# Ben Gladwin

Benjamin Thomas Charles Gladwin (born 8 June 1992) is an English former footballer who played as a midfielder and is currently interim head coach at Milton Keynes Dons.
Gladwin has played for 12 clubs including Swindon Town (three previous spells), Queens Park Rangers, Blackburn Rovers, Milton Keynes Dons and Crawley Town.

## Career
### Swindon Town

Gladwin began at Reading's academy, and after being released played youth football with Eldon Celtic and Aldershot Town. He began his senior career in North Berks League Division One with AFC Wallingford, winning their Player of the Season award in his first campaign aged just 17. He then spent time playing for various non-League football teams such as Salisbury City and Hayes & Yeading United, before moving into professional football when Swindon Town signed the midfielder from Marlow in November 2013.
Gladwin made his debut for Swindon on 10 December 2013, in a 1–1 draw at home to Stevenage in the EFL Trophy. His first goal for the club came the following season, in a 3–2 loss against Plymouth Argyle in the same competition. On 14 April 2015, Gladwin scored a first-half hat-trick in a 4–2 win away to Rochdale. On 11 May 2015, Gladwin scored twice in Swindon's 5–5 draw with Sheffield United in the Football League play-offs, but Swindon went on to lose in the final 4–0 against Preston North End.

### Queens Park Rangers

On 28 May 2015, Gladwin and Swindon Town teammate Massimo Luongo, joined Queens Park Rangers, both players signing on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee.
On 11 August 2015, Gladwin made his competitive QPR debut in a 3–0 win against Yeovil Town in the first round of the 2015–16 Football League Cup. On 10 January 2017, Gladwin moved to Swindon Town for a second loan spell until the end of the season.

### Blackburn Rovers

On 28 June 2017, Gladwin joined League One side Blackburn Rovers on a two-year deal. In November 2017, Gladwin suffered an injury for which he required surgery that ruled him out of play until February 2018. On 2 January 2020 he was released.

### Milton Keynes Dons

Gladwin signed for Milton Keynes Dons on 10 January 2020 on a short-term deal. Despite several positive performances, he was initially one of nine players released by the club after the conclusion of the 2019–20 season. However, on 28 July 2020 the club announced Gladwin had returned and re-signed ahead of the 2020–21 campaign.

### Swindon Town return

Gladwin returned to Swindon Town on 26 July 2021 on a free transfer signing a one-year contract. On 20 January 2022, Gladwin signed a new contract to keep him at the club beyond the end of the season.

### Crawley Town

On 27 January 2023, Gladwin signed for Crawley Town for an undisclosed fee on an eighteen-month contract. After helping Crawley win promotion in the 2023-24 season, Gladwin retired from playing, citing his ongoing knee issues, and joined the club's coaching staff.

## Coaching career

On 26 September 2024, Gladwin was appointed Crawley Town caretaker manager, following the departure of Scott Lindsey.
On 4 October 2024, Gladwin followed Lindsey to another of his former clubs, joining Milton Keynes Dons as first-team coach. In March 2025, following the sacking of Lindsey, Gladwin was appointed interim manager.

## Career statistics

    As of end of 2023–24 season
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| AFC Wallingford | 2009–10 | North Berks League Division One | 17 | 5 | — | — | — | — | 7 | 1 | 24 | 6 |
| AFC Wallingford | 2010–11 | North Berks League Division One | 5 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| AFC Wallingford | Total | Total | 22 | 6 | — | — | — | — | 9 | 1 | 31 | 7 |
| Windsor & Eton | 2010–11 | Southern League Premier Division | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Burnham | 2010–11 | Southern League Division One Central | 12 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 12 | 1 |
| Burnham | 2011–12 | Southern League Division One Central | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Burnham | Total | Total | 16 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 22 | 1 |
| Hayes & Yeading United | 2011–12 | Conference Premier | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Reading Town | 2011–12 | Hellenic League Premier Division | 14 | 6 | — | — | — | — | 5 | 4 | 19 | 10 |
| Hayes & Yeading United | 2012–13 | Conference South | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Marlow | 2012–13 | Hellenic League Premier Division | 25 | 12 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 0 | 35 | 12 |
| Marlow | 2013–14 | Southern League Division One Central | 15 | 7 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 5 | 21 | 12 |
| Marlow | Total | Total | 40 | 19 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 11 | 5 | 56 | 24 |
| Swindon Town | 2013–14 | League One | 13 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| Swindon Town | 2014–15 | League One | 34 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 41 | 11 |
| Swindon Town | Total | Total | 47 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 57 | 11 |
| Queens Park Rangers | 2015–16 | Championship | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 9 | 0 |
| Queens Park Rangers | 2016–17 | Championship | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 0 |
| Queens Park Rangers | Total | Total | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 17 | 0 |
| Swindon Town (loan) | 2015–16 | League One | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 13 | 2 |
| Bristol City (loan) | 2015–16 | Championship | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| Swindon Town (loan) | 2016–17 | League One | 18 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 18 | 2 |
| Blackburn Rovers | 2017–18 | League One | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Blackburn Rovers | 2018–19 | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Blackburn Rovers | 2019–20 | Championship | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Blackburn Rovers | Total | Total | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Milton Keynes Dons | 2019–20 | League One | 9 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | 1 |
| Milton Keynes Dons | 2020–21 | League One | 26 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 30 | 2 |
| Milton Keynes Dons | Total | Total | 35 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 39 | 3 |
| Swindon Town | 2021–22 | League Two | 36 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 41 | 5 |
| Swindon Town | 2022–23 | League Two | 23 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 1 |
| Swindon Town | Total | Total | 59 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 64 | 6 |
| Crawley Town | 2022–23 | League Two | 14 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 14 | 1 |
| Crawley Town | 2023–24 | League Two | 13 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 14 | 2 |
| Crawley Town | Total | Total | 27 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 2 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 391 | 46 | 19 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 36 | 9 | 451 | 28 |
* 1 2 Gladwin made two appearances for Windsor & Eton in the 2010–2011 Southern League Premier Division; however these matches were expunged when the club folded before the end of the season
* ↑ One appearance in North Berks Cup; one appearance in North Berks Charity Shield
* ↑ Appearance(s) in FA Trophy
* ↑ Four appearances three goals in Hellenic League Supplementary Cup; one appearance one goal in Berks & Bucks Senior Cup
* ↑ Appearance(s) in Middlesex Senior Cup
* ↑ Gladwin played for Marlow in two separate spells during the 2012–13 season
* ↑ Two appearances in FA Vase; three appearances in Hellenic League Challenge Cup; one appearance in Berks & Bucks Senior Cup
* ↑ Three appearances four goals in FA Trophy; one appearance one goal in Southern League Cup; one appearance in Berks & Bucks Senior Cup
* 1 2 3 Appearance(s) in Football League Trophy
* ↑ One appearance one goal in Football League Trophy; three appearances two goals in League One play-offs
* ↑ Appearance(s) in League Two play-offs

## Honours

Reading Town
* Hellenic League Supplementary Cup: 2011–12
Marlow
* Hellenic League Premier Division: 2012–13
Blackburn Rovers
* EFL League One second-place promotion: 2017–18
Individual
* AFC Wallingford Player of the Year: 2009–10