| Harry Pickering | |
| Fullname: | Harry Leslie Pickering[1] |
| Birth Date: | 1998 12, df=yes[2] |
| Birth Place: | Chester, England |
| Currentclub: | Blackburn Rovers |
| Clubnumber: | 3 |
| Position: | Left-back |
| Youthyears1: | –2016 |
| Youthclubs1: | Crewe Alexandra |
| Years1: | 2016–2021 |
| Clubs1: | Crewe Alexandra |
| Caps1: | 127 |
| Goals1: | 9 |
| Years2: | 2021– |
| Clubs2: | Blackburn Rovers |
| Caps2: | 108 |
| Goals2: | 4 |
| Years3: | 2021 |
| Clubs3: | → Crewe Alexandra (loan) |
| Caps3: | 20 |
| Goals3: | 0 |
| Club-Update: | 09:57, 5 May 2024 (UTC) |
Harry Leslie Pickering (born 29 December 1998) is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for club Blackburn Rovers.
A graduate of Crewe Alexandra's Academy, Pickering signed professional terms with Crewe in March 2016.[3] [4] He made his debut on 22 April 2017, coming on as a 63rd-minute substitute for Callum Ainley against Leyton Orient at Gresty Road.[5] Pickering scored his first senior goal on 24 February 2018 with an equaliser from a direct free kick away at Lincoln City in a game Crewe eventually won 4–1.[6]
In April 2018, Pickering signed a new three-year contract at Crewe, with the option of a further year.[7] At Colchester United on 21 August 2018, Pickering sustained a hamstring injury ruling him out of action for over a month.[8]
In September 2020, Pickering signed a new three-year contract with the club,[9] and in December 2020 was named Crewe captain in the absence of Perry Ng[10] (Ng moved to Cardiff City the following month). Crewe rejected an initial offer from Blackburn Rovers during the January 2021 transfer window,[11] but later agreed his move to Blackburn on a four-and-a-half-year deal (to summer 2025) for an undisclosed fee, with Pickering remaining at Crewe on loan (and remaining club captain) until the end of the 2020–21 season.[12]
Pickering made his Rovers debut at Ewood Park in a 2–1 win over Swansea City on 7 August 2021.[13] He scored his first goal for Blackburn just over a month later in a 2–2 league draw against Luton Town at Ewood Park on 11 September 2021.[14] After a run of strong defensive performances, Pickering suffered a hamstring injury on 2 January 2022 in Blackburn's game against Huddersfield Town which ruled him out of first team action for several weeks.[15]
On 19 August 2023, Pickering received his first career red card after bringing down Hull City's Liam Delap in the 16th minute of Blackburn's 2–1 home defeat at Ewood Park.[16] In December 2023, shortly before his 100th game for Blackburn, he signed a contract extension committing himself to the club until 2027.[17] In January 2024, Pickering suffered a hamstring injury ruling him out for around six weeks.[18]
| Club | Season | Division | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||||
| Crewe Alexandra | 2016–17 | League Two | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2017–18[19] | League Two | 35 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 3 | ||
| 2018–19[20] | League Two | 32 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 0 | ||
| 2019–20[21] | League Two | 35 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 43 | 3 | ||
| 2020–21[22] | League One | 24 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 29 | 4 | ||
| Total | 127 | 9 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 148 | 10 | |||
| Blackburn Rovers | 2020–21 | Championship | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 2021–22[23] | Championship | 32 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 33 | 2 | |||
| 2022–23[24] | Championship | 40 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 46 | 1 | |||
| 2023–24[25] | Championship | 36 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | – | 41 | 1 | |||
| Total | 108 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 120 | 6 | |||
| Crewe Alexandra (loan) | 2020–21 | League One | 20 | 0 | – | – | – | 20 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 253 | 13 | 16 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 288 | 14 | |||