Damian Batt Explained

Damian Batt
Fullname:Damian Alexander Nathaniel Batt[1]
Birth Date:16 September 1984
Birth Place:Welwyn Garden City, England
Position:Defender
Youthyears1:2001–2004
Youthclubs1:Norwich City
Years1:2004
Years2:2004–2006
Years3:2006–2007
Years4:2007–2008
Years5:2007
Years6:2008
Years7:2008
Years8:2008–2009
Years9:2009–2013
Years10:2013–2014
Years11:2014–2015
Clubs1:Redbridge
Clubs2:Barnet
Clubs3:St Albans City
Clubs5:St Albans City (loan)
Clubs6:Woking (loan)
Clubs9:Oxford United
Clubs10:Eastleigh
Clubs11:Dagenham & Redbridge
Caps1:1
Goals1:0
Caps2:37
Goals2:1
Caps3:22
Goals3:2
Caps4:10
Goals4:0
Caps5:8
Goals5:1
Caps6:13
Goals6:1
Caps7:7
Goals7:1
Caps8:10
Goals8:0
Caps9:158
Goals9:3
Caps10:15
Goals10:0
Caps11:28
Goals11:0
Totalcaps:309
Totalgoals:9

Damian Alexander Nathaniel Batt (born 16 September 1984) is an English footballer who most recently played for Dagenham & Redbridge.

Career

Batt was born in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire.[1] He started his career in the youth system at Norwich City, even though his signature was sought by many London clubs.[2] He scored Norwich's first goal in the 2-1 FA Youth Cup victory over the previous season's champions Aston Villa in December 2002.[2] He accompanied the first team during the 2003 pre-season tour to the Netherlands and prior to the signing of Marc Edworthy, was acting as second choice right back behind Keith Briggs.[2] In January 2004, it was announced that he would not be offered a new professional deal by the Canaries after 8 years at the club.[2] In September 2004, he signed for Barnet, making his debut in a 3–1 win over Stevenage Borough in the EFL Trophy.[2] Barnet won the Conference title in his first season with the club, gaining promotion to EFL League Two.[2] In May 2005, he signed a new one-year contract with the club after making nineteen appearances in the previous campaign, scoring once in the 7–1 rout against Farnborough Town.[3] He failed to secure a regular starting place for the club in the Football League and Barnet announced in May 2006 that he would not be retained.[2]

He subsequently signed for newly promoted Conference National side St Albans City on a non-contract basis in August 2006.[2] [4] His debut came in September, a 2–1 win over Oxford United. He impressed for St Albans and was signed by Stevenage Borough on a free transfer in January 2007.[2] In September 2007, after a couple of bad injuries including a broken ankle he re-joined his former club St Albans on loan for three months.[2] In February 2008 upon his return to Stevenage, he was loaned out again to fellow Conference National side Woking, where he stayed until the end of the season.[2]

In the summer of 2008, Batt decided to leave the club.[5] His stay at the south London club was only brief and he signed for Conference Premier side Grays Athletic on a non-contract basis in October 2008. He impressed during his short spell with the club and despite the offer of a new contract, he signed for fellow Conference Premier side Oxford United in January 2009.[6] He played a major part in the club's success featuring in the 2010 Conference National play-off final win over York City at Wembley Stadium, gaining promotion to League Two.[2] In the summer of 2010, he signed a two-year contract extension on a deal until 2013.[7] The following season, he was included in the League Two PFA Team of the Year after making thirty appearances.[8] In May 2013, he decided to leave Oxford United, making 180 appearances and scoring three times.[2]

In July 2013, he joined Major League Soccer side Vancouver Whitecaps FC.[9] However, after a 6-month stay and longer contracts talks a long term move failed to materialise and in September 2013 he announced that he retired from professional football, which he described as "the hardest decision of my life", in order to pursue his business interests.[10] Later on in the month he signed for part-time Conference South side Eastleigh, despite several offers from other clubs.[11] He found his opportunities limited at the club making only twelve starts and departed Eastleigh in January 2014.[12]

In June 2014, he came out of retirement and returned to full-time football with League Two side Dagenham & Redbridge penning a two-year contract.[13] Dagenham released Batt from his contract on 20 April 2015.[14]

Personal life

His younger brother Shaun is also a professional footballer who has played in the Football League most notably for Peterborough United, Millwall and Leyton Orient.[15]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueFA CupLeague CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
2004–05[16] Conference South1010
2004–05[17] Conference National151004[18] 0191
League Two22010202[19] 0270
Total371102060461
2006–07[20] Conference National222001[21] 0232
Conference National80000080
2007–08[22] Conference Premier20002[23] 040
Total1000020120
St Albans City (loan)2007–08Conference South81000081
Woking (loan)2007–08[24] Conference Premier1313[25] 0161
Fisher Athletic2008–09[26] Conference South711081
Grays Athletic2008–09[27] Conference Premier1002[28] 0120
Oxford UnitedConference Premier160160
2009–10[29] Conference Premier371305[30] 0451
League Two280101000300
League Two401101020441
League Two371302030451
Total158380401001803
Eastleigh2013–14[31] Conference South1501040200
Dagenham & RedbridgeLeague Two280201010320
Career total3099130702903589

