Luke Nightingale

Nightingale was taken on by Portsmouth as a schoolboy after a letter from his mother got him a trial. He was given a chance to play for the first team after two reseve games making his debut the same week as signing professional forms , and scored two goals in the win against West Bromwich Albion. He failed to become a first team regular and his appearances in the first team in 1999-2000 were limited. Nightingale had to wait until the end of September before he featured in the Portsmouth first-team in 2000-01season, and then he only appeared as a substitute in the Worthington Cup second leg against Blackburn. However from then on he was a regular member of the squad of 16, although rarely making it into the starting line-up. His only senior goal came in the 2-0 home win over Burnley in March which coincided with Graham Rix's first game in charge at Fratton Park. A fast, agile striker with good distribution skills and an eye for goal. He suffered a serious injury in pre-season training prior to the 2001-02 season which ruled him out of the whole season.

Nightingale joined Southend United in August 2003 on a short-term contract, but was released a month later.