Dalton Wilkins (SonderjyskE | Denmark)

A 2-1 loss. Wilkins came on at HT with Kolding down 1-0.
Wilkins with a yellow card

Wilkins catches up with some old chums. Kolding (5th) host Helsingor (8th).
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/08/26/denmark/1st-division/kolding-if/elite-3000-helsingor/4084439/

Wilkins starts at RWB. Kolding lead 1-0 early on.
Edit - 2-0 Kolding at HT. Wilkins a yellow.
Edit 2 - assist for the 3rd goal, makes it 3-0

Finished 4-0. Wilkins off at 64 mins (3-0)

Kolding (4th) travel to AaB (2nd).
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/09/03/denmark/1st-division/aalborg-bk/kolding-if/4084447/

Wilkins starts for Kolding.

Off at 75 mins (3-0) in a 3-1 loss. 
Kolding down to 10 men from 51 mins (2-0).

🚨 Aftenens koldingensere i Ringkøbing! 👇

📋 | Shushman, Tjørne, Vestergård, Mikkelsen, Kudsk, Palm, Beck, Vetter, Tånnander, Trier, Denius

🔃 | Bænk: Petersen, Nørager, Wilkins, Sommer, Ngongo, Lausten, Bossen, Jespersen, Sheik#ViErKolding #SammenSkaberViHistorie 🤍💙 pic.twitter.com/IZxdlB2QE0

— Kolding IF Fodbold (@KoldingIF) September 6, 2023

Wilkins starts from the bench for Kolding in their Danish Cup tie against 5th tier Ringkøbing.

Kolding 1-0 up at H/T.

Unused sub in a 4-0 win

Kolding (5th) travel to HB Koge (8th)

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/09/14/denmark/1st-division/hb-koge/kolding-if/4084450/

RB Wilkins, cops 2 yellows (58 & 61 mins) and gets sent off. 
Kolding 1-0 up at the time hold on for a 1-0 win, to go up to 4th.

Despite the red Wilkins given level he's now playing at, must be a chance of a return to the AWs next month, maybe at RB. Bazeley is talking about introducing some new faces in the Oct window.

Also ALM kicks off 20th-22nd Oct, and AWs play 14th-18th Oct. 
So likes of Ingham, Payne & Roux - to keep their ALM coaches happy, as they build up to the new season kicking off - maybe bypassed by Bazeley.

Kolding (4th) host Fredericia (3rd). Wilkins likely suspended.
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/09/22/denmark/1st-division/kolding-if/fc-fredericia/4084459/

Kolding sans a suspended Willkins lose 1-2.

2nd tier Kolding (5th) host Superliga outfit Nordsjalland (3rd) in the Danish Cup 3rd round.
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/09/28/denmark/dbu-pokalen/kolding-if/fc-nordsjalland/4251142/

Wilkins off at HT (0-0) as Kolding are knocked out of the Danish Cup on pens by Superliga outfit Nordsjalland. Finished 2-2 before the shootout. All the goals between 46th-71st mins. Good effort by 2nd tier Kolding.

Wilkins actually played his half game at LWB. So reminding Bazeley he can play on the left if McGarry is ruled out of the upcoming friendlies.

Kolding (6th) travel to Hobro (4th).
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/10/01/denmark/1st-division/hobro-ik/kolding-if/4084463/

Kolding win 3-2, Wilkins off at 67 mins (3-1). Wilkins at RWB.
Who knows if McGarry & Libby are both out, he could suddenly be the AWs starting LB in October.

Kolding (4th) host HB Koge (9th).
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/10/07/denmark/1st-division/kolding-if/hb-koge/4084470/

Wilkins starts at RB.

Wilkins 83 mins (1-1) in a 3-1 win. Kolding stay 4th. 

Kolding (4th) travel to Sonderjyske (2nd)
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/10/20/denmark/1st-division/sonderjyske/kolding-if/4084478/

No Wilkins as Kolding get drubbed 4-0 by one of the promotion favourites SonderjyskE.

Kolding (5th) play the two promotion favourites in consecutive weeks. This time they host AaB (2nd - 9 pts clear of 3rd).
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/10/28/denmark/1st-division/kolding-if/aalborg-bk/4084484/

Wilkins 76 mins (0-1) in a 0-1 loss. Kolding missed a 97th min pen.

