Stanwood, Washington

Stanwood is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. The city is located 50 miles (80 km) north of Seattle, at the mouth of the Stillaguamish River near Camano Island. As of the 2010 census, its population is 6,231.

Stanwood was founded in 1866 as Centerville, adopting its current name in 1877 after the arrival of postmaster Daniel O. Pearson. It was platted in 1888 and incorporated as a city in 1903. The city was bypassed by the Great Northern Railway, which built a depot one mile (1.6 km) east that grew into its own separate town, incorporated in 1922 as East Stanwood. The two Stanwoods were civic rivals for several decades, until their governments were consolidated after a 1960 referendum was approved by voters.

The city was historically home to several food processing plants, which were its largest employers, and was mainly populated by Scandinavians. Since the 1990s, Stanwood has grown into a bedroom community for Seattle and Everett and has annexed uphill areas that were developed into suburban subdivisions. Stanwood is primarily served by State Route 532, which connects Camano Island to Interstate 5, and also has a train station that opened in 2009.

## History

Prior to European exploration and settlement in the 19th century, the Puget Sound region was inhabited by indigenous Coast Salish peoples. The modern-day site of downtown Stanwood was home to a Stillaguamish village named Sŭl-gwähs', with an estimated 250 people and three large potlatch houses. The area's first European Americans, George O. and G. L. Wilson, were led on a guided canoe expedition up the Stillaguamish River in 1851 and reported of its economic potential.

The first permanent American settlement at the mouth of the Stillaguamish River was Centerville, a trading post established in 1866 by Robert Fulton on the south side of the river. Centerville gained a post office in 1870, and the settlement was moved to the north side of the river three years later. The post office was renamed to Stanwood in 1877 by its sixth postmaster Daniel O. Pearson, after his wife Clara's maiden name; Pearson also ran a general store and built a new steamboat wharf on the Stillaguamish River shortly after arriving. Pearson had arrived from Lowell, Massachusetts, in 1866; two of his sisters were among the original "Mercer Girls".

The surrounding area was cleared by loggers and managed using a series of levees along the Stillaguamish River before being opened for settlement by farmers and ranchers. The establishment of a Norwegian Lutheran church in 1876, the first to be built in the Pacific Northwest, brought the area's first wave of Scandinavian immigrants. The townsite's plat was filed by W. R. Stockbridge in 1888, ahead of a failed attempt to petition the county commission for incorporation as a city. Stanwood suffered from a major fire on June 2, 1892, which destroyed the church and thirteen buildings and caused damages of approximately \$26,100 ( dollars); several businesses and the town's liquor supply were saved by volunteers from the town's Good Templars lodge, who had been at a regular meeting. By the end of the decade, the town had rebuilt its main street and gained a weekly newspaper, cannery, horse racing track, creamery, and a shingle mill. Stanwood was officially incorporated on October 19, 1903, a month after the town's men voted 74–16 in favor of becoming a city. Stanwood's businesses relocated a block away from the riverfront in the 1920s and 1930s after the main flow of the Stillaguamish River shifted to another slough. The change in the river rendered the wharf too shallow for steamboats and damaged dikes after several major floods.

The Seattle and Montana Railroad (later absorbed into the Great Northern Railway) was constructed through the Stanwood area in 1891, but bypassed the town one mile (1.6 km) to the east, where it built a depot on ground that was less prone to flooding. Several businesses relocated to the area around the depot, including a bank and Washington state's first cooperative general store. Merchants in the old town boycotted the railroad and acquired a steamboat, the City of Stanwood, in 1893; the ship was lost after catching fire on Port Susan the following year.

A short railroad, known as the Hall and Hall Railway, was constructed in 1904 between the depot and downtown Stanwood and would operate until 1938. The community around the depot was platted in 1906 as "East Stanwood", but initially relied on a commercial club to govern in lieu of a formal town government. East Stanwood was incorporated on February 7, 1922, after a series of civic disputes highlighted the need for a city government. East Stanwood was eventually bisected by the Pacific Highway in the 1920s and connected to Stanwood and Camano Island by paved roads constructed a decade earlier.

The "Twin City" maintained separate government facilities, schools, banks, sawmills, creameries, and frozen food plants. The school systems for the two cities were merged in 1944, ending a decades-long football rivalry between the two high schools. By the early 1950s, the competitiveness between merchants and citizens of both Stanwoods had softened and groups cooperated on events and various initiatives. A formal merger of the two cities was proposed in 1954 and placed on the April 30 ballot; Stanwood voted in favor of the merger, but it failed to reach a majority in East Stanwood. The high cost of a modern sewage treatment system, required by the state government before further expansion could occur, spurred leaders in both cities to place a second consolidation referendum before voters on March 8, 1960. The referendum was passed by an overwhelming majority of voters in both cities and the merged government immediately approved a \$520,000 sewer installation contract.

