Will Aimson

William Stewart Aimson (born 3 June 1994) is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for EFL League One club Wigan Athletic.

Will Aimson

Personal information
Full name	William Stewart Aimson[1]
Date of birth	(1994-06-03) 3 June 1994 (age 30)[2]
Place of birth	Christchurch, England
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.86 m)[3]
Position(s)	Defender/defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team	Wigan Athletic
Number	4
Youth career
0000–2012	Eastleigh
2012–2014	Hull City
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2012	Eastleigh	1	(0)
2014–2016	Hull City	0	(0)
2014	→ Tamworth (loan)	3	(0)
2014	→ Tranmere Rovers (loan)	2	(0)
2015–2016	→ Blackpool (loan)	5	(0)
2016–2018	Blackpool	45	(0)
2018–2019	Bury	37	(4)
2019–2021	Plymouth Argyle	45	(2)
2021–2023	Bolton Wanderers	36	(1)
2023–2024	Exeter City	53	(5)
2024–	Wigan Athletic	0	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18:55, 20 April 2024 (UTC)

Club career

Aimson started his career at Eastleigh and at age 17, Aimson joined Hull City after he made an impression on a trial there.^[4] On 1 March 2014, Aimson joined Conference Premier side Tamworth on loan.^[5] Aimson immediately went straight to the squad and made his debut, in a 2–0 loss against Halifax Town.^[6] Aimson went on to make two more appearances for the club.

Aimson joined Tranmere Rovers on loan in November 2014 from Hull City.^[7] He made his Football League debut against Southend United at Prenton Park in a 1–2 League Two defeat on 22 November 2014.^[8] Aimson broke his tibia and fibula playing against Portsmouth on 29 November after a collision with his teammate Danny Holmes.^[9]

In November 2015, Aimson joined League One side Blackpool on a one-month loan deal,^[10] though this was later extended to 9 January 2016.^[11] In the January transfer window 2016 Aimson was permanently moved to Blackpool for an undisclosed fee.^[12] Aimson was released by Blackpool at the end of the 2017–18 season.^[13]

On 21 June 2018, he signed a two-year contract with Bury, following in the footsteps of his grandfather Paul, who spent a year with the Shakers during his own playing career.^[14] Aimson announced he was leaving Bury on 1 July 2019, calling the reasons for his departure "out of my hands".

On 2 July 2019, he joined up with his former manager at Bury, Ryan Lowe, when he signed for Plymouth Argyle.^[15] He scored his first two goals for the club in a 2–2 draw at home to Scunthorpe United.

On 16 June 2021, it was announced he would sign for Bolton Wanderers on a two-year contract.^[16] Due to injury, his debut didn't come until 5 October when he started and played 90 minutes in a 4–1 win against Liverpool U21 in the EFL Trophy.^[17] Aimson made his league debut for the club on 23 October, replacing George Johnston as a half time substitute in a 2–2 draw at home against Gillingham.^[18] He scored his first goal for the club in a 2–1 win against Charlton Athletic on 8 February 2022.^[19]

As his contract with Bolton was due to expire at the end of the 2022–23 season, on 27 January 2023 Aimson officially signed for fellow League One side Exeter City for an undisclosed fee, penning a two-and-a-half-year contract with the club.^[20][21]

On 15 July 2024, Aimson joined League One club Wigan Athletic on a two-year deal for an undisclosed fee.^[22]

Personal life

Aimson's late grandfather was Paul Aimson and was pupil at Highcliffe Senior School. Will excelled in golf and had a category one handicap (5) but chose football.^[4]

Career statistics

As of match played 20 April 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
Eastleigh	2011–12[23]	Conference South	1	0	0	0	—		0	0	1	0
Hull City	2012–13[24]	Championship	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	2013–14[25]	Premier League	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	2014–15[26]		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	2015–16[27]	Championship	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Hull City total		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Tamworth (loan)	2013–14[25]	Conference Premier	3	0	0	0	—		0	0	3	0
Tranmere Rovers (loan)	2014–15[26]	League Two	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
Blackpool	2015–16[a][27]	League One	15	0	0	0	0	0	1[b]	0	16	0
	2016–17[28]	League Two	18	0	3	0	2	0	8[c]	0	31	0
	2017–18[29]	League One	17	0	1	0	1	0	3[b]	0	22	0
	Blackpool total		50	0	4	0	3	0	12	0	69	0
Bury	2018–19[30]	League Two	37	4	1	0	1	0	4[b]	0	43	4
Plymouth Argyle	2019–20[31]		5	2	0	0	0	0	2[b]	0	7	2
	2020–21[32]	League One	40	0	3	0	2	0	1[b]	0	46	0
	Plymouth Argyle Total		45	2	3	0	2	0	3	0	53	2
Bolton Wanderers	2021–22[33]	League One	25	1	1	0	0	0	2[b]	0	28	1
	2022–23[34]		11	0	0	0	2	0	4[b]	0	17	0
	Bolton Wanderers Total		36	1	1	0	2	0	6	0	45	1
Exeter City	2022–23[34]	League One	18	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	18	0
	2023–24[35]		35	5	1	0	4	0	2	0	42	5
Career total			226	12	10	0	12	0	27	0	275	12

1. Part of this season was on loan
2. Appearances in EFL Trophy.
3. Five appearances in EFL Trophy; three in EFL League Two play-offs.

Honours

Club

Blackpool

• EFL League Two play-offs: 2017^[36]

Bury

• EFL League Two runner-up: 2018–19^[37]

References

1. "Notification of shirt numbers: Plymouth Argyle" (PDF). English Football League. p. 54. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
2. The Bolton News: "How Bolton Wanderers defender Will Aimson has rolled back the years: "It also says I was born on January 1 but it's not, it's June 3, I’m still 28! We need to get that changed. I'm not a fossil yet!" the defender complained."
3. "Will Aimson – Defender – First Team – Plymouth Argyle". Plymouth Argyle F.C. Archived from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
4. "Football: Christchurch star Will signs for Tigers". Bournemouth Echo. 29 August 2012. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
5. "Hull City defender joins Tamworth FC". Tamworth Herald. 1 March 2014. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
6. "FC Halifax Town 2 – 0 Tamworth". BBC Sport. 1 March 2014. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
7. "Tranmere sign Hull's Calaum Jahraldo-Martin & Will Aimson". BBC Sport. 20 November 2014. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
8. "Tranmere Rovers 1–2 Southend United". BBC Sport. 22 November 2014. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
9. "Tranmere Rovers: Hull City loanee Will Aimson suffers broken leg". BBC Sport. 2 December 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
10. "Blackpool sign Hull defender Aimson". BBC Sport. 9 November 2015. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
11. "Blackpool Extend Aimson Loan & Clappison Joins FC Halifax". Hull City A.F.C. 27 November 2015. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
12. "Defender Swaps Hull for Blackpool". Blackpool F.C. 14 January 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
13. "Manager Confirms Retained List". Blackpool F.C. 4 May 2018. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
14. "Aimson becomes a Shaker". Bury F.C. 21 June 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
15. Cowdery, Rick (2 July 2019). "Here's a Will". Plymouth Argyle F.C. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
16. "Wanderers Bolster Defence With New Recruit". Bolton Wanderers FC. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
17. "REPORT: Wanderers 4 Liverpool U21s 1". Bolton Wanderers FC. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
18. "Bolton Wanderers 2 – 2 Gillingham". BBC Sport. 23 October 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
19. "Bolton 2–1 Charlton". BBC Sport. 8 February 2022. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
20. "Aimson Secures Exeter Move". Bolton Wanderers F.C. 27 January 2023. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
21. "Will Aimson is a Grecian!". Exeter City F.C. 27 January 2023.
22. "Will Aimson signs for Wigan Athletic!". wiganathletic.com. 15 July 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
23. Will Aimson at Soccerway. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
24. "Games played by Will Aimson in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
25. "Games played by Will Aimson in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
26. "Games played by Will Aimson in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
27. "Games played by Will Aimson in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
28. "Games played by Will Aimson in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
29. "Games played by Will Aimson in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
30. "Games played by Will Aimson in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
31. "Games played by Will Aimson in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
32. "Games played by Will Aimson in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
33. "Games played by Will Aimson in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
34. "Games played by Will Aimson in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
35. "Games played by Will Aimson in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
36. Law, James (28 May 2017). "Blackpool 2–1 Exeter City". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
37. "League Two: 2018/19: Current table". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
    "Bury: Squad details: 2018/19". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 May 2019.

External links

• Will Aimson at Soccerway