Danny Blanchett
Encyclopedia
Daniel William "Danny" Blanchett (born 6 May 1987) is an English
footballer. He currently plays as a defender
for Burton Albion as a defender in League 2
in the Isthmian League 2004–05 season the youngster racked up seven appearances in the Isthmian League
. In June 2005, friend Phil Ifil introduced him to his own Sports Conditioning Coach, Johnny Silmonin, an attempt to build up Blanchett's strength and pace, two qualities he was lacking and that kept him out of the first team at lowly Hendon.
Both physical attributes were achieved and in the summer of 2005 he joined Harrow Borough
, playing 33 games for The Reds in the 2005-06 season.
In March 2006 he signed for Cambridge City
, stepping up to the Conference South
, although he returned to Harrow Borough as injury cover later in the same month. He was a regular for City throughout the 2006–07 season, however a harsh challenge by a Newport County player cracked Blanchett's calcaneus. Spending months on the sidelines, he finally got back to fitness after some light therapy sessions.
Blanchett had a two week trial at Liverpool
in 2007. It would have came as a shock to many if the Premier League giants, who had won the UEFA Champions League
in 2005
, were to sign Blanchett, a non-league player. The club however had seriously considered paying Cambridge £50,000 for his services.
Nevertheless, his trial had seemingly won him the "keen interest" of "almost 50 clubs" and Blanchett was signed by Darren Ferguson
's Peterborough United
from Cambridge for an undisclosed fee in March 2007, completing his rise to the Football League
. His debut came on 9 April, as a last minute substitute for George Boyd
, in a 2-0 home win over Mansfield Town
. His first goal for the club came on his third appearance, playing the second half of a 3-3 home draw with Rochdale on 5 May.
The 2007-08
season saw him win his first start for the club; a 9 October Football League Trophy
tie with Milton Keynes Dons
at stadium:mk. Dons won 3-1. He made his first league start for the club against Macclesfield
, on 23 February 2008. He was deputising for Jamie Day
, who had injured his back before kick-off. Posh won the game 3-0. Indeed he made just two appearances for the promotion winning League Two
side that season and was thus placed on the transfer list in May 2008.
He made just three League One
appearances and also played one FA Cup
game in the 2008-09 season, before again being transfer listed in May 2009. In July 2009 he joined Port Vale
for pre-season training. He played 90 minutes for the Valiants in what turned out to be an embarrassing pre-season friendly
defeat, Vale losing 1-0 to Biddulph Victoria
of the Midland Football Alliance
. On 7 August, Blanchett joined Conference National
side Stevenage Borough on loan, but made no first-team appearances.
In January 2010 he joined AFC Wimbledon
on loan until the end of the season. Peterborough announced that he would be released when his contract expired on 30 June.
In July 2010, he was offered a contract with Crewe Alexandra
after a successful trial. Despite making 44 appearances in all competitions for the Railwaymen in his first season, he was not retained at the season's end.
He was released by Crewe at the end of the 2010-2011 season and began training with Derby County
at the start of July 2011.
He signed for Burton Albion
on 30/07/2011 on a one year deal
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
footballer. He currently plays as a defender
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
for Burton Albion as a defender in League 2
Career
Blanchett played for HendonHendon F.C.
Hendon Football Club are an English football club based in Hendon, in the London Borough of Barnet. They currently play in the Isthmian League Premier Division.In the 2003-04 season they finished fourth in the Isthmian League Premier Division...
in the Isthmian League 2004–05 season the youngster racked up seven appearances in the Isthmian League
Isthmian League
The Isthmian League is a regional football league covering London and South East England featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs. It is sponsored by Ryman, and therefore officially known as the Ryman League. It was founded in 1905 by amateur clubs in the London area...
. In June 2005, friend Phil Ifil introduced him to his own Sports Conditioning Coach, Johnny Silmonin, an attempt to build up Blanchett's strength and pace, two qualities he was lacking and that kept him out of the first team at lowly Hendon.
Both physical attributes were achieved and in the summer of 2005 he joined Harrow Borough
Harrow Borough F.C.
Harrow Borough Football Club is a semi-professional English association football club based in Harrow, in Greater London. The club are currently members of the Isthmian League Premier Division and play at Earlsmead Stadium....
, playing 33 games for The Reds in the 2005-06 season.
In March 2006 he signed for Cambridge City
Cambridge City F.C.
Cambridge City Football Club is an English football club currently playing in the Southern League Premier Division.-History:The club was founded in 1908 Cambridge Town F.C., as Cambridge had not been granted city status at that point, and were committed to amateur sport...
, stepping up to the Conference South
Conference South
Conference South is one of the second divisions of the Football Conference in England, taking its place immediately below the Conference National...
, although he returned to Harrow Borough as injury cover later in the same month. He was a regular for City throughout the 2006–07 season, however a harsh challenge by a Newport County player cracked Blanchett's calcaneus. Spending months on the sidelines, he finally got back to fitness after some light therapy sessions.
