Will Patching

English footballer

Will PatchingPersonal information

Full name|  William Luke Patching[1]
Date of birth|  (1998-10-18) 18 October 1998 (age 26)[2]
Place of birth|  Stockport, England
Height|  6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[3]
Position(s)|  Midfielder
Team information

Current team

|  Coleraine
(on loan from Carlisle United)
Youth career
2004–2018|  Manchester City
Senior career*
Years|  Team|  Apps|  (Gls)
2018–2019|  Notts County|  6|  (0)
2020–2021|  Dundalk|  23|  (0)
2021|  → Derry City (loan)|  16|  (6)
2022–2024|  Derry City|  95|  (24)
2025–|  Carlisle United|  10|  (0)
2025–|  → Coleraine (loan)|  0|  (0)
International career
2013–2014|  England U16|  7|  (1)
2014–2015|  England U17|  16|  (1)
2015|  England U18|  2|  (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 21:12, 5 March 2025 (UTC)

William Luke Patching (born 18 October 1998) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for NIFL Premiership side Coleraine on loan from Carlisle United.

He joined Notts County from the Manchester City Academy in July 2018. He was released by County in August 2019, and joined Irish club Dundalk in November 2019.

A former youth team player with England up until under-18 level, participating at the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

## Club career

[edit]

### Notts County

[edit]

Born in Stockport, Patching joined the Academy at Manchester City at the age of six.[4] He signed a two-year contract with Notts County on 1 July 2018.[5] "Magpies" manager Kevin Nolan said that "when we spoke to a couple of people at Man City they were surprised Will had been released".[6] Patching had rejected a transfer move to Derby County only six months previously.[7] He picked up an injury in pre-season.[8] He made his professional debut on 14 August, coming on as a 68th-minute substitute for Noor Husin in a 3–3 draw at Middlesbrough in the EFL Cup; County lost the subsequent shoot-out despite him converting his penalty.[9] He made his first start at Meadow Lane on 9 October, in a 2–0 defeat to Newcastle United U21s in the EFL Trophy.[10] He made a total of ten appearances during the 2018–19 campaign as County were relegated out of the English Football League with a 23rd-place finish in League Two. On 12 August 2019, manager Neal Ardley stated that Patching could go out on loan to gain experience and match fitness,[11] but Patching left the club by mutual consent two days later.[12]

### Dundalk

[edit]

He began training with Port Vale in August 2019,[3] but was subsequently signed by League of Ireland Premier Division team Dundalk in November 2019 ahead of the 2020 season.[13]

On 22 February 2021 it was announced that Patching had joined fellow League of Ireland Premier Division side Derry City initially on loan until July 2021, with the option to buy.[14]

Upon his return to Dundalk, he scored in both legs to help defeat Newtown A.F.C. and FCI Levadia Tallinn in the 2021–22 UEFA Europa Conference League qualifying phase and play-off round.[15]

### Derry City

[edit]

On 22 November 2021, it was announced that Patching had signed a two-year contract with Derry City following the expiry of his contract at Dundalk, from the 2022 season.[16]

### Carlisle United

[edit]

In December 2024 it was announced that Patching would join Carlisle United on 1 January 2025, on a two-and-a-half year contract.[17][18]

On 12 June 2025, Patching joined NIFL Premiership side Coleraine on a season-long loan deal.[19]

## International career

[edit]

Patching was selected by head coach Neil Dewsnip for England's under-17 squad for the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile, and came on as a substitute in the group stage draws with Guinea and South Korea.[20][21]

## Style of play

[edit]

Port Vale assistant manager Dave Kevan described Patching as a "very promising young player" who was a very "creative" midfielder, "very comfortable in possession, [who] likes to join the front man and get forward".[3]

## Career statistics

[edit]

As of 4 March 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition  Club  | Season  | League  | National Cup[a] | League Cup[b] | Europe | Other  | Total

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals
Notts County | 2018–19[22] | EFL League Two | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 3[c] | 0 | 10 | 0
Dundalk | 2020[2] | League of Ireland Premier Division | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 9 | 0
2021[2] | 16 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 5[d] | 3 | — | 25 | 3
Total  | 23 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 3
Derry City (loan)  | 2021[2] | League of Ireland Premier Division  | 16 | 6 | — | — | — | — | 16 | 6
Derry City | 2022[2] | League of Ireland Premier Division  | 33 | 10 | 3 | 1 | — | 2[d] | 0 | — | 38 | 11
2023[2] | 29 | 7 | 2 | 1 | — | 6[d] | 2 | 1[e] | 1 | 38 | 11
2024[2] | 33 | 7 | 4 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | — | 39 | 7
Total  | 95 | 24 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 115 | 29
Carlisle United | 2024–25[2] | EFL League Two  | 10 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 10 | 0
2025–26[2] | National League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0
Total  | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0
Coleraine (loan)  | 2025–26[2] | NIFL Premiership | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0
Career total  | 150 | 29 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 185 | 38

