Maxime Blanchard
Maxime Edouard Camille Blanchard, or just Maxi Blanchard, (born 27 September 1986) is a French former professional footballer who played as defender and defensive midfielder. He played in the Football League for Tranmere Rovers, Plymouth Argyle and Newport County, in his native league Championnat National for Laval, L'Entente SSG and Moulins, and in the League of Ireland Premier Division for Shamrock Rovers.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Maxime Edouard Camille Blanchard[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 27 September 1986 | ||
| Place of birth | Alençon, France | ||
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Defender, midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2005–2008 | Laval | 26 | (0) |
| 2008–2009 | L'Entente SSG | 35 | (1) |
| 2009–2010 | Moulins | 35 | (1) |
| 2010–2011 | Tranmere Rovers | 20 | (0) |
| 2011–2014 | Plymouth Argyle | 104 | (4) |
| 2015–2016 | Shamrock Rovers | 26 | (4) |
| 2017 | Newport County | 1 | (0) |
| Total | 267 | (10) | |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Career
Maxime Blanchard began his career in Alençon, a commune in Normandy, before joining his first professional club – Laval.[2] He spent two years in the youth team before being promoted to train with the senior squad during the 2005–06 season. Blanchard made his senior debut in Championnat National the following season and went on to appear in another 25 league matches for Laval over the next two years.[2][3] He spent the 2008–09 campaign with L'Entente SSG, where he scored his first league goal, and the next with Moulins – making 35 league appearances in both.[2][3]
He moved to England in the summer of 2010, signing for Football League One club Tranmere Rovers.[4][5] He made his debut in a 0–0 draw against Huddersfield Town and went on to make 24 appearances during the 2010–11 season. He left Tranmere at the end of the campaign.[6][7] Blanchard signed a short-term contract with Plymouth Argyle in November.[8][9] He made his debut in a 4–1 win against Northampton Town,[10] and extended his contract in January 2012 until the end of the season.[11][12] Blanchard scored his first goal for the club in a 1–1 draw with Crawley Town.[13]
Blanchard signed a new two-year contract in May,[14][15] and won the club's Player of the Year award for the 2011–12 season.[16][17] He made 28 league appearances, in which he scored two goals and, according to The Herald, had a "formidable partnership" with Darren Purse.[15]
In 2015, he moved to Ireland and signed one-year contract with Shamrock Rovers. He left the club in July 2016 and joined the UK League Two side Newport County on a game-by-game contract.[18][19]
Personal life
Maxime Blanchard retired from the professional game, and converted into tech sales.
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Laval | 2005–06 | Ligue 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2006–07 | National | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2007–08 | National | 22 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0 | |
| Total | 26 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 0 | ||
| L'Entente SSG | 2008–09 | National | 35 | 1 | 1[a] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 1 |
| Moulins | 2009–10 | National | 35 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 1 |
| Tranmere Rovers | 2010–11 | League One | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| Plymouth Argyle | 2011–12 | League Two | 28 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 2 |
| 2012–13 | League Two | 40 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 44 | 1 | |
| 2013–14 | League Two | 36 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | 43 | 1 | |
| Shamrock Rovers | 2015 | Irish Premier | 17 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 4 |
| 2016 | Irish Premier | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0[b] | 0 | 9 | 0 | |
| Newport County | 2016–17 | League Two | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0[b] | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 221 | 10 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 240 | 10 | ||
| Career total | 247 | 10 | 15 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 273 | 10 | ||
References
- ^ (PDF). The Football League. 18 May 2013. p. 67. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 August 2014. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
- ^ a b c "Maxime Blanchard" (in French). Foot National. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
- ^ a b (in French). L'Équipe. Archived from the original on 20 June 2009. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
- ^ "Tranmere Rovers sign French defender Maxime Blanchard". Liverpool Echo. Liverpool. 7 August 2010. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
- ^ Hilton, Nick (16 September 2010). "Maxime Blanchard says Tranmere Rovers should fear no one ahead of Charlton Athletic's visit to Prenton Park". Liverpool Daily Post. Liverpool. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
- ^ . Tranmere Rovers F.C. 9 May 2011. Archived from the original on 13 May 2011. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
- ^ "Tranmere Rovers to release seven players". BBC Sport. BBC. 10 May 2011. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
- ^ "Plymouth Argyle sign French defender Maxime Blanchard". BBC Sport. BBC. 18 November 2011. Retrieved 18 November 2011.
- ^ "Plymouth Argyle sign trialist Max Blanchard". The Herald. Plymouth. 19 November 2011. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
- ^ "Plymouth 4–1 Northampton". BBC Sport. BBC. 26 November 2011. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
- ^ "Maxime Blanchard extends Plymouth Argyle stay". BBC Sport. BBC. 12 January 2012. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
- ^ "Plymouth Argyle extend Maxime Blanchard deal". The Herald. Plymouth. 12 January 2012. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
- ^ "Plymouth 1–1 Crawley Town". BBC Sport. BBC. 21 January 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
- ^ "Maxime Blanchard signs new Plymouth Argyle deal". BBC Sport. BBC. 3 May 2012. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
- ^ a b "Maxime Blanchard promises Plymouth Argyle will try to set the record straight". The Herald. Plymouth. 4 May 2012. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
- ^ . Plymouth Argyle F.C. 5 May 2012. Archived from the original on 9 May 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
- ^ "Plymouth Argyle almost failed to sign Maxime Blanchard". The Herald. Plymouth. 11 May 2012. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
- ^ "Maxime Blanchard: French defender signs for Newport County". BBC Sport. 10 February 2017. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
- ^ "Maxime Blanchard: Defender leaves Newport County after one game". BBC Sport. 14 February 2017. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
- ^ "Maxime Blanchard". Soccerway. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
External links
- Maxime Blanchard at Soccerbase