Dexter Blackstock
Encyclopedia
Dexter Anthony Titus Blackstock (born 20 May 1986) is an English
footballer who currently plays for Nottingham Forest
in the Football League Championship
. He plays as a centre-forward.
, he came through the Oxford United
youth system and was then signed by Southampton
, who had to pay United compensation of £275,000 as a result. Due to an injury crisis he was brought into the Southampton
first team, where he scored a hat-trick against Colchester United
in the Carling Cup in 2004. He then scored in the local derby against Portsmouth
in Southampton's 2–1 win, thus establishing himself in the squad.
He was sent out on loan twice; to Plymouth Argyle
in February 2005 for twelve weeks, scoring 4 goals in 14 appearances, and to Derby County
in October 2005, scoring 3 goals in 9 appearances. He was recalled from Derby on 22 December 2005 after the appointment of George Burley
as Southampton manager.
On 18 February 2006 he played in goal for the final ten minutes of the FA Cup
fifth round tie against Newcastle
. An injury to Bartosz Bialkowski
and with Southampton having used all three substitutes, meant that Blackstock had to take over.
Although Blackstock had featured regularly under Burley, Southampton's purchase of Bradley Wright-Phillips
meant that Blackstock had more competition for a role in Southampton's first team. As a result, Blackstock moved to Queens Park Rangers
on 10 August 2006 for a fee believed to be around £500,000.
Given the number 32 shirt for the 2006–07 season, Blackstock was first choice striker throughout the season and played with a number of different partners, including Kevin Gallen
, Paul Furlong
and Marc Nygaard
. Somewhat surprisingly however, the teenager Ray Jones was Blackstock’s most regular partner as they struck up a good understanding with a combination of pace and power.
As the season progressed so did Blackstock, and it was in the final stages of the season that his performances started to blossom. Throughout the campaign his work effort was fantastic, but he had displayed a worrying sign of missing one-on-one’s in the early stages of his QPR career. These worries soon disappeared and a fantastic goal against Preston North End
was the highlight of the season. Receiving a ball from Marc Nygaard in a left back position, Blackstock chested the ball down and volleyed it with his left foot into the top corner from 30 yards.
Blackstock ended the campaign as club top scorer on 14 goals, one short of his personal target of 15. He came second in the player of the season awards, and his goal against Preston won goal of the season.
On 16 August 2007, Blackstock was called up to Stuart Pearce's first England under-21 squad as full time manager. In the match against Montenegro on 7 September, he came on as a substitute on 90 minutes and headed the ball down for Andrew Surman
to score the final goal in a 3–0 victory.
After scoring just six in 2007–08, Blackstock returned to form in 2008–09, and by the end of January had scored 12 goals in all competitions.
on 4 April 2009 at Oakwell, scoring his first goal, the winner, for the club against Bristol City
in a dramatic 3–2 win at the City Ground
on 11 April 2009.
On 22 July 2009, Blackstock signed a 4 year contract with Nottingham Forest
for a seven figure fee. He scored his first goal of the season when he notched in a first round Football League Cup
win over Bradford City
on 12 August 2009. He scored his first goal of the 2010–11 season in a 1–1 draw against newly-promoted side Leeds United
.
On 20 November 2010 Blackstock suffered serious knee ligament damage after scoring the second goal in Forests 2-0 win at Cardiff City and was subsequently sidelined for 12 months. He made his comeback in a friendly against York City on 14 November 2011 and scored along with Paul Anderson another long term injured player.
In August 2011, there was reported interest from Blackpool
in Blackstock.
|rowspan="2"|2004–05
||Southampton
||Premier League||9||1||0||0||2||4||11||5
|-
|Plymouth Argyle
(loan)||rowspan="9"|Championship
||14||4||0||0||0||0||14||4
|-
|rowspan="2"|2005–06
||Southampton
||19||3||3||0||2||1||22||4
|-
|Derby County
(loan)||9||3||0||0||0||0||9||3
|-
|2006–07
||rowspan="3"|Queens Park Rangers
||39||13||2||1||1||0||42||14
|-
|2007–08
||35||6||1||0||0||0||36||6
|-
|rowspan="2"|2008–09
||36||11||1||0||2||1||39||12
|-
|Nottingham Forest
(loan)||6||2||0||0||0||0||6||2
|-
|2009–10||rowspan="2"|Nottingham Forest
||41||13||1||0||3||1||45||14
|-
|2010–11||17||5||0||0||1||0||18||5
215||59||8||1||11||7||234||67
215||59||8||1||11||7||234||67
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
footballer who currently plays for Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
in the Football League Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
. He plays as a centre-forward.