Development of a new suburban commercial center east of the city began in the 1980s, centered around the relocated Stanwood High School campus. A 55-acre (22 ha) farm at the intersection of State Route 532 and 72nd Avenue Northwest was redeveloped into a \$50 million shopping and entertainment center. The commercial center opened in 1995 and has 50 businesses, 10 restaurants, office buildings, a movie theater, and an arcade. The development was later expanded to include multi-story condominiums and upscale apartments with ground-floor retail space. The area surrounding the center was developed into suburban subdivisions, contributing to a doubling of the city's population to nearly 4,000 people by 2000. The subdivisions were annexed by the city government in the early 2000s, despite testimony from citizens against further growth. In 2005, the city rejected a bid by Wal-Mart to build a store in Stanwood after public outcry from supporters of downtown businesses.

The high school campus was replaced with a new building in 2021 that cost \$147.5 million to construct. At an adjacent 22-acre (8.9 ha) site is planned to be developed into a large residential complex with 444 apartments and 72 townhomes. The complex is also planned to incorporate retail, amenity spaces, and expanded wetlands.

## Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city of Stanwood has a total area of 2.84 square miles (7.36 km2), of which 2.82 square miles (7.30 km2) is land and 0.02 square miles (0.05 km2) is water. The city is at the northwestern corner of Snohomish County, and is considered part of the Seattle metropolitan area. It is 13 miles (21 km) west of its nearest neighboring town, Arlington, and 20 miles (32 km) north of Everett, the county seat. The city is also 50 miles (80 km) north of Seattle and 17 miles (27 km) south of Mount Vernon.

Stanwood's city limits are generally defined to the south by the Stillaguamish River; to the west by 104th Drive Northwest; to the north by 276th Street Northwest and 290th Street Northwest; and to the east by 68th Avenue Northwest. Approximately 59 percent of land within Stanwood city limits is used for housing, while 10 percent is zoned for commercial use and 7 percent for industrial uses. The urban growth area of Stanwood consists of an additional 425 acres (172 ha) outside city limits, including the unincorporated area of Northwest Stanwood.

The city is located at the mouth of the Stillaguamish River, where it flows into Port Susan, an arm of the Puget Sound, and Skagit Bay, the mouth of the Skagit River. To the west is Davis Slough, which separates Stanwood from Camano Island and forms the border between Snohomish and Island counties. Elevations in Stanwood range from 2 feet (0.61 m) above sea level near the Stillaguamish River to 190 feet (58 m) in the northeastern hills. The city is home to five creeks and drainage basins that flow into the Stillaguamish River and Puget Sound: Church Creek, Douglas Creek, Irvine Slough, the Skagit River, and the Stillaguamish River. The Stanwood area was formed during the Pleistocene glaciation and was further shaped through the rise and fall of the sea level as well as sedimentary deposits from the Skagit and Stillaguamish rivers.

Much of downtown Stanwood is located in a 100-year flood zone and is at risk of flooding from the Stillaguamish River, as well as the Skagit River. Much of the Stillaguamish delta was reclaimed using a series of levees and dikes that were built in the 1870s and improved by the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s and the city government in the 1990s. Some of the failure-prone dikes were later removed in the 2010s to restore habitat areas for native wildlife. Several civic buildings have also been relocated uphill from the downtown area to prevent floods from hampering the city's vital functions. In 2020, the city government began construction of flood controls to redirect stormwater into the Stillaguamish River rather than the sloughs to prevent flooding. The project is expected to cost \$11 million and take 10 years to complete over six phases.

## Economy

As of 2015, Stanwood has an estimated workforce population of 4,644 and an unemployment rate of 4.1 percent. The most common occupations for Stanwood residents are in the education and health care sector, which employs 24.1 percent, followed by manufacturing (17.5%), retail (13.3%), and entertainment and food services (11.2%). Only 14 percent of employed residents work within Stanwood city limits, while the rest commute to other cities for work. The most common commuting destinations for Stanwood residents include Everett, with 15 percent of traffic, Seattle (8.5%), Mount Vernon (5%), Arlington (4.6%), and Marysville (4.5%). The average one-way commute for the city's workers was approximately 27.5 minutes; 83.5 percent of commuters drove alone to their workplace, while 7.4 percent carpooled and 2.8 percent used public transit.

The city's largest employers are the Stanwood-Camano School District and the Josephine Sunset Home, which provide approximately 550 and 303 jobs, respectively. One of the city's other large employers was the Twin City Foods frozen food processing plant, which packaged frozen vegetables and fruits until it ceased operations in 2017. The original plant was destroyed in an accidental fire on April 28, 1996, causing \$50 million in damage and leaving 111 full-time workers unemployed until a new plant opened the following July.

## Demographics

Stanwood is among the smallest cities in Snohomish County, with an estimated population of 7,287 people in 2019. By 2035, the city and its surrounding urban growth area is expected to have a population of 11,085. The greater Stanwood area, which includes Camano Island and other nearby communities, has a total population of 33,000 people.