Honours

Barnet

2004–05

Oxford United

Individual

2010–11 Football League Two[32]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Barry J. . Hugman . The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2006–07 . 2006 . Mainstream Publishing . 9781845961114 . 37 .
  2. Web site: Damian Batt – Flown From the Nest. Flown From the Nest. 24 June 2014.
  3. Web site: Batt Signs on. Barnet-Mad. 21 May 2005. 24 June 2014.
  4. News: St Albans secure signing of Batt . BBC Sport. 1 September 2006. 24 June 2014.
  5. Web site: Damian Batt – Boro Guide . https://archive.today/20130504223741/http://www.boroguide.co.uk/players/b/batt_damien.php . dead . 4 May 2013 . Boro Guide . 24 June 2014 .
  6. News: Oxford sign Grays defender Batt . 24 January 2009 . BBC Sport . 27 October 2011.
  7. News: Defender Damian Batt signs new deal at Oxford United . BBC Sport. 24 July 2010. 24 June 2014.
  8. News: Oxford's Damian Batt in League Two team of the year. BBC Sport. 18 April 2011.
  9. Web site: English defender Damian Batt trialing with Vancouver Whitecaps, hopes to add fullback depth. Major League Soccer. 22 July 2013. 24 June 2014. 14 June 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140614183634/http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2013/07/22/english-defender-damian-batt-trialing-vancouver-whitecaps-hopes-add-fullback. dead.
  10. News: Former Oxford United defender Batt retires. Oxford Mail. 5 September 2013. 24 June 2014.
  11. Web site: Eastleigh Sign Damian Batt. Eastleigh F.C.. 5 September 2013. 24 June 2014.
  12. Web site: Batt and Rose Depart Spitfires. Non League Pitchero. 31 January 2014. 24 June 2014.
  13. Web site: Daggers Add To Backline. Dagenham & Redbridge F.C.. 24 June 2014. 24 June 2014.
  14. News: Damian Batt: Dagenham release defender by mutual consent . BBC Sport . 20 April 2015.
  15. News: Batt out to complete famous family double. Peterborough Today. Alan. Swann. 15 June 2010. 15 June 2010.
  16. Web site: Games played by Damian Batt in 2004/2005 for Redbridge. SoccerFactsUK. 24 June 2014.
  17. Web site: Games played by Damian Batt in 2004/2005. Barnet-Mad. 24 June 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304030024/http://www.barnet-mad.co.uk/oxford_united/player/season_134/damian_batt_20505/index.shtml. 4 March 2016. dead.
  18. Two appearances in EFL Trophy, two in FA Trophy
  19. Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy
  20. Web site: Games played by Damian Batt in 2006/2007. St Albans City F.C.. 24 June 2014.
  21. Appearance(s) in FA Trophy
  22. Web site: Games played by Damian Batt in 2007/2008 . Boro Guide . 24 June 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111003005911/http://www.boroguide.co.uk/seasons/0708.php#.U6ltbSjUvIX . 3 October 2011.
  23. One appearance in FA Trophy, one in Conference League Cup
  24. Web site: Games played by Damian Batt in 2007/2008 for Woking. Woking F.C.. 24 June 2014. 14 July 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140714175215/http://www.wokingfc.co.uk/first-team/table/200708/. dead.
  25. One appearance in Conference League Cup, two in Surrey Senior Cup
  26. Web site: Games played by Damian Batt in 2008/2009. Aylesbury United F.C.. 24 June 2014.
  27. Web site: Games played by Damian Batt in 2008/2009 for Grays. Grays Athletic F.C.. 24 June 2014.
  28. One appearance in FA Trophy, one in Essex Senior Cup
  29. Web site: Games played by Damian Batt in 2009/2010 for Oxford. Barnet-Mad. 24 June 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304050217/http://www.barnet-mad.co.uk/oxford_united/player/season_139/damian_batt_20505/index.shtml. 4 March 2016. dead.
  30. Two appearances in FA Trophy, three in Conference Premier play-offs
  31. Web site: Games played by Damian Batt in 2013/2014. Eastleigh F.C.. 24 June 2014.
  32. News: Spurs' Gareth Bale wins PFA player of the year award . BBC Sport . 17 April 2011 . 20 December 2022.