Will Nightingale

Will Nightingale
Nightingale in 2025
Personal information
Full name William John Robert Nightingale[1]
Date of birth (1995-08-02) 2 August 1995[2]
Place of birth Wandsworth, England
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[3]
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 in 2018

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]

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. [18]

Aldershot Town

On 5 August 2025, Nightingale joined National League club Aldershot Town.[19]

Sutton United

On 6 June 2026, Nightingale agreed to join fellow National League club Sutton United.[20]

Career statistics

As of end of 2025–26 season
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
AFC Wimbledon 2014–15[8] League Two 4000000040
2015–16[21] League Two 4000101[a]060
2016–17[22] League One 12000004[b]0160
2017–18[23] League One 18100102[b]0211
2018–19[24] League One 39040102[b]0460
2019–20[25] League One 9000001[b]0100
2020–21[26] League One 32210005[b]0382
2021–22[27] League One 35310101[b]1384
2022–23[28] League Two 22100102[b]0251
Total 175760501812048
Ross County (loan) 2023–24[29] Scottish Premiership 210104020280
2024-25[30] Scottish Premiership 90001000100
Total 300105020380
Aldershot Town 2025–26[31] National League 36300—1[c]0373
Career total 241107010021127911
  1. ↑ Appearance in Football League Trophy
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Appearances in EFL Trophy
  3. ↑ Appearance(s) in FA 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. Archived from the original on 8 June 2024. 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. 1 2 3 "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. 1 2 "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. ↑ "Will's star-studded send off". AFC Wimbledon. Retrieved 3 June 2025.
  19. ↑ "NEW SIGNING: Will Nightingale". www.theshots.co.uk. 5 August 2025. Retrieved 7 August 2025.
  20. ↑ "Official: Nightingale Joins". www.suttonunited.net. 6 June 2026. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
  21. ↑ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  22. ↑ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  23. ↑ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  24. ↑ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  25. ↑ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  26. ↑ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  27. ↑ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  28. ↑ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  29. ↑ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  30. ↑ "Will Nightingale | Football Stats | Ross County | Age 29 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  31. ↑ "Games played by Will Nightingale in 2025/2026". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
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