Kolding (6th) travel to Fredericia (3rd). Just 4 more games before the long mid winter break (league restarts late Feb).

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/11/05/denmark/1st-division/fc-fredericia/kolding-if/4084485/

Wilkins off at 55 mins (1-0) in a 1-0 loss.

Kolding (6th) host Vendsyssel (5th).
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/11/12/denmark/1st-division/kolding-if/fc-hjorring/4084492/

Wilkins starts.

Wiilkins off at 80 mins (0-1) in a 0-1 loss. 
Kolding's early season good form fading. 4 consecutive losses.

Kolding (7th) travel to Hillerod (8th). 2nd to last game before the long winter break.
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/11/25/denmark/1st-division/hillerod-fodbold/kolding-if/4084498/

Wilkins starts.

80 mins (2-0) in a 3-1 win.

Kolding (6th) host B 93 (9th). Battle of last season's 2 promoted teams.
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/12/01/denmark/1st-division/kolding-if/boldklubben-af-1893/4084508/

Game postponed. Winter break now until late Feb, so presumably alongside Just and then McCowatt a NZ Christmas before returning in January 

Postponed game against B93, now rescheduled for tonight.
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/12/01/denmark/1st-division/kolding-if/boldklubben-af-1893/4084508/

68 mins (0-1) in a 0-1 loss.
Long winter break now

Sønderjyske Fodbold henter den newzealandske venstre back, Dalton Wilkins, i Kolding IF på en aftale, der løber frem til sommeren 2027 ✍🏼

Læs nyheden på hjemmesiden 📲https://t.co/IjbTelWxz3 pic.twitter.com/eXG6OnTaWB

— Sønderjyske Fodbold (@SEfodbold) January 11, 2024

A long winter break, but good news for Dalton, who has secured a move to current league leaders Sønderjyske on a deal until 2027.

Top two clubs get promoted to the Danish Superliga, of which Sønderjyske are already clear of 3rd by 11 points. Still a fair way to go of course, but they'd be heavy favourites at this point along with AaB Aalborg.

Carlin will be happy with this move too. 😆

YoungHeartHM

Sønderjyske Fodbold henter den newzealandske venstre back, Dalton Wilkins, i Kolding IF på en aftale, der løber frem til sommeren 2027 ✍🏼

Læs nyheden på hjemmesiden 📲https://t.co/IjbTelWxz3 pic.twitter.com/eXG6OnTaWB

— Sønderjyske Fodbold (@SEfodbold) January 11, 2024

A long winter break, but good news for Dalton, who has secured a move to current league leaders Sønderjyske on a deal until 2027.

Top two clubs get promoted to the Danish Superliga, of which Sønderjyske are already clear of 3rd by 11 points. Still a fair way to go of course, but they'd be heavy favourites at this point along with AaB Aalborg.

Carlin will be happy with this move too. 😆

Following in Marco Rojas' footsteps by joining them, though hopefully his time is more fruitful.

Might be reading too far into the social-media admin's words, but he's called a left-back in the post, so possibly a change in role to a more traditional fullback given he's played every game on the right at Kolding.

Great move for Wilkins. Long term deal so SønderjyskE obviously see something in him, and yes good chance he'll be playing in the Superliga next season.
https://us.soccerway.com/national/denmark/1st-division/20232024/regular-season/r76944/

Hopefully they don't do what Helsingør, did a few seasons ago and implode in the 2nd half of the season! Helsingør struggling these days down at 11th in the 2nd tier.

Be interesting to see what Eli Just does at season end. Horsens in 7th spot already look out of promotion reckoning. He's too good now you feel for the Danish 2nd flight. I'm sure Auckland FC would be interested, but I'd hope he stays in Europe.

Going to be interesting who Bazeley picks to be Libby's backup in March. Wilkins or McGarry. Though Cacace always tends to play both AWs games in any FIFA window. From Niche Cache.

 

Often these transfers are about a player leaping up, or sometimes dipping down, between divisions. Or perhaps moving to a new country altogether. But when Dalton Wilkins joined SonderskjyE, leaving Kolding IF after a couple of successful seasons (including winning promotion last term)... he actually only rose five places on the Danish Division 1 ladder. Ah, but what a difference those five places make.