1. ^ Includes FA Cup & FAI Cup
2. ^ Includes EFL Cup & League of Ireland Cup
3. ^ Appearances in EFL Trophy
4. ^ a b c Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
5. ^ Appearances in President of Ireland's Cup

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Premier League clubs publish released lists". Premier League. 8 June 2018. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Will Patching at Soccerway. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
3. ^ a b c Baggaley, Michael (23 August 2019). "Former Manchester City and Notts County midfielder training with Port Vale". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
4. ^ Porter, Alex (4 September 2015). "Introducing... Will Patching". mancity.com. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
5. ^ "Will Patching: Notts County to sign Man City midfielder on 1 July". BBC Sport. 4 June 2018. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
6. ^ Brennan, Stuart (3 July 2018). "Man City's release of England starlet 'a surprise' to academy staff". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
7. ^ Curtis, Leigh (5 June 2018). "How a twist of fate and help from Michael Owen led to Patching's move to Notts". Nottingham Post. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
8. ^ Davies, Matt (21 November 2018). "Patching pushing to become a first-team regular at Notts County". Nottingham Post. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
9. ^ "Carabao Cup: Middlesbrough beat Notts County on penalties after 3-3 draw". BBC Sport. 14 August 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
10. ^ "Leasing.Com Trophy (Sky Sports)". SkySports. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
11. ^ Curtis, Leigh (12 August 2019). "Notts County to allow trio to leave the club on loan". nottinghampost.
12. ^ "Patching leaves Notts County • West Bridgford Wire". West Bridgford Wire. 14 August 2019. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
13. ^ Dempsey, Andrew (20 November 2019). "Dundalk snap up former Manchester City youngster Will Patching". www.extratime.ie. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
14. ^ Barr, Ethan (22 February 2021). "City Sign Will Patching On Loan". Derry City Football Club.
15. ^ Fallon, John (29 July 2021). "Vinny Perth 'proud' as Will Patching fires Dundalk to Euro win in Tallinn". Irish Examiner.
16. ^ "Midfielder Will Patching makes move from Dundalk to Derry City". independent.
17. ^ "Will Patching: Carlisle United sign Derry City midfielder". BBC Sport. 27 December 2024.
18. ^ "Patching leaves Derry City to join Carlisle United". 28 December 2024 - via www.rte.ie.
19. ^ "Signing: Will Patching". colerainefc.com. 12 June 2025. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
20. ^ "FIFA U-17 World Cup Chile 2015 - Matches - England - Guinea". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on 20 October 2015. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
21. ^ "FIFA U-17 World Cup Chile 2015 - Matches - Korea Republic - England". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on 29 October 2015. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
22. ^ "Games played by Will Patching in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 May 2019.

* v
* t
* e

Carlisle United F.C. - current squad

* 1 Breeze
* 2 Davies
* 3 Harper
* 4 Thomas
* 5 Feeney
* 6 Hayden
* 7 Ajiboye
* 8 Whelan
* 9 Kelly
* 10 Linney
* 11 Luamba
* 13 Lewis
* 14 Embleton
* 15 Murray
* 16 Wearne
* 17 Robson
* 18 Ellis
* 19 Hetherington
* 20 Scott
* 21 Jones
* 22 Williams
* 23 Wyke
* 24 Grant
* 25 O'Donoghue
* 27 Allan
* 28 Randall
* 29 Armstrong
* 30 Smith
* 34 Hopper
* — Mugabi
* Head coach: Hughes

Awards

* v
* t
* e

2021 PFAI Premier Division Team of the Year

* GK: Talbot
* DF: Brown
* DF: Lopes
* DF: Scales
* DF: Boyce
* MF: Forrester
* MF: Devoy
* MF: Patching
* FW: Gaffney
* FW: Kelly
* FW: Burt

* v
* t
* e

2022 PFAI Premier Division Team of the Year

* GK: Maher
* DF: Dummigan
* DF: Connolly
* DF: Redmond
* DF: Lyons
* MF: Patching
* MF: Byrne
* MF: Forrester
* FW: Keena
* FW: Gaffney
* FW: Boyd

* v
* t
* e

2023 PFAI Premier Division Team of the Year

* GK: Kearns
* DF: Davies
* DF: Curtis
* DF: Lopes
* DF: Doherty
* MF: Patching
* MF: Forrester
* MF: Clarke
* FW: Moylan
* FW: Afolabi
* FW: Keating

*[Apps]: League appearances
*[Gls]: League goals
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[Linney]: Regan Linney
*[Murray]: Sam Murray
*[Hetherington]: Sam Hetherington
*[Allan]: Jake Allan
*[Randall]: Thomas Randall
*[Smith]: Jude Smith
*[Hopper]: Dan Hopper