{{short description|Australian footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}} {{Use Australian English|date=January 2024}} {{Infobox football biography |name = Will Baynham |image = |fullname = William Baynham |birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1997|6|13|df=y}} |birth_place = Brisbane, Australia |height = 6 ft 3 in |currentclub = |clubnumber = |position = Forward |youthyears1 = 1999–2015 |youthclubs1 = Brisbane City |youthyears2 = 2015–2017 |youthclubs2 = AFC Bournemouth |collegeyears1 = 2018 |college1 = Yavapai Roughriders |collegecaps1 = 29 |collegegoals1 = 25 |collegeyears2 = 2019 |college2 = UC Santa Barbara Gauchos |collegecaps2 = 24 |collegegoals2 = 10 |years1 = 2018 |clubs1 = FC Golden State Force |caps1 = 4 |goals1 = 0 |years2 = 2019 |clubs2 = Reading United |caps2 = 4 |goals2 = 1 |years3 = 2019 |clubs3 = Lions FC |caps3 = 1 |goals3 = 0 |years4 = 2020–2022 |clubs4 = Queen's Park |caps4 = 17 |goals4 = 5 |years5 = 2023–2024 |clubs5 = Lexington SC |caps5 = 12 |goals5 = 1 |years6 = 2024 |clubs6 = Preston Lions |caps6 = 16 |goals6 = 6 |club-update = 14:53, 17 August 2024 (UTC) }}
'''William Baynham''' (born 13 June 1997) is an Australian professional soccer player who last played as a forward for Preston Lions<ref>[https://websites.mygameday.app/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=210378139&client=0-10178-201998-633998-26642333 Players Stats]</ref> in the Victoria Premier League 1.
==Career== ===Early career=== Baynham played youth football for Brisbane City from the under-12's side through to the under-18's before moving to England to join the AFC Bournemouth academy. He left England to pursue college soccer opportunities in the United States.
He spent a season at Yavapai College, where he scored 25 goals in 29 appearances for the Roughriders.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.accac.org/sports/msoc/2017-18/players|title=Arizona Community College Athletic Conference|website=Arizona Community College Athletic Conference|accessdate=6 Jun 2023}}</ref> He transferred to the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2019, scoring ten goals in 24 game, tallying eight assists for the Gauchos.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ucsbgauchos.com/sports/m-soccer/2019-20/bios/baynham_will_c3zg|title=Will Baynham|website=UC Santa Barbara|accessdate=6 Jun 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.edhat.com/news/gauchos-advance-to-ncaa-tournament-quarterfinals|title=Gauchos Advance to NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals|date=1 Dec 2019|website=Edhat|accessdate=6 Jun 2023}}</ref>
While at college, Baynham also spent summers playing in the USL League Two, with a spell at FC Golden State Force in 2018,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uslleaguetwo.com/roster_players/24821998?subseason=482928|title=FC Golden State Force - 2018 Regular Season - Roster - # - william baynham -|website=www.uslleaguetwo.com|accessdate=6 Jun 2023}}</ref> and a spell at Reading United in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uslleaguetwo.com/roster_players/32537463?subseason=583580|title=Reading United AC | uslleaguetwo.com|website=www.uslleaguetwo.com|accessdate=6 Jun 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bctv.org/2019/05/06/united-add-five-more-di-talents-to-2019-roster/|title=United Add Five More DI Talents to 2019 Roster|first=John|last=Furdyna|date=6 May 2019|accessdate=6 Jun 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.readingunitedac.com/alumni|title=Reading United Alumni|website=www.readingunitedac.com|accessdate=6 Jun 2023}}</ref>
After leaving college, Baynham signed with National Premier Leagues Queensland side Lions FC on 12 August 2019, where he made a single appearance.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://keepup.com.au/queensland-npl/fixtures/lions-vs-sc-wanderers-22-08-2020/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606222349/https://keepup.com.au/queensland-npl/fixtures/lions-vs-sc-wanderers-22-08-2020/|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 June 2023|title=Lions vs SC Wanderers, Queensland NPL, 22nd August 2020|first=F. F. A.|last=Media|accessdate=6 Jun 2023}} </ref> In early 2020, Baynham had a trial with USL Championship side Phoenix Rising and with Canadian Premier League side Halifax Wanderers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://canpl.ca/article/wanderers-take-ncaa-standout-striker-will-baynham-on-trial|title=Wanderers take NCAA standout striker Will Baynham on trial|date=9 Mar 2020|accessdate=6 Jun 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://northerntribune.ca/halifax-wanderers-will-baynham/|title=Will Baynham Joins Halifax Wanderers On Trial|first=John|last=Jacques|date=9 Mar 2020|accessdate=6 Jun 2023}}</ref>
