WILL ATKINSON

Full Name: William Henry Atkinson

Born: 14 October 1988

Came from: Hull City   Went to: Hull City

First game: 13 August 2011   Last game: 07 January 2012

Appearances: 25 (23/2)   Goals: 4

Atkinson, a left-sided midfielder, joined Argyle on loan from Hull City. He began his career as a trainee at the KC Stadium, graduating from the Tigers' Centre of Excellence to sign a professional contract in December 2006. The following year he had a short loan spell with Port Vale before returning to Hull, where he made his debut as a substitute against Argyle in the FA Cup. In January 2008 he moved on loan to Mansfield Town and made 12 appearances during a two-month stay with the club. In 2008-09 he failed to make any first-team appearances for Hull in their first season in the Premier League, but he did sign a one-year contract extension at the end of the campaign.

At the start of the next season, Atkinson played for Hull in a League Cup tie against Southend United before joining Rochdale on loan. He scored three times in 15 appearances, helping Rochdale win automatic promotion to League One. On returning to Hull, just before the end of the season, he played in the last two Premier League games of the campaign, against Wigan Athletic and Liverpool, scoring in the former. At the beginning of 2010-11 he played four times for Hull before being loaned out to Rotherham United, where he played three games in a 6 week spell. He then re-joined Rochdale on loan in January 2011, where he spent the remainder of the season. Joining Argyle early in the 2011-12 campaign, initially on a season-long loan, he was virtually ever present in the side before being recalled by new Hull manager Nick Barmby when the transfer window re-opened in January 2012.