Will Nightingale

English footballer

For other people named William Nightingale, see William Nightingale (disambiguation).

Will Nightingale

Nightingale in 2018

Personal information
Full name|  William John Robert Nightingale[1]
Date of birth|  (1995-08-02) 2 August 1995 (age 29)[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)|  23|  (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 12:00, 12 August 2024

William John Robert Nightingale (born 2 August 1995) is an English professional footballer who plays as a centre-back or right-back for Scottish Premiership side Ross County, on loan from EFL League Two club AFC Wimbledon.

## Career

[edit]

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] In June 2024, Ross County announced a season-long loan extension for Nightingale, ensuring he stayed at the club for a second consecutive season.[17]

## Career statistics

[edit]

As of match played 12 August 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[18] | League Two  | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 6 | 0
2016–17[19] | League One | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4[b] | 0 | 16 | 0
2017–18[20] | League One  | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | 21 | 1
2018–19[21] | League One  | 39 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | 46 | 0
2019–20[22] | League One  | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 10 | 0
2020–21[23] | League One  | 32 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5[b] | 0 | 38 | 2
2021–22[24] | League One  | 35 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[b] | 1 | 38 | 4
2022–23[25] | 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[26] | Scottish Premiership | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 28 | 0
2024-25[27] | Scottish Premiership  | 2  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 2  | 0
Total  | 23  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 30  | 0
Career total  | 198 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 20 | 1 | 234 | 8

1. ^ Appearance in Football League Trophy
2. ^ a b c d e f g Appearances in EFL Trophy

## Honours

[edit]

AFC Wimbledon

* Football League Two play-offs: 2016

Individual

* AFC Wimbledon Player of the Year: 2018–19[12]

## References

[edit]

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. ^ "Will Nightingale joins on loan from AFC Wimbledon". RCFC. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
18. ^ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
19. ^ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
20. ^ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
21. ^ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
22. ^ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
23. ^ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
24. ^ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
25. ^ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
26. ^ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
27. ^ "Will Nightingale | Football Stats | Ross County | Age 29 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 12 August 2024.

## External links

[edit]

* Profile at the AFC Wimbledon website
* Will Nightingale at Soccerbase

* v
* t
* e

AFC Wimbledon Player of the Year

* 2003: Sidwell
* 2004: Everard
* 2005: Butler
* 2006: Little
* 2007: Howard
* 2008: Goodliffe
* 2009: Judge
* 2010: Kedwell
* 2011: Hatton
* 2012: Moore
* 2013: Midson
* 2014: Fuller
* 2015: Akinfenwa
* 2016: Robinson
* 2017: Elliott
* 2018: Oshilaja
* 2019: Nightingale
* 2020: Thomas & Pigott
* 2021: Pigott
* 2022: Rudoni
* 2023: Currie
* 2024: Reeves

* v
* t
* e

Ross County F.C. - current squad

* 1 Laidlaw
* 2 Brown
* 3 Leak
* 4 Wright
* 5 Lamie
* 6 Allardice
* 8 Randall
* 9 Hale
* 12 Sheaf
* 14 Loturi
* 16 Harmon
* 21 Telfer
* 22 Hamilton
* 23 Nisbet
* 24 Efete
* 25 Samuel
* 26 White
* 27 Brophy
* 30 Smith
* 32 Ewan
* 33 Macleod
* 34 Robesten
* 35 Nightingale
* 36 Williamson
* 43 Reid
* – Denholm
* Manager: Cowie

*[Apps]: League appearances
*[Gls]: League goals
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[Ewan]: Connall Ewan
*[Macleod]: Andrew Macleod
*[Williamson]: Jamie Williamson