Nicholas Bignall

A forward or left winger, Bignall began his career in the academy at Reading and scored 20 goals for the U18 during the course of his two-year scholarship.[3] Bignall signed a two-year professional contract ahead of the 2008–09 season,[4] but spent much of the next three years away on loan from the Madejski Stadium.[5] He made 53 appearances and scored five goals for League One clubs Northampton Town, Cheltenham Town, Stockport County, Southampton, Bournemouth, Brentford, Exeter City and Wycombe Wanderers.[5]

After signing a new two-year contract in April 2009,[6] Bignall made his debut for the Royals with a start in a League Cup first round match versus Burton Albion on 11 August 2009.[7] He scored two goals in the 5–1 victory.[7] He also started in the following round versus Barnsley,[7] before leaving the club on loan and returning early through injury on 21 December 2009.[8] He returned to fitness in January 2010 and made one further appearance during the 2009–10 season, as a substitute for Simon Church after 74 minutes of a 1–0 victory over Barnsley on 30 January.[7]

Bignall made what would be his final Reading appearance early in the 2010–11 season, with a start in a 1–0 League Cup first round extra time victory over Torquay United on 11 August 2010.[9] He signed a new two-year contract in October 2010,[10] but subsequently spent much of the remainder of the 2010–11 season away on loan.[5][11] Bignall failed to receive a call into the first team squad during the early months of the 2011–12 season and suffered a season-ending injury while away on loan in October 2011.[12][13] Bignall's contract expired in June 2012, but remained with the club on a non-contract basis in a bid to return to fitness.[14][15] He finally departed in 2014.[3]

In March 2014, Bignall dropped into non-League football to join Conference South club Basingstoke Town and he was a part of the squad which won the 2013–14 Hampshire Senior Cup.[16][17] He departed the club early in the 2014–15 season and had short spells with National League South clubs Sutton United and Hayes & Yeading United, before returning to The Camrose late in the campaign.[18] He departed for the final time during the 2015 off-season and had short spells with Lincoln City and Gainsborough Trinity,[18] before joining National League South club Hungerford Town in 2016.[19] He remained at Bulpit Lane until his departure at the end of the 2017–18 season.[20] After a year out of football,[21] Bignall played for Isthmian League South Central Division clubs Bracknell Town and Uxbridge during the 2019–20 season.[18][22]