Harry Pickering (footballer)

{{About|the English footballer|the English cricketer|Harry Pickering (cricketer)}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Harry Pickering

| image = Harry Pickering.jpg

| caption = Pickering in December 2019

| fullname = Harry Leslie Pickering{{cite web|title=Retained List 2015-16|url=http://www.efl.com/documents/professional-retained-report-2015-16549-3151378.pdf|publisher=English Football League|accessdate=9 May 2017|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161202052144/http://www.efl.com/documents/professional-retained-report-2015-16549-3151378.pdf|archivedate=2 December 2016|df=dmy-all}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1998|12|29}}{{cite web

| title = Harry Pickering

| url = http://www.11v11.com/players/harry-pickering-255118/

| publisher = 11v11

| accessdate =9 May 2016}}

| birth_place = Chester, England

| height = {{height|m=1.73}}

| currentclub = Blackburn Rovers

| clubnumber = 3

| position = Left-back

| youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2016

| youthclubs1 = Crewe Alexandra

| years1 = 2016–2021

| clubs1 = Crewe Alexandra

| caps1 = 127

| goals1 = 9

| years2 = 2021–

| clubs2 = Blackburn Rovers

| caps2 = 122

| goals2 = 4

| years3 = 2021

| clubs3 = → Crewe Alexandra (loan)

| caps3 = 20

| goals3 = 0

| club-update = 10:26, 5 January 2025 (UTC)

}}Harry Leslie Pickering (born 29 December 1998) is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for {{English football updater|BlackbuR}} club Blackburn Rovers.

Career

=Crewe Alexandra=

A graduate of Crewe Alexandra's Academy, Pickering signed professional terms with Crewe in March 2016.{{cite news|last1=Sharpe|first1=Rich|title=Crewe Alexandra: Alex tie promising Academy pair to professional deals|url=http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/crewe-alexandra-alex-tie-promising-academy-pair/story-28899255-detail/story.html|accessdate=22 April 2017|work=Sentinel|date=10 March 2016}}{{Dead link|date=July 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite web|title=Pickering & Dale Sign Professional Terms|url=http://www.crewealex.net/news/article/pickering-dale-sign-professional-terms-3000151.aspx|website=CreweAlex.net|accessdate=22 April 2017}} He made his debut on 22 April 2017, coming on as a 63rd-minute substitute for Callum Ainley against Leyton Orient at Gresty Road.{{cite news|title=Crewe Alexandra 3-0 Leyton Orient|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39605702|accessdate=23 April 2017|work=BBC Sport|date=22 April 2017}} Pickering scored his first senior goal on 24 February 2018 with an equaliser from a direct free kick away at Lincoln City in a game Crewe eventually won 4–1.{{cite news |title=Lincoln City 1-4 Crewe Alexandra |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43093801 |access-date=12 January 2021 |work=BBC Sport |date=24 February 2018}}

In April 2018, Pickering signed a new three-year contract at Crewe, with the option of a further year.{{cite news|title=Contract: Pickering Puts Pen-To-Paper On Long-Term Deal|url=https://www.crewealex.net/news/2018/april/contract-pickering-puts-pen-to-paper-on-long-term-deal/|accessdate=13 April 2018|work=CreweAlex.net|date=12 April 2018}} At Colchester United on 21 August 2018, Pickering sustained a hamstring injury ruling him out of action for over a month.{{cite news |last1=Wilson |first1=Rob |title=Pickering Also Ruled Out For Extended Period With Hamstring Tear |url=https://www.crewealex.net/news/2018/august/pickering-hamstring-tear/ |accessdate=28 August 2018 |work=CreweAlex.net |date=28 August 2018}}

In September 2020, Pickering signed a new three-year contract with the club,{{cite web |title=Pickering Signs New Three Year Deal |url=https://www.crewealex.net/news/2020/september/pixie-new-three-year-deal/ |website=Crewe Alexandra F.C. |accessdate=4 September 2020}} and in December 2020 was named Crewe captain in the absence of Perry Ng{{cite news |title=Pixie Honoured To Be Named Captain In Ng Absence |url=https://www.crewealex.net/news/2020/december/pixie-captain/ |access-date=12 February 2021 |work=CreweAlex.net |date=24 December 2020}} (Ng moved to Cardiff City the following month). Crewe rejected an initial offer from Blackburn Rovers during the January 2021 transfer window,{{cite news |last1=Baggaley |first1=Michael |title=Crewe Alex boss Dave Artell answers questions on Blackburn Rovers' bid for Harry Pickering |url=https://www.cheshire-live.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/crewe-blackburn-rovers-harry-pickering-19608197 |access-date=12 January 2021 |work=Cheshire Live |date=12 January 2021}} but later agreed his move to Blackburn on a four-and-a-half-year deal (to summer 2025) for an undisclosed fee, with Pickering remaining at Crewe on loan (and remaining club captain) until the end of the 2020–21 season.{{cite news |title=Harry Pickering: Blackburn Rovers sign Crewe Alexandra defender on four-and-a-half year deal |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55888498 |access-date=1 February 2021 |work=BBC Sport |date=1 February 2021}}

