Will Nightingale
.jpg) Nightingale in 2025 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | William John Robert Nightingale | ||
| Date of birth | 2 August 1995 | ||
| Place of birth | Wandsworth, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Sutton United | ||
| Number | 5 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2004–2014 | AFC Wimbledon | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2014–2025 | AFC Wimbledon | 175 | (7) |
| 2023–2025 | → Ross County (loan) | 30 | (0) |
| 2025–2026 | Aldershot Town | 36 | (3) |
| 2026– | Sutton United | 0 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 19:03, 9 June 2026 (UTC) | |||
William John Robert Nightingale (born 2 August 1995) is an English professional footballer who plays as a centre-back or right-back for National League club Sutton United.
Career
AFC Wimbledon
Nightingale was born in Wandsworth, Greater London. 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. 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. Nightingale was offered his first professional contract with AFC Wimbledon in May 2014.
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. 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. He was named as the man of the match and was commended by manager Neal Ardley for his performance. He scored his first career goal on 7 April 2018 with a fourth-minute header in a 1–1 draw against Scunthorpe United.
He was named the club's Player of the Season for the 2018–19 campaign, which saw Wimbledon achieve survival despite being ten points adrift of safety in February. On 22 May 2019, he signed a new contract with AFC Wimbledon of an undisclosed length.
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.
Nightingale moved on loan to Scottish Premiership club Ross County in July 2023. In June 2024, Ross County announced a season-long loan extension for Nightingale, ensuring he stayed at the club for a second consecutive season.
At the end of the 2024-25 season, Nightingale was released by AFC Wimbledon, ending his playing association with a testimonial match on 1 June 2025 at the Cherry Red Records Stadium.
Aldershot Town
On 5 August 2025, Nightingale joined National League club Aldershot Town.
Sutton United
On 6 June 2026, Nightingale agreed to join fellow National League club Sutton United.
Career statistics
- As of end of 2025–26 season
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| AFC Wimbledon | 2014–15 | League Two | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 2015–16 | League Two | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2016–17 | League One | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 16 | 0 | |
| 2017–18 | League One | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 21 | 1 | |
| 2018–19 | League One | 39 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 46 | 0 | |
| 2019–20 | League One | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2020–21 | League One | 32 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 38 | 2 | |
| 2021–22 | League One | 35 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 38 | 4 | |
| 2022–23 | League Two | 22 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 25 | 1 | |
| Total | 175 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 18 | 1 | 204 | 8 | ||
| Ross County (loan) | 2023–24 | Scottish Premiership | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 28 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | Scottish Premiership | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
| Total | 30 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 38 | 0 | ||
| Aldershot Town | 2025–26 | National League | 36 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 37 | 3 | |
| Career total | 241 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 21 | 1 | 279 | 11 | ||
Honours
AFC Wimbledon
Individual
- AFC Wimbledon Player of the Year: 2018–19
References
- ↑ "Club list of registered players: As at 19th May 2018" (PDF). English Football League. p. 43. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
- ↑ "Will Nightingale". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
- ↑ "Will Nightingale". AFC Wimbleon. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
- ↑ "Will Nightingale". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Archived from the original on 8 June 2024. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
- ↑ "AFC Wimbledon player profiles: Will Nightingale". AFC Wimbledon. Archived from the original on 19 March 2015.
- ↑ "AFC W'bledon: Results/matches: 2014/15". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
- ↑ "Four Dons earn pro deals". AFC Wimbledon. 6 May 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
- 1 2 3 "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
- ↑ Slavin, Chris (24 January 2015). "Will earns special praise". AFC Wimbledon. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
- ↑ Slavin, Chris (7 April 2018). "Much-improved Dons display ends in frustration". AFC Wimbledon. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
- ↑ "AFC Wimbledon 1–1 Scunthorpe United". BBC Sport. 7 April 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
- 1 2 "Player of the Year Will quick to focus on completing survival bid". AFC Wimbledon. 28 April 2019. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
- ↑ "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.
- ↑ "Will commits his future to Wimbledon by signing new deal". AFC Wimbledon. 22 May 2019. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
- ↑ "AFC Wimbledon 3–3 Bolton Wanderers". BBC Sport. 14 August 2021. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
- ↑ "Ross County add defender Nightingale". BBC Sport. 18 July 2023. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
- ↑ "Will Nightingale joins on loan from AFC Wimbledon". RCFC. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ↑ "Will's star-studded send off". AFC Wimbledon. Retrieved 3 June 2025.
- ↑ "NEW SIGNING: Will Nightingale". www.theshots.co.uk. 5 August 2025. Retrieved 7 August 2025.
- ↑ "Official: Nightingale Joins". www.suttonunited.net. 6 June 2026. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ↑ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
- ↑ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
- ↑ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
- ↑ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
- ↑ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
- ↑ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
- ↑ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
- ↑ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
- ↑ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
- ↑ "Will Nightingale | Football Stats | Ross County | Age 29 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ↑ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2025/2026". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
External links
- Profile at the AFC Wimbledon website
- Will Nightingale at Soccerbase