Stanwood was noted for its historically large Scandinavian population, particularly Norwegians, who settled in the region in the early 20th century. As late as 1949, over 60 percent of Stanwood residents were of Norwegian, Swedish, or Danish descent. By 2000, however, only 17.6 percent of residents identified themselves as having Scandinavian ancestry.

### 2010 census

As of the 2010 U.S. census, there were 6,231 people, 2,388 households, and 1,541 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,209.6 inhabitants per square mile (853.1/km2). There were 2,584 housing units at an average density of 916.3 per square mile (353.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 89.7% White, 1.0% African American, 0.8% Native American, 1.7% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 2.6% from other races, and 3.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino persons of any race were 7.0% of the population.

There were 2,388 households, of which 38.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.7% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.5% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.18.

The median age in the city was 35.9 years. 28.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.2% were from 25 to 44; 21.3% were from 45 to 64; and 15.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.3% male and 52.7% female.

### 2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 3,923 people, 1,402 households, and 957 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,995.4 people per square mile (768.9/km2). There were 1,508 housing units at an average density of 767.0 per square mile (295.6/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 91.56% White, 0.59% African American, 0.94% Native American, 1.10% Asian, 0.23% Pacific Islander, 2.52% from other races, and 3.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino persons of any race were 4.97% of the population.

There were 1,402 households, out of which 42.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.3% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.7% were non-families. 26.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.22.

In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 31.5% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 14.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was \$44,512, and the median income for a family was \$52,996. Males had a median income of \$40,457 versus \$26,738 for females. The per capita income for the city was \$16,775. About 9.0% of families and 12.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.9% of those under age 18 and 23.4% of those age 65 or over.

## Government and politics

Stanwood is a non-charter code city that operates under a mayor–council government. The city council's seven members and the mayor are elected to four-year terms in non-partisan elections. City councilmember Sid Roberts was elected mayor in 2021, replacing interim mayor Elizabeth Callaghan. The council conducts regular meetings twice per month at the Stanwood-Camano School District administrative offices. The city hall was built in 1939 and renovated in the 1960s and 2013, but remains too small to host city council meetings. The city has long-term plans to relocate the city hall out of the downtown flood zone to a property near Church Creek Park.

The city government employs 28 people full-time and operates on a biennial budget with annual expenses of \$16.2 million. The budget funds various departments run by the government, including water utilities, parks and recreation, development planning, and clerks. Stanwood also outsources its policing services to the county sheriff's office and its fire and emergency services to the North County Regional Fire Authority. The sheriff's office provides several deputies and officers, while the vehicles and uniforms are marked with the city logo.

At the federal level, Stanwood is part of Washington's 2nd congressional district, which has been represented by Democrat Rick Larsen since 2001. At the state level, the city is part of the 10th legislative district, which also includes all of Island County and part of southwestern Skagit County. Stanwood is wholly part of the Snohomish County Council's 1st district, which also includes Arlington, Marysville, Darrington, and Granite Falls.

## Culture

### Arts and events

Stanwood's arts community is centered around the Stanwood–Camano Arts Guild, which organizes an annual spring art show and the Art by the Bay festival in the summer. The guild also programs public art at local businesses and public venues. Stanwood is also a center for glass artwork due to its proximity to the Pilchuck Glass School, founded in 1971 by a group of glassblowing artists led by Dale Chihuly.

Stanwood also hosts several annual festivals and events that are organized by community groups and the city government. In February, the area hosts a glass treasure hunt and a birding festival to coincide with the migration of snow geese and other winter flocks. During the summer months, the city organizes weekend concerts at various venues around downtown and hosts a farmers' market on Fridays from June to October. Stanwood's two late summer festivals, the Community Fair and Harvest Jubilee, are focused around the region's agricultural tradition. The Community Fair, held since 1932 in early August and billed as the "Best Lil' Fair in the West", draws 12,000 visitors annually and features 4-H presentations, livestock exhibitions, a parade, and carnival rides. The Harvest Jubilee, held since 2007 in late September, includes fine art exhibitions, produce contests, and self-guided tours of local farms.

### Parks and recreation

Stanwood has eight public parks that have a combined 86 acres (35 ha) of public open and preserved space. The parks range from nature sanctuaries to neighborhood parks, playgrounds, sports fields, and boat launches. The city's largest park is Heritage Park, located in downtown and covering 44 acres (18 ha); it is shared with the school district and includes sports fields, walking trails, picnic areas, a dog park, and a skate park. Stanwood's nearest regional parks are Kayak Point County Park, which also includes an adjacent golf course, and Wenberg County Park on Lake Goodwin.

In 2014, the city began development of new multi-million dollar parks at the former Hamilton lumber mill and Ovenell dairy farm, both located along the Stillaguamish River near downtown. The Hamilton site includes an iconic smokestack that is decorated during the holiday season and will be incorporated into the new park, which will include a boat launch and public dock. The 15-acre (6.1 ha) Ovenell site was cleared of its historic barn in 2017 and will include a boat launch, natural habitats, and a demonstration farm when fully completed in the 2020s.

