New Hearts striker JJ Williams has revealed he was locked out of the club museum on his first attempt to learn about his new team, but a dramatic Conference League play-off win over Rapid Vienna just 24 hours later taught him everything he needed to know.
The 28-year-old American, who arrived in Edinburgh from Rhode Island where he scored 11 goals in 23 appearances this season, watched the 10-man Jambos dump Rapid on penalties and was left ready to run through a brick wall for his new teammates.
Emotional rollercoaster in hotel room
Williams was holed up in his city hotel when he tuned in to watch the heroic victory, going through the same emotional ringer as every Jambos fan.
He said: “I was going to go to the museum on Tuesday but it was locked! I wanted to get a feel of the background and history of the club. But it was locked, so I wasn't able to get in.
“Wednesday night told me everything I needed to know. What a performance from those guys.
“I watched it in my hotel room. I was going crazy, yelling, jumping on the bed like a little kid.
“I'm watching that performance and I'm ready to run through a wall for my teammates and I haven't even, just meeting all of them today (Friday) for the first time.
“If we can continue to put that amount of effort and execution and performance, then I'm very, very happy to be a part of this team.”
Long road to Europe
The 6ft 4in frontman began his career as a kid goalkeeper before finding his position at college with Kentucky Wildcats. He has played the majority of his career in the lower tiers of the American system with Birmingham Hammers, Reading United, Dayton Dutch Crew, Birmingham Legion, FC Tulsa, Tampa Bay Rowdies and Rhode Island.
There was a spell in the MLS with Columbus Crew and Atlanta United, but Williams only made a handful of appearances. Now he is ready to prove himself in Europe, starting against St Johnstone, as he takes on the challenge of filling the number nine shirt vacated by Lawrence Shankland.
He said: “I'm not worried about it at all. If you wanna be in the limelight and if you wanna be an important guy, you gotta step up to the plate. So I just try to put myself in those situations.
“This is the dream, this is it. And then it's just about continuing to grow.
“One of the biggest things was for me to feel satisfied in my career. I have to see what my potential, I wanna see where my limits are.
“And wherever I think that is, I know I have more beyond that.
“So I needed to be in an environment that's gonna get the best out of me and this is the place for sure.”
Excited for Hearts history
Williams was one of the main men at Rhode Island, a club that has only been in existence six years. But he knows his history at Hearts, who are 146 years older, and is desperate to play a part in writing another chapter.
He said: “I’ve been a part of two new clubs - Birmingham and Rhode Island.
“And it's a very interesting situation because you can kind of create the culture, you can kind of create anything that you want to, the direction of the club.
“On the flip side, whenever you're coming into something that's kind of already set, there's so much history behind it, you have something that you can just step in and play for.
“You can see the pride and how much everybody cares and loves and just bleeds Hearts.
“Everybody's already behind you and you just have to step in and play football.
“So I'm excited to be a part of that. The good, the bad, and the ugly, I know that all of it comes with the territory, but you wouldn't want it any other way.
“I have never been to Scotland before. I love it. I absolutely love it.
“Being a southern man from Alabama, I told my parents that they should get their passports and they should come visit me the first chance they get.
“My dad's a big golfer, so I told him he's gotta come over.
“But I also told them that the past four days, the weather has been beautiful. And so I am just hoping that I haven't used up all my good luck on those first four days!”
