Will Collar

Will Collar

Will Collar, Stockport County FC
Personal information
Full name	William Guy Collar [1]
Date of birth	(1997-02-03) 3 February 1997 (age 27) [2]
Place of birth	Horsham, England
Position(s)	Central midfielder
Team information
Current team	Stockport County
Number	14
Youth career
0000–2018	Brighton & Hove Albion
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2018–2019	Brighton & Hove Albion	0	(0)
2019–2021	Hamilton Academical	22	(1)
2021–	Stockport County	118	(25)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 00:20, 2 November 2024 (UTC)

William Guy Collar (born 3 February 1997) is an English professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for EFL League One club Stockport County.

Career

Brighton & Hove Albion

He made his debut for Brighton on 28 August 2018, in the EFL Cup at home against Southampton where he played the full match in a 1–0 loss against their south coast rivals. ^[3] He left Brighton at the end of the 2018–19 season to join Hamilton Academical.

Hamilton Academical

He signed for Scottish club Hamilton Academical in June 2019. ^[4] Collar scored the winner for Hamilton in a vital 2–1 win over Hearts in December 2019 which helped Hamilton avoid relegation from the SPFL, at the expense of Hearts.

In February 2021, Collar departed Hamilton Academical, via mutual consent. ^[5]

Stockport County

On 4 February 2021, Collar joined National League side Stockport County on a contract until the end of the 2020–21 season. ^[6] In May 2021 Will penned a new two-year deal with Stockport until the end of the 2022–23 season. ^[7] On 15 May 2022 Collar scored the second of the match and final goal of the season in a 2–0 win over FC Halifax Town to help Stockport secure promotion and a return to the Football League for the first time in 11 years gaining promotion as National League Champions. ^[8] Will signed a new three-year deal keeping him at Stockport until the end of the 2024–25 season. ^[9]

On 7 December 2022, Collar scored his first professional hat trick as Stockport beat League One Charlton Athletic 3–1 in an FA Cup second round replay at Edgeley Park. ^[10]

Collar scored 14 goals in 43 appearances in 2022, almost averaging a goal every 3 games.^{[ citation needed ]}

Collar appeared as a substitute and scored a shoot-out penalty in the League Two play-off final played at Wembley on 28 May 2023, as Stockport lost on penalties against Carlisle United, following a 1–1 draw after extra-time. ^[11]

Collar played 18 times for Stockport in the EFL League 2 title winning season in 2023/24 scoring 4 goals. He was a key player in the record equalling run of 12 consecutive victories before suffering a hamstring injury at the end of the run, away at Newport County. Having made his return in February, his season ended prematurely following a crude challenge by a Gillingham defender causing a high ankle strain.

Career statistics

As of match played 28 May 2023 ^[12]

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
Brighton & Hove Albion	2018–19 [13]	Premier League	0	0	0	0	1	0	—		1	0
Hamilton Academical	2019–20 [14]	Scottish Premiership	16	1	2	0	1	0	2 [lower-alpha 1]	0	21	1
	2020–21 [15]	Scottish Premiership	6	0	0	0	0	0	—		6	0
	Total		22	1	2	0	1	0	2	0	27	1
Stockport County	2020–21 [12]	National League	14	1	0	0	0	0	1 [lower-alpha 2]	0	15	1
	2021–22 [12]	National League	36	9	3	0	0	0	2 [lower-alpha 3]	2	41	11
	2022–23 [16]	League Two	41	12	4	3	0	0	1 [lower-alpha 4]	0	46	15
	Total		91	22	7	3	0	0	4	2	102	27
Career total			113	23	10	3	2	0	5	2	130	28

1. Appearance(s) in the Scottish Challenge Cup
2. Appearance in the National League play-offs
3. Appearance(s) in the FA Trophy
4. Appearance(s) in the EFL Trophy

Honours

Stockport County

• National League: 2021–22 ^[17]
• EFL League Two: 2023–24 ^[18]

References

1. "Updated squad lists for 2018/19 Premier League". Premier League. 1 February 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
2. "Will Collar". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
3. https://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/16603946 ^{[ dead link ]}
4. "Evening Express The Press and Journal combined - Press and Journal".
5. "Will Collar departs". Hamilton Academical FC. 2 February 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
6. "County sign Collar". Stockport County FC. 4 February 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
7. "Will Collar signs new contract". Stockkportcountyfc. 19 May 2021. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
8. "Stockport County 2-0 FC Halifax Town: Hatters crowned champions, promoted to Football League". Vavel.com. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
9. "Collar pens new deal". Stockportcountyfc. 27 June 2022. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
10. "Will Collar hat-trick sends Stockport into third round". BBC Sport. 8 December 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
11. "Carlisle United 1-1 Stockport County (5-4 pens): Carlisle promoted to League One". BBC Sport. 28 May 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
12. Will Collar at Soccerway. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
13. "Games played by Will Collar in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
14. "Games played by Will Collar in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
15. "Games played by Will Collar in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
16. "Games played by Will Collar in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
17. "National League: 2021/22: Current table". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
    "Stockport: Squad details: 2021/22". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
18. "Join us in League One next season". 7 May 2024.