### Media

Stanwood has one weekly newspaper, the Stanwood Camano News, which originated in 1903 as the Stanwood Tidings and later ran under the name of the Twin City News. The newspaper was acquired by the Pioneer News Group, publishers of the Mount Vernon-based Skagit Valley Herald, in 2015. At the time, the News had a weekly circulation of 2,200.

Stanwood's public library is operated by the countywide Sno-Isle Libraries system and is housed in a 5,400-square-foot (500 m2) building. The city's first library was built in 1922 and replaced in 1970 with the modern building, which was expanded in 1986.

### Historic buildings

The twin downtowns of Stanwood and East Stanwood have several blocks of historic buildings that date back to the early 20th century and were preserved by the city's residents. A portion of the eastern downtown was nearly destroyed in a two-alarm fire on August 27, 1997, which burned through three shops.

Stanwood has two buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), which evaluates historic sites under private ownership. The D. O. Pearson House, was built in 1890 as the home of the founding Pearson family and was listed in 1973. It was acquired by the Stanwood Area Historical Society in 1975 and now serves as a pioneer museum. The city's other NRHP listing, the three-story Stanwood IOOF Public Hall, was built in 1903 for use by various fraternal organizations (including the International Order of Odd Fellows) until it was acquired by the historical society in 1996. The IOOF building was reopened in 2003 as the Floyd Norgaard Cultural Center and now serves as a museum, community center, and events venue.

### Notable people

- Nels Bruseth, forest ranger, painter, and naturalist
- Bundle of Hiss, grunge band
- Fanny Cory, cartoonist and illustrator
- Sarah Jones, Olympic rower
- T. J. Oshie, professional hockey player
- Eugene H. Peterson, clergyman and author
- Ted Richards, American football player
- Zakarias Martin Toftezen, first Norwegian settler on the Puget Sound
- Zoë Marieh Urness, photographer
- Francesca Woodman, photographer

## Education

Public schools in Stanwood are operated by the Stanwood-Camano School District, which covers the city and neighboring communities, including Camano Island, Lake Ketchum, and Warm Beach. The district had an enrollment of approximately 4,554 students in 2014 and has eleven total schools, including one high school, two middle schools, and four elementary schools located in Stanwood. The old high school, opened in 1971, was replaced in 2021 by a new, three-story building on the existing campus to accommodate the area's growing population.

Stanwood's nearest post-secondary education institutions are Skagit Valley College, located in Mount Vernon, and Everett Community College, located in northern Everett. In 2006, the city offered 480 acres (190 ha) near Interstate 5 to the state government for a potential four-year university campus. The university project was eventually awarded to other bids in Everett before being cancelled entirely in 2008.

## Infrastructure

### Transportation

Stanwood is located on State Route 532, an east–west highway connecting Camano Island to Interstate 5 east of Stanwood. The city is also served by two other major highways: Pioneer Highway, historically part of State Route 530 and the Pacific Highway (U.S. Route 99), which continues north to Conway and east towards Silvana and Arlington; and Marine Drive, which continues south to Florence, Warm Beach, the Tulalip Indian Reservation, and Marysville.

Public transportation in Stanwood is provided by Community Transit and Island Transit, the transit authorities of Snohomish and Island counties, respectively. Community Transit runs all-day bus service from Stanwood to Warm Beach, North Lakewood, and Smokey Point. During peak hours, it also runs commuter express service to the Boeing Everett Factory and Downtown Seattle from two park and rides in the Stanwood area. Island Transit provides service to Camano Island on two routes, as well as commuter service to Mount Vernon and Everett. A separate service, named Snow Goose Transit, debuted in 2022 and provides minibus service in Stanwood and parts of Camano Island. It is operated by a local retirement home and was funded by the Washington State Department of Transportation.

Stanwood is served by a north–south railroad owned by BNSF Railway, which operates freight and passenger rail service to the city. Amtrak's Cascades provides daily passenger rail service at Stanwood station in downtown Stanwood, continuing south to Seattle and north to Vancouver, British Columbia. The train station opened on November 21, 2009, restoring passenger rail service that had been discontinued in 1971.

### Utilities

Electric power in Stanwood is provided by the Snohomish County Public Utility District (PUD), a consumer-owned public utility that serves all of Snohomish County and neighboring Camano Island. Cascade Natural Gas provides natural gas service to the city's residents and businesses, as part of its service area in northwestern Washington. Stanwood has two major broadband internet providers: Frontier and Wave Broadband; the latter also offers cable television.

The city government provides water and water treatment to residents and businesses within a 10-square-mile (26 km2) service area that includes the entire city and some surrounding unincorporated areas. The city's water supply is sourced primarily from several wells that draw from an underground aquifer. Wastewater and stormwater are collected and treated at two treatment plants, built in 1963 and 2004. Solid waste and recycling collection within Stanwood is contracted by the city government to Waste Management.

