Maxime Blanchard

Maxime Blanchard
Personal information
Full name Maxime Edouard Camille Blanchard[1]
Date of birth (1986-09-27) 27 September 1986 (age 38)
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

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.

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

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[20]
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
Total 104 4 6 0 2 0 3 0 115 4
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
Total 26 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 26 4
Newport County 2016–17 League Two 1 0 0 0 0 0 0[b] 0 1 0
Career total 247 10 15 0 6 0 5 0 273 10
  1. ^ Line-ups from two matches are not provided
  2. ^ a b c d e Appearances in the Football League Trophy

References

  1. ^ "Professional retain list & free transfers 2012/13" (PDF). The Football League. 18 May 2013. p. 67. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 August 2014. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
  2. ^ a b c "Maxime Blanchard" (in French). Foot National. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
  3. ^ a b "Maxime Blanchard" (in French). L'Équipe. Archived from the original on 20 June 2009. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
  4. ^ "Tranmere Rovers sign French defender Maxime Blanchard". Liverpool Echo. Liverpool. 7 August 2010. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ "Rovers Offer Six New Contracts". Tranmere Rovers F.C. 9 May 2011. Archived from the original on 13 May 2011. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
  7. ^ "Tranmere Rovers to release seven players". BBC Sport. BBC. 10 May 2011. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
  8. ^ "Plymouth Argyle sign French defender Maxime Blanchard". BBC Sport. BBC. 18 November 2011. Retrieved 18 November 2011.
  9. ^ "Plymouth Argyle sign trialist Max Blanchard". The Herald. Plymouth. 19 November 2011. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
  10. ^ "Plymouth 4–1 Northampton". BBC Sport. BBC. 26 November 2011. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
  11. ^ "Maxime Blanchard extends Plymouth Argyle stay". BBC Sport. BBC. 12 January 2012. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
  12. ^ "Plymouth Argyle extend Maxime Blanchard deal". The Herald. Plymouth. 12 January 2012. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
  13. ^ "Plymouth 1–1 Crawley Town". BBC Sport. BBC. 21 January 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
  14. ^ "Maxime Blanchard signs new Plymouth Argyle deal". BBC Sport. BBC. 3 May 2012. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
  15. ^ 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.
  16. ^ "Max Is Player Of The Season". Plymouth Argyle F.C. 5 May 2012. Archived from the original on 9 May 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
  17. ^ "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.
  18. ^ "Maxime Blanchard: French defender signs for Newport County". BBC Sport. 10 February 2017. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  19. ^ "Maxime Blanchard: Defender leaves Newport County after one game". BBC Sport. 14 February 2017. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
  20. ^ "Maxime Blanchard". Soccerway. Retrieved 10 October 2017.