Williams, who arrived in Sydney after 189 games with Collingwood before taking on coaching roles with Melbourne, the Western Bulldogs and Carlton said his connection to the Swans could not be matched.
“I know that I didn’t spend as much time up here as I would have liked, but the six years I did have were very enjoyable and my family and I are totally indebted to the club forever for that,” Williams told SwansTV.
“It’s the staff, it’s the football coaches, it’s everything, and it’s all encompassing and it’s second to none.
“A lot of clubs are trying to emulate what Sydney do, but you can’t copy what is in here.
“Even if you know exactly how the club goes about things, unless you’ve got that real substance behind you, you can’t copy it because they’re a very special club.”
The talented midfielder, who took out the Bob Skilton Medal in his first two seasons at the club, was officially inducted into the Swans Hall of Fame at last night’s Guernsey Presentation and Hall of Fame Dinner at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Now based in Melbourne, Williams said he had no idea he was in line to receive the club honour at last night’s ceremony.
“It was a massive surprise and one that really shocked me,” he said.
“It was only 40 minutes before the function that I found out because the club rang me during the week to ask me to help hand out the guernseys to the new players, which I was more than happy to do.
“They pride themselves for honesty and trust and they lied to me, but it was a good lie, so I’m very honoured and very humbled.”
Williams added that his induction into the Swans Hall of Fame was as great of an achievement as playing in the 2005 premiership winning team.
“It’s totally different in a manner that you just feel so humbled that a club saw you in that light, especially a club that means so much to me,” he said.
Williams has kept a close eye on the Swans since retiring from the club in 2006 and watched last year’s grand final victory alongside his former team mate Michael O’Loughlin.
“I was sitting with Micky O’Loughlin that day, and it was a great day,” Williams said.
“We as past players were just so rapt for the current group of boys to get up and play in the manner that they did.
“They didn’t surprise us, but they probably surprised a couple of people. I just thought that the way that they handled themselves in that finals series was obviously second to none and I think that holds them in really good stead for this year.”
After more than two decades in the game, Williams will have more time to watch the Swans this year after taking a step back from coaching in 2013.
The former Swan said he planned to spend much of his free time with his wife and two daughters.
“I’m spending a lot of time with my kids – my two beautiful girls - and my wife, and I’m probably catching up on a lot of time that I haven’t had,” he said.
“I now have the chance to spend the weekends with them and I’m really enjoying it.
“It’s something I haven’t had the chance to do after 23 years of doing what I’ve done … so to actually get some time to spend with my beautiful girls has been something I’ve really treasured.”