Blanchett had a two week trial at Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
in 2007. It would have came as a shock to many if the Premier League giants, who had won the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
in 2005
2005 UEFA Champions League Final
The 2005 UEFA Champions League Final was the final match of the 2004–05 UEFA Champions League, Europe's primary club football competition. The showpiece event was contested between Liverpool of England and Milan of Italy at the Atatürk Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey on 25 May 2005...
, were to sign Blanchett, a non-league player. The club however had seriously considered paying Cambridge £50,000 for his services.
Nevertheless, his trial had seemingly won him the "keen interest" of "almost 50 clubs" and Blanchett was signed by Darren Ferguson
Darren Ferguson
Darren Ferguson is a Scottish football manager and former player, currently in his second spell as the manager of Peterborough United...
's Peterborough United
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
from Cambridge for an undisclosed fee in March 2007, completing his rise to the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
. His debut came on 9 April, as a last minute substitute for George Boyd
George Boyd (footballer)
George Ian Boyd is a footballer who plays for Peterborough United as a winger.Boyd started his career in the Charlton Athletic youth system, joining Stevenage Borough of the Conference National in 2001 and making his first-team debut in 2002. Boyd spent five seasons at Stevenage, scoring over...
, in a 2-0 home win over Mansfield Town
Mansfield Town F.C.
Mansfield Town Football Club is an English football club from the former mining town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The club was formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans and changed its name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 before settling on Mansfield Town in 1910...
. His first goal for the club came on his third appearance, playing the second half of a 3-3 home draw with Rochdale on 5 May.
The 2007-08
2007-08 in English football
The 2007–08 season was the 128th season of competitive football in England.-European competitions:In October 2007 Arsenal equalled the UEFA Champions League record victory with a 7–0 win over Slavia Prague at the Emirates Stadium. The record was broken the following month when Liverpool...
season saw him win his first start for the club; a 9 October Football League Trophy
Football League Trophy
The Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
tie with Milton Keynes Dons
Milton Keynes Dons F.C.
.Milton Keynes Dons Football Club is an English professional football club founded in 2004 and based since 2007 at Stadium mk, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire...
at stadium:mk. Dons won 3-1. He made his first league start for the club against Macclesfield
Macclesfield Town F.C.
Macclesfield Town Football Club is an English football team. The club was formed in 1874 and is based in the town of Macclesfield in Cheshire. The team play its home games at the 6,355 capacity Moss Rose stadium...
, on 23 February 2008. He was deputising for Jamie Day
Jamie Day (footballer born 1986)
Jamie Robert Day is an English footballer who plays as a defender. He is currently on loan at Aldershot Town from Crawley Town.-Career:...
, who had injured his back before kick-off. Posh won the game 3-0. Indeed he made just two appearances for the promotion winning League Two
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
side that season and was thus placed on the transfer list in May 2008.
He made just three League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
appearances and also played one FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
game in the 2008-09 season, before again being transfer listed in May 2009. In July 2009 he joined Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
for pre-season training. He played 90 minutes for the Valiants in what turned out to be an embarrassing pre-season friendly
Exhibition game
An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
defeat, Vale losing 1-0 to Biddulph Victoria
Biddulph Victoria F.C.
Biddulph Victoria was a football club based in Biddulph, Staffordshire, which closed in 2011.-History:Biddulph Victoria FC was originally formed under the name Knypersley Victoria in 1969 football, inheriting the Tunstall Road ground of the defunct Knypersley F.C. The new club joined the...
of the Midland Football Alliance
Midland Football Alliance
The Midland Football Alliance is an English association football league for semi-professional teams. It covers Leicestershire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands, Worcestershire and also southern parts of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire...
. On 7 August, Blanchett joined Conference National
Conference National
Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
side Stevenage Borough on loan, but made no first-team appearances.
In January 2010 he joined AFC Wimbledon
AFC Wimbledon
AFC Wimbledon is a professional English football club that traces its origins to Wimbledon in the London Borough of Merton. Based at Kingsmeadow, Kingston upon Thames, the club are members of Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football....
on loan until the end of the season. Peterborough announced that he would be released when his contract expired on 30 June.
In July 2010, he was offered a contract with Crewe Alexandra
Crewe Alexandra F.C.
Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional football club based in Crewe, Cheshire. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they currently play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.The club...
after a successful trial. Despite making 44 appearances in all competitions for the Railwaymen in his first season, he was not retained at the season's end.
He was released by Crewe at the end of the 2010-2011 season and began training with Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
at the start of July 2011.
He signed for Burton Albion
Burton Albion F.C.
Burton Albion Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire. The club's home ground is the Pirelli Stadium, having moved from Eton Park in 2005...
on 30/07/2011 on a one year deal
Honours
Peterborough United:- Football League TwoFootball League TwoFootball League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
runner-up: 2007–082007-08 in English footballThe 2007–08 season was the 128th season of competitive football in England.-European competitions:In October 2007 Arsenal equalled the UEFA Champions League record victory with a 7–0 win over Slavia Prague at the Emirates Stadium. The record was broken the following month when Liverpool... - Football League OneFootball League OneFootball League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
runner-up: 2008–09