### Health care

Stanwood's nearest general hospital is the Cascade Valley Hospital in Arlington. The city has two medical clinics operated by The Everett Clinic and Skagit Valley Hospital. The Stanwood General Hospital operated until 1943 and a replacement was planned in the late 1950s, but never built.

1866 establishments in Washington Territory


Jennison Myrie-Williams

Jennison Machisti Myrie-Williams (born 17 May 1988) is an English former professional footballer who played as a winger. He scored 48 goals in 408 league and cup appearances in a 15-year career in British football.

Myrie-Williams began his career at Bristol City, progressing through the club's youth system before making his first-team debut in May 2006. He played regularly for Bristol City during the 2006–07 season as the club were promoted to the Championship. During the 2007–08 season, Myrie-Williams was loaned out to Cheltenham Town and Tranmere Rovers respectively in order to gain more first-team experience. The following season, he was loaned out to Cheltenham Town again, before having further loan spells at Carlisle United and Hereford United.

He was released by Bristol City in May 2009, and joined Scottish Premier League club Dundee United on a free transfer a month later. After a season at Dundee United, Myrie-Williams moved to St Johnstone on a free transfer, making five appearances, before leaving the club in January 2011. He joined League Two club Oxford United in the same month, but the deal collapsed due to the fact that the player had already played for two clubs during the 2010–11 campaign. In July 2011, Myrie-Williams signed for League One club Stevenage on a free transfer.

Myrie-Williams joined Port Vale on a six-week loan spell in November 2011, and following his release by Stevenage in May 2012, signed for the club on a permanent basis two months later. He helped Port Vale to secure promotion out of League Two during the 2012–13 season, and was also voted onto the PFA Team of the Year. He signed with Scunthorpe United in June 2014, and had a second spell on loan at Tranmere Rovers in January 2015. He joined Irish club Sligo Rovers in August 2015, and then signed for Newport County in June 2016. He signed with National League club Torquay United in September 2017, and then moved on to Hereford five months later. He helped Hereford to win the Southern League Premier Division title at the end of the 2017–18 season. Myrie-Williams left Hereford in October 2018 and spent the remainder of the 2018–19 season at National League South club Weston-super-Mare, before joining Gloucester City in June 2019. He rejoined Weston-super-Mare in March 2020 and signed with Chippenham Town in August 2021.

## Early life

Born in Lambeth, south London, he always wanted to play professional football, and stated that he never considered any other career path. Myrie-Williams and his family moved to Bristol at the age of 14 in order to make it easier for him to play at Bristol City's academy.

## Club career

### Bristol City

Having progressed through the youth system at Bristol City, he made his first-team debut for the club on the last day of the 2005–06 season, coming on as a 61st-minute substitute in a 1–0 defeat at Southend United on 6 May 2006. Myrie-Williams made three substitute appearances at the start of Bristol City's 2006–07 campaign, before making his first starting appearance in a 1–0 home victory against Brighton & Hove Albion on 2 September 2006. He scored his first professional goal in a 3–1 home victory against Chesterfield on 16 September 2006, scoring with a chipped shot to give Bristol City a two-goal lead. Myrie-Williams made 35 appearances for the club during the 2006–07 season, scoring twice, as Bristol City earned automatic promotion to the Championship after finishing in second place.

#### Loan moves

Ahead of the 2007–08 season, Bristol City manager Gary Johnson stated his intention to send Myrie-Williams out on loan in order to gain first-team experience. Johnson believed that Myrie-Williams would only benefit from a loan move to a League One club, given that he was playing in the third tier of English football prior to Bristol City's promotion to the Championship during the 2006–07 campaign. Two days before the start of the 2007–08 season, Myrie-Williams joined Cheltenham Town on a month's loan. He made his debut for Cheltenham in the club's 1–0 home win against Gillingham on the first day of the season, coming on as a substitute in the 68th minute. After making four first-team appearances for Cheltenham during the month, Myrie-Williams' loan was extended for a further month, running until 6 October 2007. Cheltenham manager John Ward said "I am really pleased that Jennison will be staying with us. In the last two or three games he has started to show his tremendous pace and ability on the ball". His loan was extended again in October 2007, taking him into a third month with Cheltenham. He scored his first goal for Cheltenham in a 3–1 away win at Swindon Town in the Football League Trophy, scoring the first goal of the game, "finishing neatly after a superb through ball from Craig Reid". He made his final appearance for Cheltenham in a 2–2 home draw with Crewe Alexandra, coming on as a substitute as Cheltenham scored two late goals to salvage a point. After the match, Myrie-Williams suffered a knee injury in training, ruling him out of first-team action for two weeks. He made 13 appearances for Cheltenham during his three-month loan spell, scoring one goal and he returned to his parent club in early November 2007.

