The 23-year-old defender/midfielder endured a difficult long-term stint on the sidelines which saw him miss the 2010 World Cup and the bulk of the 2011-12 season with a groin and pelvic injury.

After his long spell out, Williams fought back and was a key member of the Middlesbrough side which has battled for promotion this term, until another injury struck in March, this time an ankle problem.

However, speaking in a revealing piece on BBC Sport, Williams revealed during his 11-month injury spell, which he's previously described as “hell” after wondering if he'd ever play football again, he said he pondered moving home and playing in the A-League.

“Why would anyone want to be injured all the time in England when I could be injured all the time in Australia? That was my thought process,” Perth-born Williams said.

“I was thinking why don't I just go play in the A-League with my local team, be with my family, my fiance and her family and just enjoy being home, enjoy the lifestyle and that always went through my head.”

Williams added: “I had three or four months living in Australia seeing a specialist there, which kept my mind off football which was good. I know if I was here I'd be depressed and I wouldn't do my work.

“The club have been brilliant to me and that was partly the reason I signed a long-term deal here.”

Williams' latest problem has meant he's missed his side's late-season push for promotion. He also admitted he was shattered by the ankle problem which denied him a full injury-free season.

“At first, I thought it was a little knock because I didn't get tackled. I tried to run and couldn't run, so went and got it checked. The head physio rang me up and said 'I think that's your season over',” Williams recalled.

“For me that hurt loads as I have never played a full season because of injury problems.”

He added: “My long injury I went through a lot of phases where I thought I'd never play again, so it's good to get over that. With this injury, I'm just glad it's not the same thing. I'm really, really progressing so hopefully I'll be ready for Southampton.”

Indeed, Boro play Southampton this Saturday in a must-win, as they now sit seventh on the table, four points outside the playoffs places with two games to play and Williams insisted there's still hope of promotion.

“That's the only reason why I'm trying to get back,” he said. “We should actually be fighting for first or second if you look at some of our results, rather than battling fifth or sixth.

“I still firmly believe we've got a massive chance to get in there, that's why I'm rushing back and risking myself. We need to get in the playoffs, we can beat anyone on our day, we should be in the Premier League and all the boys know that.”