Błażej Augustyn

Błażej Augustyn (born 26 January 1988 in Strzelin) is a Polish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Polish regional league club WKS Wierzbice.
Club career
Youth career
Augustyn began his youth career with SK Strzelinianka Strzelin in the late 1990s and remained with the amateur club until he transferred to Śląsk Wrocław in 2003. He remained with the youth system for just one season before transferring to UKS SMS Łódź in 2004. Following an impressive spell with the club's youth team, Augustyn made a transfer to the Premier League with Bolton Wanderers.
Bolton Wanderers
Augustyn officially signed for Bolton Wanderers midway through the 2005–06 season, and signed his first professional contract on 3 August 2006. Augustyn then made his only appearance for the first team on 6 January 2007 as a substitute in an FA Cup 3rd round tie against Doncaster Rovers. He was offered a contract extension by former Bolton manager Sammy Lee, but turned it down as his first team opportunities would be limited.
Legia Warsaw
In June 2007, Augustyn returned to Poland, signing a four-year contract with Legia Warsaw.
On 29 July 2007, he made his Legia Warsaw debut, making his first start before coming off in the 88th minute just two minutes from the end of the game, in a 1–0 win against the KS Cracovia. However, in his third appearance against Korona Kielce on 21 September 2007, Augustyn made a mistake in the 2nd minute of the game, allowing Grzegorz Bonin to score the only goal in the game. After the game, Augustyn apologised and took the blame for his mistake. Between 2007 and 2008, the 19-year-old Augustyn made just 4 first team appearances, but spent time within the youth team as well. Augustyn later spoke about his time at Legia Warsaw, saying the club accused him of "hypertrophy ambitions".
Rimini Calcio
In August 2008, he joined Rimini on loan in the Italian Serie B.
He suffered a knee injury during his second appearance for the club which saw him miss most of the season, but he made four appearances in regular league matches and two in the playouts. Following Rimini's relegation, Augustyn returned to Legia Warsaw, but was instantly sold back to Italy, joining Serie A side, Catania in June 2009.
Calcio Catania
On 22 June 2009, Augustyn signed a four-year contract with Serie A side Catania.
During pre-season, he won the inaugural Dahlia Cup with Catania, playing half-matches against Serie A rivals Cagliari and Fiorentina. On 15 August 2009, he made his official debut starting for Catania against Cremonese in the 2009–10 Coppa Italia. Meanwhile, he made his Serie A debut on 23 August 2009, in a match where Augustyn was sent off after receiving a second yellow in the 78th minute. He made ten league appearances, including six in the starting 11, before his season was cut short by a knee injury in April 2010. Augustyn made his return to action, coming on as a substitute for Giuseppe Bellusci, in a 1–1 draw against Chievo on 16 January 2011. Augustyn was then sent-off in the 75th minute, in a 1–1 draw against Genoa on 27 February 2011. Augustyn later played under manager Diego Simeone and described him as a "madman", though he did praised Simeone's tactics.
On 31 August 2011, he was loaned to Vicenza Calcio in Serie B, with an option to purchase half of his contract. Augustyn made his Vicenza debut on 4 September 2011, playing 90 minutes in a 1–1 draw against Ascoli. Augustyn scored his first Vincenza goal on 15 October 2011, in a 2–1 win over Hellas Verona. Though making 26 appearances for the club, Vicenza did not execute their purchase option, and therefore, the player returned to Sicily on 30 June 2012.
After returning to Catania, the club tried to sell Augustyn by the end of the summer transfer window. However, the club's attempted to sell Augustyn never happened and he failed to make a single appearance for the club until a substitute appearance on the final match-day of the 2012–13 campaign in a 2–2 away draw versus Torino.
Górnik Zabrze
With his contract at Catania expiring, Augustyn returned to Poland by signing for Górnik Zabrze on a one-year contract after playing in Italy for five-years. Augustyn was linked with a move to Sassuolo before his move to Górnik Zabrze.
Augustyn made his Górnik Zabrze debut in the opening game of the season, in a 2–1 win over Zagłębie Lubin. Augustyn started four matches until he was replaced by Antoni Łukasiewicz in half-time, in a 3–2 win over Zawisza Bydgoszcz on 30 September 2013. It revealed Augustyn suffered a foot injury on his left and wouldn't be able to train for the month. After months on the sidelines, Augustyn made his return, making his first start, against Zagłębie Lubin on 16 February 2014 before being substituted in the 26th minute by Boris Pandža, which saw Górnik Zabrze lose 3–0. Augustyn initially thought he suffered an ankle injury, but after underwent surgery, it was announced that Augustyn would be out of the 2013–14 season. At the end of the season, Augustyn had his contract extended for another season.
Ahead of the 2014–15 season, Augustyn aimed to make his return to the first team by getting back to shape. Augustyn made his return in the first team, in the opening game of the season, and scoring a header in the early minutes, in a 2–0 win over KS Cracovia. His progress from his return led foreign clubs keen to sign him. Unfortunately, Augustyn was soon injured after he tore his quadriceps that kept him out for three to six weeks. After two months on the sidelines, Augustyn made his return on 24 October 2014, in a 1–0 loss against GKS Bełchatów. His return was then short-lived when he was sent-off in the 73rd minute for a professional foul on Rafał Murawski, in a 1–1 draw against Pogoń Szczecin on 2 November 2014. As a result, Augustyn would have to serve four match ban. After making his return, Augustyn scored his second goal of the season on 6 April 2015, in a 2–2 draw against Ruch Chorzów. Later in the 2014–15 season, Augustyn was sent-off for the second time this season after a second bookable offense against Pogoń Szczecin and had to serve eight match ban.
At the end of the season, it was announced that Augustyn would leave the club, with a hinting a move back to Italy, though Greek club PAOK was among interested signing Augustyn.
Heart of Midlothian
He signed for Scottish club Heart of Midlothian ("Hearts") on 18 June 2015, subjected to international clearance, though the contract length was revealed.
Augustyn made his Hearts debut, in the opening game of the season, in a 4–3 win over St Johnstone. At the end of the 2015–16 season Hearts announced his contract would not be renewed at the end of the season.
Lechia Gdańsk
On 6 August 2017 he signed a contract with Lechia Gdańsk.
Career statistics
Notes
Honours
Legia Warsaw
Polish Cup: 2007–08
Lechia Gdańsk
Polish Cup: 2018–19
Polish Super Cup: 2019
Personal life
Augustyn speaks Polish, English and Italian.
Augustyn is married to former air hostess Monia and the couple have a daughter. Augustyn considered himself as claustrophobic, preferring to "like have places to go and nice restaurants."
References
External links
Bolton Wanderers Profile at Burnden Aces
1988 births
Living people
Polish men's footballers
Poland men's under-21 international footballers
Men's association football defenders
People from Strzelin
Footballers from Lower Silesian Voivodeship
Bolton Wanderers F.C. players
Legia Warsaw players
Rimini FC 1912 players
Catania FC players
LR Vicenza players
Górnik Zabrze players
Heart of Midlothian F.C. players
Ascoli Calcio 1898 FC players
Lechia Gdańsk players
Lechia Gdańsk II players
Jagiellonia Białystok players
Wieczysta Kraków players
Serie A players
Serie B players
Ekstraklasa players
III liga players
Scottish Professional Football League players
Polish expatriate men's footballers
Expatriate men's footballers in Italy
Expatriate men's footballers in England
Expatriate men's footballers in Scotland
Polish expatriate sportspeople in Italy
Polish expatriate sportspeople in England
Polish expatriate sportspeople in Scotland