After his loan spell at Cheltenham, Myrie-Williams joined Tranmere Rovers, also of League One, on a one-month loan agreement. On bringing Myrie-Williams to the club, Tranmere manager Ronnie Moore stated "He is left footed and will bring balance to our side". He made his debut for Tranmere two days later, starting in the club's 1–0 home defeat to eventual champions Swansea City. His loan spell was extended for a further month on 19 December 2007, after Myrie-Williams had impressed manager Ronnie Moore during his four weeks with the club. Myrie-Williams scored his first goal for Tranmere on 26 January 2008, scoring the winning goal from the penalty spot in a 2–1 victory against Yeovil Town at Prenton Park. Two days after scoring his first goal for the club, his loan spell was extended until the end of the 2007–08 season. Both managers were "delighted" with the progress Myrie-Williams was making at Tranmere, with Bristol City manager Gary Johnson adding "Jennison's developing well at Tranmere and it would be criminal to bring him back now". He scored his second goal for Tranmere just five days later in a 2–0 away win at Leeds United; Myrie-Williams scored with an "angled shot" in the 61st-minute to give Tranmere their fourth consecutive victory. He scored his third goal of the campaign on 5 April 2008, with a header from Andrew Taylor's cross in the third minute to give Tranmere the lead away at Walsall. He was substituted after 55 minutes with an injury that ruled him out for the rest of the campaign. He returned to Bristol City, having scored three goals in 26 appearances for Tranmere.

At the start of the 2008–09 season, Myrie-Williams returned to Cheltenham Town, signing on a one-month loan deal on 14 August 2008. On bringing Myrie-Williams back to the club, Cheltenham manager Keith Downing said "Jennison is an exciting young player who will give us some different options. We've perhaps been lacking a bit of pace and he will give us that as well". He made his second debut for the club four days later, scoring with a header in the 80th-minute to ensure Cheltenham picked up their first victory of the 2008–09 season with a 2–0 win against Swindon Town. Myrie-Williams made five appearances for Cheltenham during his one-month loan spell, scoring one goal. He returned to Bristol City on 15 September 2008. Shortly after returning to his parent club, Myrie-Williams was loaned out to another League One club, this time in the form of Carlisle United. Myrie-Williams stated that the move appealed to him because of manager John Ward, who he had played under at Cheltenham Town. He made his Carlisle debut on 20 September 2008, coming on as a 72nd-minute substitute in a 2–0 home defeat to Leeds United. The loan agreement was extended for another month on 15 October 2008. Myrie-Williams was loaned out for a third time during the 2008–09 season, the fifth loan spell of his career, when he joined Hereford United in January 2009. He scored his first goal for Hereford on 17 February 2009 in the club's 2–0 home victory against Leeds United, scoring with a low shot to give Hereford the lead just before half-time. He returned to Bristol City after Hereford's 1–0 home loss against Peterborough United on 21 February 2009. A month later, Myrie-Williams rejoined Hereford until the end of the season. He made 15 appearances over the period of the two loan spells, scoring twice, as Hereford were relegated back to League Two after finishing bottom of the table.

### Dundee United

At the end of the 2008–09 season, Myrie-Williams was released by Bristol City. He joined Dundee United on a free transfer on 12 June 2009, signing a two-year contract with the Scottish Premier League club. Myrie-Williams made his Dundee United debut on 22 August 2009, coming on as an 88th-minute substitute in a 0–0 draw at St Mirren. He made his first league start on 17 October 2009, playing 84 minutes in a 1–1 home draw against Hamilton Academical, earning the man of the match award for his performance. He scored his first competitive goal for Dundee United in a 3–2 home win against St Mirren on 5 December 2009, scoring the club's third goal in the match. Myrie-Williams received the first red card of his career when he was sent off for two bookable offences in the club's 2–0 home defeat against Celtic on 25 April 2010. He played in the club's 2–0 victory over Raith Rovers in the Scottish Cup semi-final, but was not selected for the Hampden Park final. He made 27 appearances in his first season at the club, scoring twice.

He remained at Dundee United ahead of the 2010–11 season, and made his first appearance of the season in a 1–1 draw with St Mirren on 14 August 2010, appearing as a substitute in the 74th-minute. It was to be Myrie-Williams' only appearance for the club at the start of the campaign, and four days later, on 18 August, Dundee United manager Peter Houston told the player he was available for transfer in order to cut the club's wage bill. Shortly before the summer transfer window closed, on 31 August 2010, Myrie-Williams left the club by mutual consent.

### St Johnstone

Myrie-Williams signed for another Scottish Premier League club in the form of St Johnstone on 14 September 2010, joining on a free transfer. Signing for the club on a short-term deal lasting until January 2011, he made his debut for the club in St Johnstone's 2–1 home victory against St Mirren on 18 September 2010. After two appearances in two home defeats in quick succession against Celtic in late October 2010, Myrie-Williams did not feature again for two months. His last appearance for the club was as an 89th-minute substitute in the club's 2–0 away defeat against Celtic at Celtic Park on 26 December 2010. Shortly after the game, he was told by manager Derek McInnes that he was free to find a new club, with his contract expiring at the end of January 2011. Myrie-Williams made eight appearances for St Johnstone during his three-month spell at the club.