=Blackburn Rovers=

Pickering made his Rovers debut at Ewood Park in a 2–1 win over Swansea City on 7 August 2021.{{cite news |title=Blackburn Rovers 2-1 Swansea City |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58035723 |access-date=30 August 2021 |work=BBC Sport |date=7 August 2021}} He scored his first goal for Blackburn just over a month later in a 2–2 league draw against Luton Town at Ewood Park on 11 September 2021.{{cite news |title=Blackburn Rovers 2-2 Luton Town |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58444599 |access-date=12 September 2021 |work=BBC Sport |date=11 September 2021}} After a run of strong defensive performances, Pickering suffered a hamstring injury on 2 January 2022 in Blackburn's game against Huddersfield Town which ruled him out of first team action for several weeks.{{cite news |last1=Crooke |first1=Jaquob |title=Harry Pickering injury details with Blackburn Rovers wing-back to undergo a scan |url=https://www.lancs.live/sport/football/football-news/harry-pickering-injury-details-blackburn-22629437 |access-date=27 January 2022 |work=LancsLive |date=3 January 2022}}

On 19 August 2023, Pickering received his first career red card after bringing down Hull City's Liam Delap in the 16th minute of Blackburn's 2–1 home defeat at Ewood Park.{{cite news |title=Blackburn Rovers 1-2 Hull City |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66482263 |access-date=21 August 2023 |work=BBC Sport |date=19 August 2023}} In December 2023, shortly before his 100th game for Blackburn, he signed a contract extension committing himself to the club until 2027.{{cite news |title=Harry Pickering: Blackburn Rovers left-back signs new deal to stay at Ewood Park until 2027 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67651335 |access-date=8 December 2023 |work=BBC Sport |date=7 December 2023}} In January 2024, Pickering suffered a hamstring injury ruling him out for around six weeks.{{cite news |title=Hayden Carter & Harry Pickering: Blackburn Rovers defenders out with hamstring injuries |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68095161 |access-date=26 January 2024 |work=BBC Sport |date=26 January 2024}}

Career statistics

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !rowspan="2"\|Division !colspan="2"\|League !colspan="2"\|FA Cup !colspan="2"\|League Cup !colspan="2"\|Other !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan="6"\|Crewe Alexandra	2016–17{{cite web\|title=Games played by Harry Pickering in 2016/2017\|url=http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=97010&season_id=149\|website=Soccerbase\|accessdate=9 November 2024}}	League Two	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
\|2017–18{{cite web\|title=Games played by Harry Pickering in 2017/2018\|url=http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=97010&season_id=150\|website=Soccerbase\|accessdate=26 February 2018}}	League Two	35	3	3	0	1	0	1{{efn\|name=EFLT\|Appearances in EFL Trophy}}	0	40	3
\|2018–19{{cite web\|title=Games played by Harry Pickering in 2018/2019\|url=http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=97010&season_id=151\|website=Soccerbase\|accessdate=28 August 2018}}	League Two	32	0	1	0	1	0	1{{efn\|name=EFLT\|Appearances in EFL Trophy}}	0	35	0
\|2019–20{{cite web\|title=Games played by Harry Pickering in 2019/2020\|url=http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=97010&season_id=152\|website=Soccerbase\|accessdate=7 September 2019}}	League Two	35	3	4	0	1	0	3{{efn\|name=EFLT\|Appearances in EFL Trophy}}	0	43	3
\|2020–21{{cite web\|title=Games played by Harry Pickering in 2020/2021\|url=http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=97010&season_id=153\|website=Soccerbase\|accessdate=7 January 2021}}	League One	24	3	2	0	1	0	2{{efn\|name=EFLT\|Appearances in EFL Trophy}}	1	29	4
colspan="2"\|Total !127	9	10	0	4	0	7	1	148	10
rowspan="6"\|Blackburn Rovers	2020–21	Championship	0	0	colspan=2\|–	colspan=2\|–	colspan=2\|–	0	0
\|2021–22{{cite web\|title=Games played by Harry Pickering in 2021/2022\|url=http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=97010&season_id=154\|website=Soccerbase\|accessdate=30 August 2021}}	Championship	32	2	0	0	1	0	colspan=2\|–	33	2
\|2022–23{{cite web\|title=Games played by Harry Pickering in 2022/2023\|url=http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=97010&season_id=155\|website=Soccerbase\|accessdate=6 March 2023}}	Championship	40	1	5	0	1	0	colspan=2\|–	46	1
\|2023–24{{cite web\|title=Games played by Harry Pickering in 2023/2024\|url=http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=97010&season_id=156\|website=Soccerbase\|accessdate=16 August 2023}}	Championship	36	1	1	0	4	0	colspan=2\|–	41	1
\|2024–25{{cite web\|title=Games played by Harry Pickering in 2024/2025\|url=http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=97010&season_id=157\|website=Soccerbase\|accessdate=2 September 2024}}	Championship	10	0	0	0	2	0	colspan=2\|–	12	0
colspan="2"\|Total !118	4	6	0	8	0	0	0	132	4
\|Crewe Alexandra (loan)	2020–21	League One	20	0	colspan=2\|–	colspan=2\|–	colspan=2\|–	20	0
colspan="3"\|Total !263	13	16	0	12	0	7	1	300	14

References

External links

{{soccerbase|97010}}

Category:1998 births

Category:Living people

Category:English men's footballers

Category:English Football League players

Category:Footballers from Chester

Category:Crewe Alexandra F.C. players

Category:Blackburn Rovers F.C. players

Category:Men's association football midfielders

Category:21st-century English sportsmen