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Crew SC has announced the signing of defender Josh Williams today after selecting him in Stage Two of the 2016 Re-Entry Draft. The Copley native returns to his home state after spending time with New York City FC and Toronto FC over the last two seasons.

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Learn more about the Black & Gold’s most recent signing by the numbers…

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Williams returns to Columbus for his second stint with Crew SC after originally joining the team in 2010 as a Discovery Signing. He was a member of the Black & Gold for five seasons (2010-2014). He also represented two other Eastern Conference teams (NYCFC and Toronto FC) and says he and his former Columbus teammates would “start chirping” over text about a week prior to matches where they would face each other.

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Williams is set to join the Black & Gold this month for preseason, kicking off his eighth season in Major League Soccer. Over the course of his first seven years, he has played 103 regular-season matches (93 starts). As a veteran of the League encompassing a strong familiarity with Crew SC, Williams says he is looking forward to taking on a leadership role this year in the locker room.

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Ten players on Crew SC’s current roster were a part of the Black & Gold in Williams’s first go-around in the Capital City. The familiar faces he will rejoin are Dilly Duka, Ethan Finlay, Waylon Francis, Federico Higuain, Hector Jimenez, Justin Meram, Brad Stuver, Ben Swanson, Tony Tchani and Wil Trapp. Stuver and Williams also played together in college at Cleveland State University.

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2016 was a significant year for Williams as he made 15 appearances (11 starts) to help Toronto FC win the Eastern Conference Championship. And in the final days of the year, he was selected by Crew SC for the opportunity to return home.

Check out his full bio here.