# Maxime Blanchard

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. 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. 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.
He moved to England in the summer of 2010, signing for Football League One club Tranmere Rovers. 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. Blanchard signed a short-term contract with Plymouth Argyle in November. He made his debut in a 4–1 win against Northampton Town, and extended his contract in January 2012 until the end of the season. Blanchard scored his first goal for the club in a 1–1 draw with Crawley Town.
Blanchard signed a new two-year contract in May, and won the club's Player of the Year award for the 2011–12 season. He made 28 league appearances, in which he scored two goals and, according to The Herald, had a "formidable partnership" with Darren Purse.
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.

## Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Laval | 2005–06 | Ligue 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Laval | 2006–07 | National | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Laval | 2007–08 | National | 22 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0 |
| Laval | Total | Total | 26 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 0 |
| L'Entente SSG | 2008–09 | National | 35 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 1 |
| Moulins | 2009–10 | National | 35 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 1 |
| Tranmere Rovers | 2010–11 | League One | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| Plymouth Argyle | 2011–12 | League Two | 28 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 2 |
| Plymouth Argyle | 2012–13 | League Two | 40 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 44 | 1 |
| Plymouth Argyle | 2013–14 | League Two | 36 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 43 | 1 |
| Plymouth Argyle | Total | Total | 104 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 115 | 4 |
| Shamrock Rovers | 2015 | Irish Premier | 17 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 4 |
| Shamrock Rovers | 2016 | Irish Premier | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Shamrock Rovers | Total | Total | 26 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 4 |
| Newport County | 2016–17 | League Two | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 247 | 10 | 15 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 273 | 10 |
* ↑ Line-ups from two matches are not provided
* 1 2 3 4 5 Appearances in the Football League Trophy