Reanna Blades

Reanna Blades
Blades playing for Lewes in 2023
Personal information
Full name Reanna Lauren Blades
Date of birth (2005-10-02) 2 October 2005 (age 19)
Place of birth Croydon, Surrey, England[1]
Height 1.57 m (5 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Midfielder, winger
Team information
Current team
 Burnley
Number 37
Youth career
Brighton & Hove Albion
Chelsea
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021–2024 Chelsea 0 (0)
2023–2024 → Lewes (loan) 20 (2)
2024– Burnley[2] 7 (2)
International career‡
2021 England U19 1 (0)
2024– Jamaica 0 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20 October 2024[3]
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 26 October 2024

Reanna Lauren Blades (born 2 October 2005) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for National League North side Burnley. She previously played for Chelsea, Lewes, and the England under-19s. She now represents Jamaica at senior international level.

Club career

Chelsea

Prior to joining Chelsea's academy at under-14 level, she spent a season with Brighton's Regional Talent Club.[4] At under-21 academy level, Blades featured in 23 matches, scoring 15 goals.[5]

On 1 August 2021, in a friendly match prior to the 2021–22 season, Blades scored her debut senior goal for Chelsea, an equalising goal in a 2–1 defeat to Arsenal.[6] On 13 October 2022, Blades signed for first professional contract with Women's Super League club Chelsea at the age of 18.[4][7]

On 19 March 2023, she made her competitive debut for Chelsea in the FA Cup quarter-final match against Reading, as a second-half substitute.[8] On 23 April 2023 Blades scored the third goal in a 3–1 victory over Manchester United in the WSL Academy League Cup Final.[9]

On 19 July 2023, she joined Women's Championship club Lewes on loan for the 2023–24 season.[10][11]

Burnley

On 30 June 2024, Blades left Chelsea after the end of her contract and joined National League North side Burnley on 1 August.[12][13] On 15 September 2024, she scored her debut goal for the club against Nottingham Forest in a 1–1 draw, helping to secure a point for the side.[14] On 1 December, in the second round of the 2024–25 FA Cup, Blades scored a first half goal in the 11–0 win over Bradford City.[15]

International career

Blades has represented England at under-16, under-17, and under-19 youth levels.[4][16]

Blades received her first senior international call up to the Jamaica national football team for friendly fixtures against France,[17] where she was an unused substitute in the first match on 26 October 2024. [18]

Personal life

In 2020, Blades backed The Telegraph's "Keep Kids Active in Lockdown" campaign. At age 16 she coached children for United Synergy FC in Croydon.[16] In July 2023, alongside Lioness Fara Williams, Blades joined lingerie company Bluebella's campaign in support of women's sports.[19]

Honours

Chelsea

References

  1. ^ "Reanna Blades Profile". Chelsea FC. Archived from the original on 29 August 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  2. ^ "Player Season Stats | Burnley | The FA Women's National League". The FA. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  3. ^ a b Reanna Blades at Soccerway
  4. ^ a b c "Academy graduate Reanna Blades signs first professional contract". Chelsea FC. 13 October 2022. Archived from the original on 7 July 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  5. ^ "Chelsea FC Women Academy". The FA. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  6. ^ "Chelsea Women back in action in first game of Arsenal double-header". Chelsea FC. 1 August 2021. Archived from the original on 7 July 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  7. ^ Charpentier, Caden (18 October 2022). "Youth revolution continues: Who is Chelsea's Reanna Blades?". The Pride of London. Archived from the original on 7 July 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  8. ^ Frith, Wilf (1 July 2024). "Alsu Abdullina and Reanna Blades leave Chelsea Women". She Kicks. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  9. ^ Rowe-Willcock, Helen (23 April 2023). "United Women U21s lose to Chelsea in Cup Final". Manchester United FC. Archived from the original on 7 July 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  10. ^ "Reanna Blades joins on-loan – Lewes Community Football Club". Lewes FC. 19 July 2023. Archived from the original on 19 July 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  11. ^ Towers, Jack (27 July 2023). "Chelsea, Sheffield United and Crystal Palace trio join Lewes". Sussex World. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  12. ^ "Chelsea Academy graduate Reanna Blades set for new challenge". Chelsea FC. 30 June 2024. Archived from the original on 30 June 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  13. ^ "Women strengthen ranks with four additions". Burnley F.C. 1 August 2024. Archived from the original on 2 August 2024. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  14. ^ "Women's match report: Nottingham Forest 1-1 Burnley". Burnley FC. 15 September 2024. Archived from the original on 15 September 2024. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  15. ^ "Women's Match Report: Burnley 11-0 Bradford City". Burnley F.C. 1 December 2024. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  16. ^ a b McGrath, Mike (23 November 2020). "'They should be allowed to play' - Chelsea's Reanna Blades on coaching, England ambitions and keeping kids active". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 7 July 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  17. ^ Allen, Ruddy (19 October 2024). "Reggae Girlz Coach Busby gears up for France showdown". Jamaica Observer. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  18. ^ "Coach: New faces need time in Girlz squad". Jamaica Gleaner. 26 October 2024. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  19. ^ Richardson, Faith (30 July 2023). "The Lionesses' lingerie campaign aims to help keep teenage girls in sport". OK! Magazine. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
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