Helen Bleazard

Helen Bleazard (born 14 August 1990) is a former English–born footballer who played for the Welsh national team and Yeovil Town. She previously played in the FA WSL for Bristol Academy and Chelsea Ladies. Bleazard usually plays as a wide midfielder or forward and switched allegiance to Wales after playing for England at youth level.

Helen Bleazard
Helen Bleazard playing for Wales in September 2015
Personal information
Full name Helen Bleazard[1]
Date of birth (1990-08-14) 14 August 1990
Place of birth Yeovil, England
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
1999–2004 Yeovil Town
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2005 Yeovil Town
2005–2007 Bristol City W.F.C.
2007–2008 Bristol Academy
2008–2010 Keynsham Town
2010 Yeovil Town 6 (0)
2011 Bristol Academy 23 (9)
2012–2013 Chelsea Ladies 33 (8)
2013–2017 Yeovil Town 75 (13)
2018– Plymouth Argyle 44 (20)
National team
2011–2015 Wales 43 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 16:45, 28 Apr 2020 (UTC)

Club career

After joining local side Yeovil Town at the age of nine, Bleazard eventually moved on to FA Women's Premier League club Bristol City at the end of season 2004–05.[2]

Bleazard signed a contract with FA WSL club Bristol Academy in February 2011. She helped the club qualify for the UEFA Women's Champions League for the first time, by scoring in a 3–0 FA Women's Cup semi–final win over Liverpool Ladies at Haig Avenue.[3] At the FA Women's Cup final at the Ricoh Arena in May 2011 Bleazard struck the crossbar with a free kick, but Bristol were beaten 2–0 by Arsenal.[4]

In February 2012 Bleazard signed for Bristol's WSL rivals Chelsea Ladies.[5] She played for her new club in the 2012 FA Women's Cup Final, but they lost to Birmingham City on penalties after a 2–2 draw. After two seasons with Chelsea, Bleazard agreed a deal to return to Yeovil, whose application to the new second level of an enlarged WSL has been successful. Yeovil's chairman was enthused by the transfer, describing Bleazard as: "the best female player the town of Yeovil has ever produced."[6]

International career

Bleazard represented England at Under–17 level,[7] and was called into the Under–20 squad during the 2008–09 season.[8] She was also selected for the England college team while attending Yeovil College.[9]

Bleazard later switched her footballing allegiance to Wales and was named on the standby list for their March 2011 Algarve Cup campaign.[10] Bristol Academy teammates Jessica Fishlock and Alex Culvin joked that Bleazard's eligibility for the Welsh national team arose from "her Nan's Sister's Brother's Aunty."[11]

Bleazard won her first senior cap for Wales playing on the left–wing in a 2–0 friendly defeat to New Zealand, played in Savièse on 15 June 2011.[12]

References
  1. "List of Players under Written Contract Registered Between 01/02/2013 and 28/02/2013". The Football Association. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
  2. "Yeovil Town Ladies Club History". Yeovil Town Ladies FC. Archived from the original on 21 January 2013. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  3. "Disappointing Liverpool bow out". Liverpool Ladies FC. 22 April 2014. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  4. "Midfielder unlikely to dwell on cup loss". Western gazette. 26 May 2011. Archived from the original on 9 August 2011. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  5. Daniel Clarke (7 February 2012). "THREE NEW SIGNINGS FOR CHELSEA LADIES". Chelsea FC. Archived from the original on 22 April 2014. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
  6. "Yeovil Boosted by Bleazard". She Kicks. 18 November 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  7. "Bronze Strikes Gold". The FA. 29 March 2007. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
  8. "International Recognition". Sunderland WFC. 3 February 2009. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
  9. "Sports News" (PDF). 1 (2). Yeovil College. January 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 October 2011. Retrieved 19 June 2011. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  10. "Women's Squad for Algarve Cup Named". FAW. 16 May 2011. Archived from the original on 4 April 2012. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  11. "Cup final special: get to know Bristol Academy". She Kicks. 20 May 2011. Retrieved 21 May 2011.
  12. "Wales v New Zealand –Match Report". FAW. 16 May 2011. Archived from the original on 4 April 2012. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
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