SonderskjyE are first in the Danish second tier. They lost their most recent game prior to the winter break which has allowed Aalborg to close within one point but there’s a further ten point gap to third place and two teams get promoted so things are looking swell (after missing out on promotion by a mere two points last time). SonderskjyE are a big club. Prior to relegation they’d spent 14 consecutive seasons in the Superliga, including finishing second in 2015-16 and winning the Danish Cup in 2019-20. The club announcement mentions how Winston Reid grew up in the surrounding area though NZ fans probably know the club best for the stint that Marco Rojas spent with them, making 24 league appearances, mostly in the season that they won the cup (although he left in the January window).

In other words this is a club preparing for promotion and they’ve signed Dalton Wilkins to help them achieve that. When Sonders played Kolding back in October, they beat them 4-0 and Wilkins didn’t even play (due to yellow card accumulation). But he’s played in almost every other game for Kolding, usually starting at wing-back, usually subbed off in the second half, and usually on a yellow card. That was the pattern. High energy, lots of impact in both directions, and a sneaky set pieces threat too thanks to his long throws. Ain’t no doubt that his new club were paying attention.

Sonders football director Casper Daather: “We are very pleased to have signed a contract with Dalton Wilkins. He is a player who has made good progress in Danish football and is now ready to take the next steps in his development. With the signing of Wilkins we strengthen our already strong defence and we are better equipped when our squad depth is tested as we saw in the late fall. We get a dynamic and relatively young left back in Dalton Wilkins with lots of speed, and he even has a fantastic long throw-in which we can also enjoy. He is an ambitious and annoying player who, like the club, has an ambition to enter the Superliga, and he wants to represent his national team. He is far from home but after five years in Denmark we can quickly integrate him on the team and in Haderslev and we look forward to him developing further in our strong environment.”

Wilkins first moved to Denmark alongside Elijah Just to join FC Helsingor, where they were later joined by Callum McCowatt (and very briefly Nando Pijnaker). But Wilkins suffered a long-term injury that limited his breakthrough there so he went out on loan, which later turned into a permanent move, to Kolding a division below. 

Since then Just has moved to AC Horsens where he played one season of Superliga before being relegated (he and Wilkins went head to head earlier in the season and will get the chance again – especially if Horsens can lift themselves up into the top six). McCowatt is now at Silkeborg in the Superliga. Wilkins could be playing top flight next season if all goes to plan.

He’s signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with Sønderjyske so this is a genuine investment in his talents. No word on what the transfer fee may have been but Kolding did refer to this as a “sale”, and one that was necessary with only six months still remaining on his contract. Seems that KIF saw this as a chance to get some coin for a bloke that might have otherwise left on a free transfer.

Kolding head coach, Kristoffer Wichmann: “When, for the first time in September 2020, I saw Dalton play for Helsingør at Lyngby Stadium in a training match, I fell in love with him as a footballer. His drive, passion, and energy might at that time be obvious to few, but for me he was a player I would love to be with every single day. Dalton is a great story for us, we really need to remember that. From a player who had never played regular senior football, to a player who now 2.5 years later has been of interest to several clubs at home and abroad. First of all, Dalton's own merit, but certainly also his capable teammates. When you have been close to a player like Dalton that we have and have seen the amazing development he has had with the team, he will be missed by everyone.”

“Several clubs at home and abroad” is an interesting one... seems the man had options. Really dig this move for him though. Steady progression. There’s still more than a month before the winter break finishes up, so Wilkins will get some time to embed with the new team – starting with a training camp in Portugal. He’ll wear the number 13 jersey (same as Libby Cacace, another NZ left back, wears for his own club). 

Debut SonderjyskE (1st, 42pts) game for Wilkins in a biggie? They travel to AaB (2nd, 41 pts). First 2 teams automatically promoted I think

Mods please update Wilkins's club.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2024/02/24/denmark/1st-division/aalborg-bk/sonderjyske/4084511/

No Wilkins as SonderjyskE find themselves down 2-0 at 52 mins.

Finishes 2-2.