Maxime Blanchard Explained

Maxime Blanchard
Fullname:Maxime Edouard Camille Blanchard[1]
Birth Date:27 September 1986
Birth Place:Alençon, France
Height:1.82 m
Position:Defender, midfielder
Years1:2005–2008
Clubs1:Laval
Caps1:26
Goals1:0
Years2:2008–2009
Clubs2:L'Entente SSG
Caps2:35
Goals2:1
Years3:2009–2010
Clubs3:Moulins
Caps3:35
Goals3:1
Years4:2010–2011
Clubs4:Tranmere Rovers
Caps4:20
Goals4:0
Years5:2011–2014
Clubs5:Plymouth Argyle
Caps5:104
Goals5:4
Years6:2015–2016
Clubs6:Shamrock Rovers
Caps6:26
Goals6:4
Years7:2017
Clubs7:Newport County
Caps7:1
Goals7:0
Totalcaps:267
Totalgoals:10

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]
ClubSeasonLeagueFA CupLeague CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Laval2005–06Ligue 20000000000
2006–07National4010000050
2007–08National220303000280
Total260403000330
L'Entente SSG2008–09National351100000361
Moulins2009–10National351300000381
Tranmere Rovers2010–11League One200101020240
Plymouth Argyle2011–12League Two282000000282
2012–13League Two401102010441
2013–14League Two361500020431
Total10446020301154
Shamrock Rovers2015Irish Premier174000000174
2016Irish Premier9000000090
Total264000000264
Newport County2016–17League Two1000000010
Career total24710150605027310

Notes and References

  1. News: Professional retain list & free transfers 2012/13 . The Football League . 18 May 2013 . 67 . 18 June 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140802074454/http://www.football-league.co.uk/staticFiles/4e/bd/0%2C%2C10794~179534%2C00.pdf . 2 August 2014 .
  2. Web site: Maxime Blanchard. Foot National. 22 January 2013. French.
  3. Web site: Maxime Blanchard. L'Équipe. 22 January 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20090620020725/http://www.lequipe.fr/Football/FootballFicheJoueur25700.html. 20 June 2009. French.
  4. News: Tranmere Rovers sign French defender Maxime Blanchard. 22 January 2013. Liverpool Echo. 7 August 2010. Liverpool.
  5. News: Hilton. Nick. Maxime Blanchard says Tranmere Rovers should fear no one ahead of Charlton Athletic's visit to Prenton Park. 22 January 2013. Liverpool Daily Post. 16 September 2010. Liverpool.
  6. Web site: Rovers Offer Six New Contracts . Tranmere Rovers F.C . 22 January 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110513095616/http://www.tranmererovers.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10365~2356474%2C00.html . 13 May 2011 . 9 May 2011 . dead .
  7. Web site: Tranmere Rovers to release seven players. BBC Sport. BBC. 22 January 2013. 10 May 2011.
  8. Web site: Plymouth Argyle sign French defender Maxime Blanchard. BBC Sport. BBC. 18 November 2011. 18 November 2011.
  9. News: Plymouth Argyle sign trialist Max Blanchard. https://archive.today/20130505093940/http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/ARGYLE-SIGN-TRIALIST-MAX/story-13893752-detail/story.html. dead. 5 May 2013. 22 January 2013. The Herald. 19 November 2011. Plymouth.
  10. Web site: Plymouth 4–1 Northampton. BBC Sport. BBC. 12 January 2012. 26 November 2011.
  11. Web site: Maxime Blanchard extends Plymouth Argyle stay. BBC Sport. BBC. 12 January 2012. 12 January 2012.
  12. News: Plymouth Argyle extend Maxime Blanchard deal. https://archive.today/20130505064036/http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/Plymouth-Argyle-extend-Maxime-Blanchard-deal/story-14397910-detail/story.html. dead. 5 May 2013. 22 January 2013. The Herald. 12 January 2012. Plymouth.
  13. Web site: Plymouth 1–1 Crawley Town. BBC Sport. BBC. 21 January 2012. 21 January 2012.
  14. Web site: Maxime Blanchard signs new Plymouth Argyle deal. BBC Sport. BBC. 3 May 2012. 3 May 2012.
  15. News: Maxime Blanchard promises Plymouth Argyle will try to set the record straight. https://archive.today/20130505070833/http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/Maxime-Blanchard-promises-Plymouth-Argyle-try-set/story-16000213-detail/story.html. dead. 5 May 2013. 22 January 2013. The Herald. 4 May 2012. Plymouth.
  16. Web site: Max Is Player Of The Season . Plymouth Argyle F.C . 22 January 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120509053517/http://www.pafc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10364~2760911%2C00.html . 9 May 2012 . 5 May 2012 . dead .
  17. News: Plymouth Argyle almost failed to sign Maxime Blanchard. https://archive.today/20130505105616/http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/Plymouth-Argyle-failed-sign-Maxime-Blanchard/story-16052045-detail/story.html. dead. 5 May 2013. 22 January 2013. The Herald. 11 May 2012. Plymouth.
  18. Web site: Maxime Blanchard: French defender signs for Newport County . BBC Sport . 10 February 2017 . 10 February 2017.
  19. Web site: Maxime Blanchard: Defender leaves Newport County after one game . BBC Sport . 14 February 2017 . 15 February 2017.
  20. Web site: Maxime Blanchard. Soccerway. 10 October 2017.