Southampton
Born in OxfordOxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, he came through the Oxford United
Oxford United F.C.
Oxford United Football Club is an English association football club based in Oxford, Oxfordshire. The club play in League Two, following promotion from the Conference National in May 2010. The club had been a non-League side since their relegation from the Football League in the 2005–06 season. The...
youth system and was then signed by Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
, who had to pay United compensation of £275,000 as a result. Due to an injury crisis he was brought into the Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
first team, where he scored a hat-trick against Colchester United
Colchester United F.C.
Colchester United Football Club is an English football club based in Colchester. The club was formed in 1937, and briefly shared their old Layer Road home with now defunct side Colchester Town who had previously used the ground from 1910....
in the Carling Cup in 2004. He then scored in the local derby against Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
in Southampton's 2–1 win, thus establishing himself in the squad.
He was sent out on loan twice; to Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
in February 2005 for twelve weeks, scoring 4 goals in 14 appearances, and to 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...
in October 2005, scoring 3 goals in 9 appearances. He was recalled from Derby on 22 December 2005 after the appointment of George Burley
George Burley
George Elder Burley is a Scottish football manager and former player and manager, formerly the manager of Crystal Palace Football Club. Burley had a professional career spanning 21 years as a player making 628 appearances and earning 11 Scotland caps...
as Southampton manager.
On 18 February 2006 he played in goal for the final ten minutes of the 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...
fifth round tie against Newcastle
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
. An injury to Bartosz Bialkowski
Bartosz Bialkowski
Bartosz Białkowski , is a Polish football goalkeeper, currently with Championship club Southampton.-Football career:He was born 6 July 1987 in Braniewo, Poland and made his Polish league debut on 30 October 2004 for Olimpia Elbląg....
and with Southampton having used all three substitutes, meant that Blackstock had to take over.
Although Blackstock had featured regularly under Burley, Southampton's purchase of Bradley Wright-Phillips
Bradley Wright-Phillips
Bradley Edward Wright-Phillips is an English footballer who plays for Charlton Athletic as a striker.He is the son of former Arsenal and England player Ian Wright, and younger half-brother to Queens Park Rangers and England international Shaun Wright-Phillips; Ian's adopted son, with whom he used...
meant that Blackstock had more competition for a role in Southampton's first team. As a result, Blackstock moved to Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
on 10 August 2006 for a fee believed to be around £500,000.
Queens Park Rangers
The £500,000 transfer fee that Gary Waddock paid for Blackstock’s services raised a few eyebrows, but, unlike most of Waddock’s other signings, Blackstock went on to prove any doubters wrong.Given the number 32 shirt for the 2006–07 season, Blackstock was first choice striker throughout the season and played with a number of different partners, including Kevin Gallen
Kevin Gallen
Kevin Andrew Gallen is an English professional footballer who is without a club. He most recently played for Braintree Town and is currently working for Queens Park Rangers academy in a youth development role similar to that previously held by his brother Joe Gallen.A former England Under-21...
, Paul Furlong
Paul Furlong
Paul Furlong is an English professional footballer, currently playing for St Albans City in a player/coach role.-Career:...
and Marc Nygaard
Marc Nygaard
Marc Stephen Griffith Nygaard is a Danish professional footballer who plays for Helmond Sport as a striker.-Club career:...
. Somewhat surprisingly however, the teenager Ray Jones was Blackstock’s most regular partner as they struck up a good understanding with a combination of pace and power.
As the season progressed so did Blackstock, and it was in the final stages of the season that his performances started to blossom. Throughout the campaign his work effort was fantastic, but he had displayed a worrying sign of missing one-on-one’s in the early stages of his QPR career. These worries soon disappeared and a fantastic goal against Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
was the highlight of the season. Receiving a ball from Marc Nygaard in a left back position, Blackstock chested the ball down and volleyed it with his left foot into the top corner from 30 yards.
Blackstock ended the campaign as club top scorer on 14 goals, one short of his personal target of 15. He came second in the player of the season awards, and his goal against Preston won goal of the season.
