New Swansea City defender Ashley Williams must have felt like a Premiership star as he drove into the Liberty Stadium to complete his loan deal last week.

The Stockport County skipper was faced with a welcoming party at the doors of the Liberty as manager Roberto Martinez and club secretary Jackie Rockey rushed to meet him.

Having just returned from winning his first senior Welsh cap in a friendly international in Luxembourg, Williams was told to drive straight to Swansea to complete a loan deal until the end of the season.

But there was no time for pleasantry on his arrival at 4.55pm as a pen was thrust into his hand as he got out of his car with the greeting: "sign here quickly''.

A phonecall from Ashley's agent was quickly rebuffed and 'Rockey the Rocket' was off like Linford Christie up the Liberty stairs, barging Ospreys staff out of her way in pursuit of the office fax machine.

The new Welsh international was as cool as a cucumber, obviously oblivious to the fact that the loan forms had to be faxed off to the Football League by the 5pm transfer deadline.

As Roberto trailed into the office in her wake, slightly concerned even by his cool standards, Rockey was leaping around the office as if she had clinched promotion to the Championship as the faxed confirmation crept through with the time confirmed as 4.59pm.

Williams had completed his move with less than 60 seconds to spare, leaving Roberto expressing his surprise at Rockey's turn of pace while the Ospreys staff made straight for the treatment room.

Roberto had got his man until at least the end of the season, while Williams finally drew breath on a week he declared was the best of his career.

"This is the best week of my career,'' beamed the 23-year-old. "I'm so excited about the move and I can't wait to get involved. It's everything I wanted.''

Swansea, Cardiff and Leeds were all rumoured to be interested in signing Williams, but the former West Brom junior said: "Swansea was always my number one target, but I thought the move had fallen through when I flew out with Wales.

"Then my agent contacted me when I landed back in Wales and I shot down to Swansea.

"As it happened, I sat next to Swans midfielder Owain Tudur Jones on the plane to Luxembourg and he spoke very highly of the manager, the players and the club. He said it was a good place to work.

"Then when I was out in Luxembourg, I spoke to John Toshack as well. He was all for it and told me to jump at the chance if it came along. He said the gaffer, ground and club were all going in the right direction.

"I had the same impression from the manager (Jim Gannon) at Stockport. He is a fan of Roberto and only had good words to say about him.

"If I'm honest, Roberto was the main pull for me. I want to work with a young manager who plays the game the right way.

"Swansea like to get the ball down and play, which suits my style of play.

"And obviously with just a few games to go it's going to be exciting times for the club. I'd love to be involved in those final games and help the club clinch promotion to the Championship.''

Williams, who had just lifted the North West Player of the Year Award ahead of the likes of Man United's Cristiano Ronaldo and Liverpool's Steven Gerrard, went straight into the squad for last Saturday's trip to Hartlepool, although he had to be content with a place as an unused substitute.

"I was a little bit disappointed not to play," Williams admitted, "but I don't think the gaffer could really play me when the boys have been doing so well and I understand that.

"The boys at the back played really well in difficult conditions. The wind and the rain didn't make life easy for defenders, but I thought they were brilliant.

"You couldn't fault them really, and that's probably the way they've been all season.

"The lads have made me feel really welcome and I feel part of it already. I've just come in to try to enjoy myself and to try to get into the team. The manager hasn't really talked to me about how much I might play, so I'll have to see how things go."

Roberto, meanwhile, was delighted to add Williams to a squad robbed recently of defenders Garry Monk (back) and Marcos Painter (hamstring).

"I'm delighted to be able to sign a player with such potential,'' explained Roberto. "It's a huge bonus that he is a Welsh centre-half with international recognition.

"It was imperative that we gave our players extra competition and cover until the end of the season.''

Williams' senior career began at HednesfordTown when he was released by West Brom at the age of 16.

Although never a regular for the non-league club, he impressed enough to attract a bid from Oldham after a successful trial at BoundaryPark, which Hednesford rejected.

But he was then allowed to join Stockport on a free transfer on New Year's Eve on 2003.

After breaking into the senior side at Hartlepool on March 16, 2004, his eye-catching performances saw him lift the club's Young Player of the Year award.

Following the arrival of manager Jim Gannon in January 2006, Ashley emerged as one of League Two's most accomplished defenders.

He won the club's Player of the Year award at the end of that season and, last year, prompting a £500,000 bid from LutonTown that the club rejected.

Having progressed to club captain, the speedy defender won his first senior Welsh cap after qualifying through his grandfather.

He'll have to get in a bit of extra sprint training to be as quick as our own 'Rockey the Rocket' though!