Baynham was eligible for selection in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft but went undrafted.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.frontrowsoccer.com/2020/01/08/theyre-eligible-140-players-can-be-selected-in-mls-superdraft/|title=THEY'RE ELIGIBLE: 140 players can be selected in MLS SuperDraft|first=Michael|last=Lewis|date=8 Jan 2020|website=Front Row Soccer|accessdate=6 Jun 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.brotherlygame.com/2020/1/8/21056557/philadelphia-union-academy-alums-2020-mls-superdraft|title=Philadelphia Union Academy alums among players eligible for MLS SuperDraft|first=Matthew|last=Ralph|date=8 Jan 2020|website=Brotherly Game|accessdate=6 Jun 2023}}</ref>
===Professional career=== On 22 September 2020, Baynham signed his first professional contract with Scottish League Two side Queen's Park,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://queensparkfc.co.uk/spiders-sign-will-baynham/|title=Spiders Sign Will Baynham|first=Ian|last=Cairns|date=22 Sep 2020|accessdate=6 Jun 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://spfl.co.uk/news/spiders-add-to-squad-46972|title=Spiders add to squad | SPFL|website=spfl.co.uk|accessdate=6 Jun 2023}}</ref> where he helped the Spiders to promotion to the Scottish League One with five goals in 17 league appearances and earned himself a new one-year contract.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://14sportsmanagement.com/2021/06/16/contract-extension-for-will-baynham-at-queens-park/|title=Contract Extension for Will Baynham at Queens Park – 14 Sports Management|date=16 Jun 2021|accessdate=6 Jun 2023}}</ref> He was released by Queen's Park in the summer of 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://northerntribune.ca/will-baynham-free-agent/|title=Baynham Set For Free Agency|first=John|last=Jacques|date=25 May 2022|accessdate=6 Jun 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/62059254|title=Scottish Championship ins & outs - Summer 2022|work=BBC Sport |accessdate=6 Jun 2023}}</ref>
On 12 January 2023, Baynham returned to the United States and signed with USL League One side Lexington SC ahead of their inaugural season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lexsporting.com/news/lexington-sporting-club-adds-striker-will-baynham-to-2023-squad/|title=Lexington Sporting Club adds striker Will Baynham to 2023 squad|accessdate=6 Jun 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wtvq.com/meet-the-lexington-sporting-club/|title=Meet the Lexington Sporting Club|date=4 Feb 2023|accessdate=6 Jun 2023}}</ref>
==Personal life== Baynham holds Australian, Canadian, and British citizenship.<ref name="auto"/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baynham, Will}} Category:Living people Category:1997 births Category:Australian expatriate men's soccer players Category:Australian expatriate sportspeople in England Category:Australian expatriate sportspeople in Scotland Category:Australian expatriate sportspeople in the United States Category:Australian men's soccer players Category:College men's soccer players in California Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States Category:FC Golden State Force players Category:Lexington SC players Category:Men's association football forwards Category:National Premier Leagues players Category:Preston Lions FC players Category:Queen's Park F.C. players Category:Queensland Lions FC players Category:Reading United AC players Category:Scottish Football League players Category:UC Santa Barbara Gauchos men's soccer players Category:USL League One players Category:USL League Two players Category:21st-century Australian sportsmen