Aside from a brief interlude Will Dean was in the Exeter City academy from the age of nine until making his first-team debut in 2017 and ultimately leaving for Truro City at the age of twenty. Will’s younger brother Tom was a City trainee four years after Will.  

Will, from Exmouth, made his first-team debut as a substitute in the EFL Trophy against Chelsea under-21 on 28 November 2017. He was to feature in the same competition in each of the next three seasons making a total of ten EFL Trophy appearances for Exeter.  

Will had a substantial period on loan for Truro City staying for all of the truncated 2019/20 season. He was back at St James Park the following season and made his League Cup debut for City on the 5 September 2020 against Bristol City and his league debut on 12 September at Salford City. Later that season Will spent a short time on loan at Bath City in National League South. 

Will was released by Exeter City in May 2021 and signed for Truro City on a permanent basis becoming a virtual ever-present over the next two seasons as the club won promotion back to National League South in 2022/23.