Shortly after leaving St Johnstone, Myrie-Williams opted for a move back to England, signing for League Two club Oxford United on 27 January 2011 for the rest of the 2010–11 campaign. However, the transfer collapsed as a result of Myrie-Williams having already played for two clubs during the 2010–11 season; playing one game for Dundee United and eight for St Johnstone. Under FIFA regulations, a player cannot play for more than two permanent clubs in a season. The English Football Association could not register Myrie-Williams as they are bound by FIFA regulations. Similarly, the English Football League could not register him to play for Oxford as his international clearance could not be granted.

### Stevenage

Myrie-Williams signed for League One club Stevenage on a free transfer on 8 July 2011. He made his debut for Stevenage in the club's 3–1 away win against AFC Bournemouth on 16 August 2011, coming on as a 74th-minute substitute and helping to create Stevenage's third goal. After making four successive substitute appearances, Myrie-Williams started his first match for the club on 24 September, playing 45 minutes in a 1–0 defeat to Carlisle United at Brunton Park.

Myrie-Williams joined League Two club Port Vale on loan on 24 November 2011, joining on an agreement until January 2012. A day later, he made his debut for Port Vale in a 0–0 home draw against Torquay United, playing the whole match. During the game, he impressed manager Micky Adams — "He (Myrie-Williams) lifted me, as I'm asking people to be positive and show character, because the fans are disappointed with the way things have gone recently, and we need to give them something to shout about, which I believe he did. I thought he was outstanding, he looked exciting on the ball and he got crosses into the box". In his next appearance for the club, he scored the equalising goal in a 2–1 win at Dagenham & Redbridge, when he "blasted in" a "25 yards (23 m) blockbuster" – fellow Stevenage loanee Madjo went on to score the winning goal. Myrie-Williams' effort was Vale's first goal in 502 minutes (more than five games) of football. He returned to Broadhall Way in January having scored one goal in six games for Port Vale, who were unable to extend the loan deal due to an acute lack of funds.

On his return to Stevenage, Myrie-Williams was made available for transfer by manager Graham Westley, and was told he did not feature in Westley's plans. Both Port Vale and Sheffield United were reportedly interested in signing the player on a permanent basis. League Two club Bradford City also spoke to Stevenage with a view to bringing in Myrie-Williams, although "the chase was put on hold" following Westley's departure — with new manager Gary Smith wishing to evaluate the squad. No transfer materialised, and he came on as a late substitute in Stevenage's 2–0 defeat to Charlton Athletic on 25 February 2012, marking his first appearance for Stevenage in five months. Myrie-Williams made 19 appearances for Stevenage in all competitions during the campaign. Despite an increase in first-team involvement under Smith, he was released by Stevenage when his contract expired in May 2012.

### Port Vale

Myrie-Williams joined Port Vale on a free transfer on 2 July 2012, signing a two-year contract after having impressed during his brief loan spell at the club during the 2011–12 season. He hit the ground running at Vale Park, and put in a particularly strong performance against League One leaders Tranmere Rovers in the League Trophy First Round, as he "tormented" full-back Zoumana Bakayogo, and claimed both goals of a 2–0 win with a penalty and a 30 yards (27 m) free-kick he described as "up there with the best goals I've scored". He was named in the League Two team of the week after converting from the penalty spot in a 3–1 win at Aldershot Town on 26 November. As the 2012–13 season drew to a close, League Two managers voted him the fifth best player of the season at the annual Football League Awards. Vale secured promotion with a third-place finish at the end of the season, and Myrie-Williams finished with nine assists and 11 goals in 50 games. He was voted onto the PFA Team of the Year, alongside teammate Tom Pope.

He lost his first-team place in mid-October of the 2013–14 season after Adams changed system, before he marked his return to the starting line-up with a brace against Shortwood United in the FA Cup. He ended the campaign with ten goals in 45 appearances, helping the club to secure a ninth-place finish in League One. After a public vote held in February 2020, he was named by The Sentinel as Port Vale's second-best winger of the 2010s with 32% of the vote, behind David Worrall (44%).

> "I want to thank Jennison for his efforts while he has been at the club. He has been terrific. At times he has been unplayable and at other times he has let himself down slightly, but that is the life of a winger... This is not having a go at Jennison, but I don't see Scunthorpe as a progression in his career. I have to say I think that move is purely a money one."

### Scunthorpe United

Myrie-Williams rejected a contract with Port Vale to sign a two-year deal with newly promoted League One club Scunthorpe United on 11 June 2014. He went on loan to League Two club Tranmere Rovers in January 2015, after being signed by his former Port Vale manager Micky Adams. Tranmere were relegated out of the Football League at the end of the 2014–15 season, and Myrie-Williams became a free agent in the summer after his contract with Scunthorpe was cancelled by mutual consent.

