6 January 2022, the club announced Sass-Davies had signed an extended deal through to 2024.[25] In February 2022, he suffered a blood clot in his calf ruling him out for the remainder of the season.[26]
On 4 March 2023, Sass-Davies joined National League side Woking on a 28-day loan deal,[27] making his debut as a late substitute in Woking's 1–0 win at Yeovil Town on the same day.[28]
Sass-Davies was made available for transfer by Crewe at the end of the 2022–23 season.[29] On 1 September 2023, he and teammate Regan Griffiths joined National League side Boreham Wood on loan deals running to 31 January 2024.[30] He made his debut on 2 September 2023, in a 1–0 home defeat by Barnet, coming on as a half-time substitute for Kwesi Appiah.[31] On his seventh appearance for Boreham Wood, Sass-Davies was sent off at Ebbsfleet United.[32] He scored his first Boreham Wood goal on 24 October 2023, helping his side to a 3–1 league win at Dagenham & Redbridge.[33] On 29 January 2024, Sass-Davies's loan deal at Boreham Wood was extended to the end of the season.[34] Sass-Davies was released by Crewe at the end of the 2023–24 season.[35]
Hartlepool United
Following a successful trial, Sass-Davies signed for National League side Hartlepool United on 3 August 2024.[36]
In March 2021, Sass-Davies was called up to the Wales national under-21 football team for the first time,[39] playing all 90 minutes in Wales's 2–1 defeat by Ireland at Colliers Park, Wrexham on 26 March 2021.[40] Manager Paul Bodin then selected a largely unchanged squad, including Sass-Davies, for the side's Euro 2023 qualifying game against Moldova on 4 June 2021;[41] Sass-Davies played the whole goal-less draw at Stebonheath Park, Llanelli.[42] In August 2021, Sass-Davies was called up for the under-21 side to play against Bulgaria in Sofia on 7 September 2021,[43] and scored the second goal in Wales's 4–0 victory.[44] He was then called up for under-21 matches against Moldova and the Netherlands on 8 and 12 October 2021 respectively,[45] earning two further caps,[46] and for under-21 matches against Gibraltar and Switzerland a month later.[47]
Career statistics
As of match played 10 December 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition