Will Boyle
English footballer (born 1995)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
William Sam Douglas Harry Boyle (born 1 September 1995) is an English professional footballer who plays as a centre back for EFL League Two club Shrewsbury Town.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | William Sam Douglas Harry Boyle | ||
| Date of birth | 1 September 1995 | ||
| Place of birth | Garforth, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)[1] | ||
| Position | Centre back[2] | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Shrewsbury Town | ||
| Number | 5 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2010 | Garforth Villa | ||
| 2010–2015 | Huddersfield Town | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2015–2017 | Huddersfield Town | 2 | (0) |
| 2015 | → Kidderminster Harriers (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| 2015 | → Macclesfield Town (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 2015–2016 | → York City (loan) | 6 | (0) |
| 2016 | → York City (loan) | 6 | (0) |
| 2016–2017 | → Kilmarnock (loan) | 11 | (0) |
| 2017–2022 | Cheltenham Town | 166 | (23) |
| 2022–2023 | Huddersfield Town | 16 | (0) |
| 2023–2025 | Wrexham | 24 | (3) |
| 2025– | Shrewsbury Town | 33 | (3) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 00:40, 25 February 2026 (UTC) | |||
Early life and club career
Huddersfield Town
William Sam Douglas Harry Boyle[3] was born on 1 September 1995[4] in Garforth, West Yorkshire.[5] He attended Garforth Community College (now Garforth Academy) before joining Huddersfield Town's academy at under-15 level from his local club Garforth Villa in October 2010.[6] He was nearly ever-present for the under-18 team in the 2012–13 season.[6] He made his first-team debut for Huddersfield as a late substitute in the 3–0 win against Reading on 24 February 2015.[7]
On 26 March 2015, he joined Conference Premier (now National League) club Kidderminster Harriers on loan for the rest of the 2014–15 season, and made two appearances for the club.[7][8] On 5 August, he joined National League club Macclesfield Town on loan for two months.[7]
On 18 November 2015, Boyle joined League Two club York City on a youth loan until 3 January 2016.[9] He made his debut on 21 November 2015 when starting York's 3–2 away to Leyton Orient, in which he struggled to cope with the physicality of opponent striker Ollie Palmer.[10][11] He struck up a partnership at centre-back with Dave Winfield,[12] and despite York wanting to extend his loan[13] Boyle returned to Huddersfield in January 2016.[14] Having made only one appearance as a late substitute after returning to Huddersfield,[15] he rejoined York on loan until the end of the 2015–16 season on 26 February 2016.[16]
In June 2016, Boyle joined Scottish Premiership club Kilmarnock on a six-month loan.[17] He scored on his debut, as Kilmarnock beat Clyde 2–1 in the Scottish League Cup on 16 July 2016. The goal came after he had earlier conceded a penalty, which was saved by Kilmarnock goalkeeper Jamie MacDonald.[18] Boyle returned to Huddersfield in January 2017,[19] having made 14 appearances and scored 1 goal for Kilmarnock.[20]
Cheltenham Town
Boyle signed for League Two club Cheltenham Town on 9 January 2017 on a one-and-a-half-year contract.[21] He made his debut in a 3–0 home victory over Accrington Stanley on 14 January 2017.[22] In April 2018, he signed a new contract to keep him at the club until June 2020.[23]
Boyle signed a new two-year contract at Cheltenham in May 2020.[24] Following an impressive 2020–21 season, Boyle was named in the League Two Team of the Season[25] and the PFA Team of the Year for League Two.[26]
Huddersfield Town return and Wrexham
On 6 June 2022, Boyle agreed to return to Championship club Huddersfield Town on a free transfer.[27] He signed a two-year contract, effective from 1 July upon the expiration of his contract with Cheltenham.[27]
Boyle signed for newly promoted League Two club Wrexham on 13 July 2023 on a three-year contract.[28] He made his debut on 12 August when starting Wrexham's 1–1 draw away to AFC Wimbledon before scoring his first goal three days with a header in a 4–2 home win over Walsall.[29][30]
Shrewsbury
On 26 June 2025, Shrewsbury announced they had signed Boyle on a two-year deal.[31]
International career
Boyle's father is Scottish, and he attended a training camp for the Scotland national under-18 team in October 2012.[32]
Career statistics
- As of match played 24 February 2026
| Club | Season | League | National Cup[a] | League Cup[b] | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Huddersfield Town | 2014–15[33] | Championship | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
| 2015–16[34] | Championship | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2016–17[20] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||
| Total | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | |||
| Kidderminster Harriers (loan) | 2014–15[35] | Conference Premier | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||
| Macclesfield Town (loan) | 2015–16[35] | National League | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||
| York City (loan) | 2015–16[34] | League Two | 12 | 0 | — | — | — | 12 | 0 | |||
| Kilmarnock (loan) | 2016–17[20] | Scottish Premiership | 11 | 0 | — | 3 | 1 | — | 14 | 1 | ||
| Cheltenham Town | 2016–17[20] | League Two | 21 | 2 | — | — | 2[c] | 0 | 23 | 2 | ||
| 2017–18[36] | League Two | 34 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3[c] | 0 | 40 | 5 | |
| 2018–19[37] | League Two | 38 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4[c] | 2 | 45 | 6 | |
| 2019–20[38] | League Two | 13 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4[d] | 0 | 19 | 2 | |
| 2020–21[39] | League Two | 29 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | 36 | 7 | |
| 2021–22[40] | League One | 31 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 4 | |
| Total | 166 | 23 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 14 | 2 | 196 | 26 | ||
| Huddersfield Town | 2022–23[41] | Championship | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 18 | 0 | |
| Wrexham | 2023–24[29] | League Two | 24 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3[c] | 0 | 28 | 4 |
| 2024–25[42] | League One | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3[c] | 1 | 4 | 2 | |
| Total | 24 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 32 | 6 | ||
| Shrewsbury Town | 2025–26[43] | League Two | 33 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[c] | 1 | 38 | 4 |
| Career total | 266 | 29 | 12 | 1 | 14 | 3 | 22 | 4 | 314 | 37 | ||
- Includes Scottish League Cup, EFL Cup
- Appearances in EFL Trophy
- Two appearances in EFL Trophy, two in League Two play-offs
Honours
Cheltenham Town
Wrexham
- EFL League Two runner-up: 2023–24[45]
- EFL League One runner up: 2024-25
Individual