Will Nightingale
Nightingale in 2018
Personal information
Full name William John Robert Nightingale[1]
Date of birth (1995-08-02) 2 August 1995 (age 28)[2]
Place of birth Wandsworth, England
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[3]
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 Ross County
(on loan from AFC Wimbledon)
Number 35
Youth career
2004–2014 AFC Wimbledon
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014– AFC Wimbledon 175 (7)
2023– → Ross County (loan) 14 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 08:00, 28 January 2024 (UTC)

William John Robert Nightingale (born 2 August 1995) is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for Scottish Premiership side Ross County, on loan from AFC Wimbledon.

Career

Nightingale was born in Wandsworth, Greater London.[4] He joined the AFC Wimbledon Academy at the age of nine, progressing through the ranks before making the step up to the first team at the age of 18.[5] His first association with the first team came as an unused substitute in a 2–0 home loss to Torquay United on 11 January 2014.[6] Nightingale was offered his first professional contract with AFC Wimbledon in May 2014.[7]

Nightingale made his first-team debut on 17 January 2015 at the age of 19, coming on as an 89th-minute substitute in a 3–1 home defeat to Carlisle United.[8] He was rewarded by being named in the starting line-up for the following match, a 2–1 home win against Accrington Stanley on 24 January 2015.[8] He was named as the man of the match and was commended by manager Neal Ardley for his performance.[9] He scored his first career goal on 7 April 2018 with a fourth-minute header in a 1–1 draw against Scunthorpe United.[10][11]

He was named the club's Player of the Season for the 2018–19 campaign,[12] which saw Wimbledon achieve survival despite being ten points adrift of safety in February.[13] On 22 May 2019, he signed a new contract with AFC Wimbledon of an undisclosed length.[14]

On 14 August 2021 during a 3–3 draw against Bolton Wanderers, Nightingale scored the first Wimbledon goal in front of fans at the newly built Plough Lane stadium.[15]

Nightingale moved on loan to Scottish Premiership club Ross County in July 2023.[16]

Career statistics

As of match played 28 January 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
AFC Wimbledon 2014–15[8] League Two 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0
2015–16[17] League Two 4 0 0 0 1 0 1[a] 0 6 0
2016–17[18] League One 12 0 0 0 0 0 4[b] 0 16 0
2017–18[19] League One 18 1 0 0 1 0 2[b] 0 21 1
2018–19[20] League One 39 0 4 0 1 0 2[b] 0 46 0
2019–20[21] League One 9 0 0 0 0 0 1[b] 0 10 0
2020–21[22] League One 32 2 1 0 0 0 5[b] 0 38 2
2021–22[23] League One 35 3 1 0 1 0 1[b] 1 38 4
2022–23[24] League Two 22 1 0 0 1 0 2[b] 0 25 1
Total 175 7 6 0 5 0 18 1 204 8
Ross County (loan) 2023–24[25] Scottish Premiership 14 0 1 0 4 0 0 0 19 0
Career total 189 7 7 0 9 0 18 1 223 8
  1. ^ Appearance in Football League Trophy
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Appearances in EFL Trophy

Honours

AFC Wimbledon

Individual

References

  1. ^ "Club list of registered players: As at 19th May 2018" (PDF). English Football League. p. 43. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  2. ^ "Will Nightingale". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  3. ^ "Will Nightingale". AFC Wimbleon. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  4. ^ "Will Nightingale". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  5. ^ "AFC Wimbledon player profiles: Will Nightingale". AFC Wimbledon. Archived from the original on 19 March 2015.
  6. ^ "AFC W'bledon: Results/matches: 2014/15". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  7. ^ "Four Dons earn pro deals". AFC Wimbledon. 6 May 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  8. ^ a b c "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  9. ^ Slavin, Chris (24 January 2015). "Will earns special praise". AFC Wimbledon. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  10. ^ Slavin, Chris (7 April 2018). "Much-improved Dons display ends in frustration". AFC Wimbledon. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  11. ^ "AFC Wimbledon 1–1 Scunthorpe United". BBC Sport. 7 April 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  12. ^ a b "Player of the Year Will quick to focus on completing survival bid". AFC Wimbledon. 28 April 2019. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  13. ^ "AFC Wimbledon stay up on goal difference thanks to goalless draw at Bradford - Evening Express". Archived from the original on 17 May 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  14. ^ "Will commits his future to Wimbledon by signing new deal". AFC Wimbledon. 22 May 2019. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  15. ^ "AFC Wimbledon 3–3 Bolton Wanderers". BBC Sport. 14 August 2021. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  16. ^ "Ross County add defender Nightingale". BBC Sport. 18 July 2023. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  17. ^ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  18. ^ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  19. ^ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  20. ^ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  21. ^ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  22. ^ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  23. ^ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  24. ^ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  25. ^ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 November 2023.

External links

AFC Wimbledon Player of the Year
Ross County F.C. – current squad
Categories