### Sligo Rovers

He had trials with Bristol Rovers and Yeovil Town in summer 2015. At the end of the month, he signed with League of Ireland Premier Division club Sligo Rovers, managed by Adams, who had also signed Myrie-Williams during his time as manager at Port Vale and Tranmere.

### Newport County

Myrie-Williams signed a one-year contract with League Two club Newport County on 16 June 2016. He made his debut for Newport on 6 August 2016 in a 3–2 defeat to Mansfield Town at Rodney Parade. He scored his first competitive goal for Newport ten days later in a 2–1 defeat at Luton Town. He impressed manager Graham Westley after he was "concentrated and focused, determined and resilient in defence" filling in at left-back in December 2016. He left Newport after he turned down the offer of a new contract in July 2017.

### Later career

Myrie-Williams joined National League club Torquay United on non-contract terms on 15 September 2017, arriving two days after the appointment of head coach Gary Owers. He made 10 league appearances for Torquay across the 2017–18 season, of which three were starting appearances, before he left Plainmoor on 12 February 2018.

He joined Southern League Premier Division club Hereford 11 days later; Hereford manager Peter Beadle said that "it's great to have someone of the calibre of Jennison". He scored on his Hereford debut on 24 February, to help his new club to record a 2–0 victory over Weymouth at Edgar Street. The goal was named as the club's Goal of the Season. He scored a hat-trick during a 5–1 victory over Gosport Borough on 24 March 2018. He helped Hereford to win the league title at the end of the 2017–18 season. Myrie-Williams left the club on 5 October 2018 after being limited to six National League North appearances at the start of the 2018–19 season. Myrie-Williams joined National League South club Weston-super-Mare on 16 November 2018. He scored two goals in 18 appearances as the Weston-super-Mare were relegated at the end of the 2018–19 season.

Myrie-Williams signed with National League North club Gloucester City on 11 June 2019, following former Weston-Super-Mare teammate Marlon Jackson; upon signing the duo, manager Mike Cook commented that "this has been a long drawn out process and we are delighted to secure their quality and experience". He was released by Gloucester in January after nine league appearances. He rejoined Weston-super-Mare, now in the Southern League Premier Division South, in March 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England, the 2019–20 Southern Football League season was formally abandoned on 26 March 2020, with all results from the season being expunged.

Myrie-Williams signed with Chippenham Town of the National League South on 19 August 2021, making two brief substitute appearances during the 2021–22 season.

## International career

Myrie-Williams has represented England at under-18 level.

## Style of play

Myrie-Williams is generally deployed as a winger, and can play on either flank. He is predominantly left-footed, and has been used on the wing for the majority of his career. Despite being left-footed, Myrie-Williams states that he is much more comfortable on the right wing — cutting inside and getting a shot on goal. He has been described as being "blessed with searing pace and an impressive left foot", causing defenders "countless problems". Myrie-Williams believes that his strongest attribute is that he "loves running at defenders", as well as being "pretty confident with the ball at his feet" and "not being afraid to take anyone on due to his pace". He also states that he can "spot a good pass", and gets as much enjoyment assisting goals as he does scoring them. He has been described as a "direct winger" with "a habit of drifting out wide". Myrie-Williams often takes set-pieces and has been described as a "dangerous crosser of the ball".

In June 2009, former footballer turned pundit Steve Claridge stated that Myrie-Williams was "an exciting prospect" due to his style of play. He also claimed Myrie-Williams was a "priceless asset" in terms of turning defence into attack and relieving defensive pressure — "Whenever he was given time and space to run at the opposition he looked dangerous and comfortable with the ball at his feet. This appears to be a side to his game that comes naturally. As the match became stretched he quickly turned defence into attack with lung-bursting 50 yards (46 m) runs". Claridge did, however, believe that Myrie-Williams often tried to complicate matters too much and needed to work on "simplifying his game" in order to be able to "assess the situation" better.

Myrie-Williams believes that he needs to work on his heading ability, and despite actively trying to improve it, he states that it still "needs a bit of work". He also states that managers often tell him he needs to track back more and do more defensive work in matches — in-turn offering more protection to the full back.

## Personal life

He states that the biggest influence in his life is his mother, as well as saying that former Bristol City manager Gary Johnson "really looked after him" during his time at the club. He supports Manchester United, and "loves watching the way they play", in particular the club's treble winning team during the 1998–99 campaign. He has a daughter, born in 2011.

## Career statistics

## Honours

Bristol City

- League One second-place promotion: 2006–07

Dundee United

- Scottish Cup: 2009–10

Port Vale

- League Two second-place promotion: 2012–13

Hereford

- Southern Football League Premier Division: 2017–18

Individual

- PFA Team of the Year: 2012–13 League Two

English association football player

National League (English football) players