Tragic Demise of Chris Bart-Williams, Celebrated Nottingham Forest and Sheffield Wednesday Midfielder, Shakes Football World at 49
Former Nottingham Forest and Sheffield Wednesday midfielder, Chris Bart-Williams, tragically passes away at 49 in the US, where he was coaching Coincidentally, he left this world on the same day as his former manager, Trevor Francis Bart-Williams also played for Leyton Orient, Charlton, and Ipswich A great loss for the football community
Chris Bart-Williams, the former midfielder for Sheffield Wednesday and Nottingham Forest, has passed away at the age of 49, as confirmed by Sheffield Wednesday. The club has stated that he died in the United States, where he worked as a mentor and coach.
The club's statement announced that Bart-Williams' unfortunate death was similar to that of their former striker Trevor Francis, who also passed away on Monday, adding to the sorrowful period that the Owls and Forest were already experiencing.
Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families and friends of Chris and Trevor during this tragic period. Bart-Williams, originally from Sierra Leone and starting his journey as a trainee at Leyton Orient, amassed over 150 appearances for Wednesday. He later participated in the 1993 FA Cup final and replay, when the team also made it to the League Cup final.
Bart-Williams, originally from London, gained experience playing for England at the U21 level before securing a £2.5 million transfer to the City Ground in July 1995. His time at Forest proved to be successful, as he played a pivotal role in their triumph of the First Division title during the 1997/98 season. Despite primarily functioning as a defensive midfielder, he showcased his versatility by becoming the club's leading goal scorer and earning the title of player of the year in the 2000/01 season.
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Bart-Williams was awarded Nottingham Forest's player of the year for the 2000/01 season. He appeared in 248 matches for Forest and subsequently went on to play for Charlton and Ipswich. After his time in England, Bart-Williams concluded his professional playing career by participating in teams in Cyprus and Malta.
Afterward, he ventured into a coaching profession within the United States, where he started out by primarily coaching in women's college football.
Identifying himself as a "coach, college recruiter, former footballer" across his social media platforms, Bart-Williams held the role of owner and chief executive at CBW Soccer Elite, a renowned US College Soccer recruiting agency that assists aspiring college athletes.
Florida's Dade County made an announcement in February of last year, appointing Bart-Williams as the head coach responsible for overseeing all of its football programs.
Former team-mate Mark Crossley was taken aback by the unexpected news of Bart-Williams' passing.
The goalkeeper, who was Bart-Williams's teammate at Forest, expressed his devastation and sadness upon hearing the news of Trevor Francis and Chris Bart-Williams passing. Both were young, and it is truly a sad loss. Rest in peace Trevor and Chris.
Ipswich also expressed their condolences, stating that the club is saddened by the passing of former player Chris Bart-Williams. He will always be remembered as a Blue.
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