Alan Blayney

Infobox Football biography


playername = Alan Blayney
fullname = Alan Blayney
height = height|ft=6|in=2
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1981|9|10
cityofbirth = Belfast
countryofbirth = Northern Ireland
currentclub =
clubnumber =
position = Goalkeeper
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 2002–2006
2002
2002–2003
2005
2005
2005
2006–2007
2007
2007
2008
clubs = Southampton
→ Stockport County (loan)
→ Bournemouth (loan)
→ Rushden & Diamonds (loan)
→ Brighton & Hove Albion (loan)
→ Brighton & Hove Albion (loan)
Doncaster Rovers
Oldham Athletic
Bohemians
Ballymena United
caps(goals) = 03 (0)
02 (0)
02 (0)
04 (0)
07 (0)
08 (0)
24 (0)
01 (0)
03 (0)
nationalyears = 2003–2004
2006–
nationalteam = flagicon|Northern Ireland Northern Ireland U21
flagicon|Northern Ireland Northern Ireland
nationalcaps(goals) = 04 (0)
01 (0)
pcupdate = 14:06, 18 September 2007 (UTC)
ntupdate = 17:14, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Alan Blayney (born September 10, 1981) is a professional footballer from Belfast, Northern Ireland, currently with Ballymena United. Blayney plays as a goalkeeper.

Footballing career

Blayney started his career with Premiership side Southampton and was loaned out to Stockport County, [cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/2323591.stm |title=Transfers - October 2002 |accessdate=2007-02-23 |date=2002-10-29 |work= |publisher=BBC Sport] but was cut short by a broken finger. [cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/stockport/2518345.stm |title=Blayney's break frustrates Hatters
accessdate=2007-02-23 |date=2002-11-27 |work= |publisher=BBC Sport] He also he had a spell at Bournemouth on loan. [cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/bournemouth/2605539.stm |title=Blayney joins Cherries
accessdate=2007-02-23 |date=2002-12-25 |work= |publisher=BBC Sport] He made his début for Southampton in May 2004, receiving a high amount of praise. [cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/northern_ireland/3712213.stm |title=Blayney stars in debut|accessdate=2007-02-23 |date=2004-05-13 |work= |publisher=BBC Sport] Blayney also won Sky Sports save of the season after saving an Alan Shearer header in May 2004 on his Premier League début. [cite news |url=http://www.southampton.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=5599|title=Keeper Leaves Saints |accessdate=2007-02-24 |date= |work= |publisher=Vital Football] The match at St Mary's ended in a 3-3 draw. [cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/3703591.stm |title=Southampton 3-3 Newcastle|accessdate=2007-02-23 |date=2005-05-12 |work= |publisher=BBC Sport] Blayney also played in the following 2-1 to Charlton Athletic. Blayney would play two more games for Southampton the following season, the 2-2 Premier League loss against West Bromwich Albion and the 5-2 League Cup loss against Watford. Blayney, who was behind Antti Niemi and Paul Smith in the team's pecking order went on loan to Rushden & Diamonds [cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/lincoln_city/4154925.stm |title=Littlejohn completes Rushden move|accessdate=2007-02-23 |date=2005-01-07 |work= |publisher=BBC Sport] and Brighton & Hove Albion. [cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/brighton/4379785.stm |title=Seagulls sign two on deadline day |accessdate=2007-02-23 |date=2005-03-24 |work= |publisher=BBC Sport] Brighton tried to sign Blayney on a permanent basis in 2005, but couldn't afford the transfer fee Southampton were asking. [cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/brighton/4102810.stm |title=Brighton rule out Blayney signing |accessdate=2007-02-23 |date=2005-06-17 |work= |publisher=BBC Sport] Blayney did return to Brighton & Hove Albion for a second loan spell, [cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/brighton/4263410.stm |title=Blayney pleased at Albion return |accessdate=2007-02-23 |date=2005-09-20 |work= |publisher=BBC Sport] before returning to Southampton in mid December.

Blayney then joined Doncaster Rovers for £50,000 from Southampton in January 2006, signing a two and half year contract, with hopes of getting the team promoted to the Championship. [cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/d/doncaster/4583866.stm |title=Doncaster snap up keeper Blayney |accessdate=2007-02-23 |date=2006-01-05 |work= |publisher=BBC Sport] Blayney started off as first choice goalkeeper at Belle Vue stadium, but fell behind Ben Smith and Dane Jan Budtz in the pecking order after an ankle injury. [cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/d/doncaster/6079598.stm |title=Blayney injury worries Doncaster|accessdate=2007-01-26 |date=2006-10-24 |work= |publisher=BBC Sport] He decided to leave the club for personal reasons. [cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/d/doncaster/6298541.stm |title=Keeper Blayney leaves Doncaster |accessdate=2007-01-26 |date=2007-01-24 |work= |publisher=BBC Sport]

In February 2007, Blayney joined League One side Oldham Athletic, until the end of the 2006-07 season, after impressing in a reserve team match. [cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/o/oldham_athletic/6354801.stm |title=Oldham complete Blayney signing |accessdate=2007-02-23 |date=2007-02-16 |work= |publisher=BBC Sport] Blayney made his début for Oldham Athletic in a 1-2 home defeat against Bournenouth, after first choice goalkeeper Les Pogliacomi was suspended. [cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/6371147.stm |title=Oldham 1-2 Bournemouth |accessdate=2007-02-24 |date=2007-02-24 |work= |publisher=BBC Sport]

In August 07, Alan Blayney joined Irish side Bohemian F.C. on a short term deal to provide cover for first choice goalkeeper Brian Murphy. He marked his debut with a clean sheet as Bohs beat Bray Wanderers 3-0 on August 31. He failed to gain the #1 jersey from Brian Murphy though and was released at the end of the season. On 15 March 2008 it was revealed that Blayney had signed for Ballymena United [http://www.ballymenaunitedfc.com/news/news_2008_03_16_1.htm Alan Blayney signs for Ballymena United. Retrieved on 2008-03-16] , although he will be unable to play for the Braidmen until the 2008-09 season.

International football

Blayney, a former Northern Ireland under-21 international, played his first and thus far only match for the Northern Ireland senior national side in their 2006 summer tour of the United States. Northern Ireland lost the match against Romania 2-0. [cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/5019082.stm |title=Romania 2-0 Northern Ireland |accessdate=2007-02-23 |date=2006-05-27 |work= |publisher=BBC Sport]

Notes

External links

*soccerbase|id=33709|name=Alan Blayney's