On 16 August 2007, Blackstock was called up to Stuart Pearce's first England under-21 squad as full time manager. In the match against Montenegro on 7 September, he came on as a substitute on 90 minutes and headed the ball down for Andrew Surman
Andrew Surman
Andrew Ronald Edward Surman is a South African-born English footballer who plays as a midfielder for Norwich City. He spent the first five years of his career with Southampton where he played more than 100 games and has also played for Wolverhampton Wanderers and loan spells at Walsall and...
to score the final goal in a 3–0 victory.
After scoring just six in 2007–08, Blackstock returned to form in 2008–09, and by the end of January had scored 12 goals in all competitions.
Nottingham Forest
On 26 March 2009 it was announced that Blackstock had signed for Nottingham Forest on loan until the end of the season, with an undisclosed fee agreed should Forest avoid relegation. Blackstock subsequently made his debut for Forest against BarnsleyBarnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
on 4 April 2009 at Oakwell, scoring his first goal, the winner, for the club against Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
in a dramatic 3–2 win at the City Ground
City Ground
The City Ground is a football stadium in the West Bridgford area of Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, on the banks of the River Trent. It has been home to Nottingham Forest Football Club since 1898, and has a capacity of 30,602 ....
on 11 April 2009.
On 22 July 2009, Blackstock signed a 4 year contract with Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
for a seven figure fee. He scored his first goal of the season when he notched in a first round Football League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
win over Bradford City
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
on 12 August 2009. He scored his first goal of the 2010–11 season in a 1–1 draw against newly-promoted side Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
.
On 20 November 2010 Blackstock suffered serious knee ligament damage after scoring the second goal in Forests 2-0 win at Cardiff City and was subsequently sidelined for 12 months. He made his comeback in a friendly against York City on 14 November 2011 and scored along with Paul Anderson another long term injured player.
In August 2011, there was reported interest from Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
in Blackstock.
Soccer School
Blackstock is currently running his own football school so that he can help give the opportunity for children (6–15 years old) to learn a variety of football skills during their school holidays. He has gone on record in the press stating that it would make him very happy if he can help any children realize their dream of becoming professional football players. It has been hinted that several scouts will turn up to spot any talent. He is providing all his students with a kit bag containing a number of merchandise items including a full Nike soccer kit to help them on their way.Career statistics
|-|rowspan="2"|2004–05
The Football League 2004-05
The 2004–2005 season was the 105th completed season of The Football League.-Overview:This season the league was contested through three divisions. 2004–05 was the first season to feature the rebranded Football League. The First Division, Second Division and Third Division were renamed the Football...
||Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
||Premier League||9||1||0||0||2||4||11||5
|-
|Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
(loan)||rowspan="9"|Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
||14||4||0||0||0||0||14||4
|-
|rowspan="2"|2005–06
The Football League 2005-06
The 2005–2006 season was the 106th completed season of The Football League.-Overview:In this season of Football League, Reading was the only club in England to get more than 100 points and they also have won the League Championship...
||Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
||19||3||3||0||2||1||22||4
|-
|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...
(loan)||9||3||0||0||0||0||9||3
|-
|2006–07
The Football League 2006-07
The 2006–2007 season was the 107th completed season of the Football League.-Overview:The Football League was contested through three Divisions in England and Wales. The divisions were the Football League Championship, Football League One and Football League Two...
||rowspan="3"|Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
||39||13||2||1||1||0||42||14
|-
|2007–08
The Football League 2007-08
The Football League is contested through three divisions in England and Wales. The divisions are the League Championship, League One and League Two. The winner and the runner up of the League Championship will be automatically promoted to the Premier League and they will be joined by the winner of...
||35||6||1||0||0||0||36||6
|-
|rowspan="2"|2008–09
The Football League 2008-09
The Football League 2008–09, titled the Coca-Cola Football League, was the 109th completed season of the Football League. It began in August 2008 and concluded in May 2009, with the promotion play-off finals....
||36||11||1||0||2||1||39||12
|-
|Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
(loan)||6||2||0||0||0||0||6||2
|-
|2009–10||rowspan="2"|Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
||41||13||1||0||3||1||45||14
|-
|2010–11||17||5||0||0||1||0||18||5
215||59||8||1||11||7||234||67
215||59||8||1||11||7||234||67
External links
- Dexter Blackstock Soccer School booking and information site
- Dexter Blackstock player profile at qpr.co.uk
- Dexter Blackstock player profile at saintsfc.co.uk
- Dexter Blackstock Official Website at officialplayerwebsites.com