Harvey Blair
{{Short description|English footballer (born 2003)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Harvey Blair
| image =
| caption =
| full_name = Harvey Antonio Blair{{cite web |url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/3681595 |title=2023/24 Premier League squad lists |publisher=Premier League |date=13 September 2023 |access-date=14 September 2023}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2003|9|14|df=y}}{{cite web |url=https://www.liverpoolfc.com/team/academy/player/harvey-blair |title=Harvey Blair |publisher=Liverpool F.C.|access-date=27 October 2021}}
| birth_place = Huddersfield, England
| height = 1.78 m{{cite web |title=Harvey Blair |url=https://fbref.com/en/players/f6c16dd2/Harvey-Blair |website=fbref |access-date=7 February 2023}}
| position = Forward
| currentclub = Portsmouth
| clubnumber = 29
| youthyears1 = 2015–2021
| youthclubs1 = Liverpool
| years1 = 2021–2024
| clubs1 = Liverpool
| caps1 = 0
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2024–
| clubs2 = Portsmouth
| caps2 = 12
| goals2 = 1
| club-update = 3 May 2025 (BST)
}}
Harvey Antonio Blair (born 14 September 2003) is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for {{English football updater|Portsmou}} club Portsmouth.
Early life
Blair was born in Huddersfield, England. He is of Jamaican descent.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rousingthekop.com/2023/02/07/national-team-kit-release-suggests-liverpool-youngster-could-be-about-to-get-a-callup-hes-flying-right-now/|title=National team kit release suggests Liverpool youngster could be about to get a call-up, he's flying right now|date=7 February 2023|website=Rousing The Kop}}
Club career
=Liverpool=
Blair was originally part of Manchester United's youth setup, but later joined Liverpool as an U12 player. He signed his first professional contract in October 2020. He was later promoted to the Under-18 squad for the 2020–21 season.{{Cite web|title=Harvey Blair: The Huddersfield-born Liverpool youngster tipped for big things as he makes professional debut in Carabao Cup tie against Preston North End|url=https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/football/harvey-blair-the-huddersfield-born-liverpool-youngster-tipped-for-big-things-as-he-makes-professional-debut-in-carabao-cup-tie-against-preston-north-end-3435235|access-date=27 October 2021|work=The Yorkshire Post|date=27 October 2021 |language=en}} His first year was greatly impacted by injury as he made just four appearances and scored two goals. In the 2021–22 season, he has made five league appearances and scored one goal for the academy side, impressing enough to be promoted to the senior team.
Blair made his professional debut in an EFL Cup game against Preston North End on 27 October 2021. He was brought off after 55 minutes.{{Cite web|title=Preston North End vs Liverpool LIVE!|url=https://www.skysports.com/football/preston-vs-liverpool/live/458473|access-date=27 October 2021|website=Sky Sports|language=en}} Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp said about Blair's performance: "The game for Harvey in the first half was really not easy and in the second half as well. We didn't really involve him in the game. That doesn't help."{{Cite web|last=Mir|first=Amir|date=28 October 2021|title='That doesn't help': Klopp makes Harvey Blair admission after Liverpool debut last night|url=https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2021/10/28/that-doesnt-help-klopp-makes-harvey-blair-admission-after-liverpool-debut-last-night/|access-date=17 November 2021|website=HITC|language=en-GB}}
Blair trained with the Liverpool first team in the 2023 pre-season, but sustained a meniscus tear in the first week.{{cite web |last1=Durkan |first1=Joanna |title=Liverpool youngster dealt cruel injury blow days after training with first team |url=https://www.thisisanfield.com/2023/07/liverpool-youngster-dealt-cruel-injury-blow-days-after-training-with-first-team/ |website=This is Anfield |date=14 July 2023 |access-date=14 July 2023}}
=Portsmouth=
On 23 August 2024, Blair signed for Championship club Portsmouth on an initial three-year deal for an undisclosed fee,{{cite web|url=https://www.portsmouthfc.co.uk/news/2024/august/23/blair-joins-the-blues/|title=Blair Joins The Blues|publisher=Portsmouth F.C.|date=23 August 2024|accessdate=23 August 2024}} believed to be initially in the region of £300,000 with the potential to rise to £600,000 should the add-ons be met.{{cite web|url=https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/sport/football/portsmouth-fc/portsmouth-seal-ps300000-deal-for-liverpool-forward-which-could-eventually-rise-to-ps600000-4755026|title=Portsmouth seal '£300,000' deal for Liverpool forward which could eventually rise to £600,000|work=The News|last=McMahon|first=Mark|date=23 August 2024|accessdate=23 August 2024}}
He made his debut one day later, coming on as a 53rd-minute substitute in a 2–2 draw away at Middlesbrough.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/live/cx29pyn7vqgt#Report|title=Middlesbrough 2–2 Portsmouth|publisher=BBC Sport|date=24 August 2024|accessdate=27 August 2024}}
He scored his first goal for the club in a 1–1 draw against Sheffield Wednesday on 26 April 2025.{{cite web |url=https://www.skysports.com/football/sheffield-wednesday-vs-portsmouth/report/509881 |title=Sheffield Wednesday 1-1 Portsmouth: Harvey Blair earns point for Pompey |date=26 April 2025 |publisher=Sky Sports |access-date=26 April 2025}}
Style of play
Blair has been described as a 'tricky winger' who is 'blessed with good pace, size and ball control'.
He's traditionally played as a left winger under under-18s manager Bridge-Wilkinson, but can also operate as a striker and a little bit deeper in a no.10 role.{{Cite web|last=Pinnock|first=Hannah|date=27 October 2021|title=Harvey Blair is the Liverpool Academy starlet tipped for big things|url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/harvey-blair-liverpool-preston-21987687|access-date=28 October 2021|website=Liverpool Echo|language=en}}
Honours
Liverpool
- EFL Cup: 2021–22{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60450274 |title=Chelsea 0–0 Liverpool |first=Phil |last=McNulty |website=BBC Sport |date=27 February 2022 |access-date=27 February 2022}}
Individual
- Liverpool U18s: 2021-22 Goal of the Season{{cite web |url=https://x.com/harveyablair7/status/1536039742206357505 |date=12 June 2022 |access-date=26 April 2025}}
Personal life
His older brother, Marley, was also in the Liverpool academy before being released by the club aged 19. He currently plays for Faroese side Havnar Bóltfelag.{{cite web|url=https://hb.fo/welcome-marley/ |title= Welcome, Marley |date=21 January 2025|accessdate=26 April 2025|number=1757170036634947921}}
His mother died in 2017 as a result of cancer.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kR-NksWSWt0&t=1560s |title= Marley Blair's Story.. Playing for Liverpool, Managed by Steven Gerrard & Losing Mum Aged 17 |website= YouTube |date=23 July 2023|accessdate=27 April 2025|number=1757170036634947921}}
Blair is in a relationship with model Alicia Perry, The couple have a son Roman.{{Cite web |title=Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/aliciaperryx/?hl=en |access-date=2025-06-08 |website=www.instagram.com}}
Career statistics
{{Updated|matches played 3 May 2025}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+Appearances and goals by club, season and competition ! rowspan="2" |Club ! rowspan="2" |Season ! colspan="3" |League ! colspan="2" |FA Cup ! colspan="2" |EFL Cup ! colspan="2" |Other ! colspan="2" |Total | |||||||||
| Division
!Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="2"|Liverpool
|2021–22{{Cite web|title=Harvey Blair {{!}} Football Stats {{!}} Liverpool {{!}} Age 18 {{!}} Soccer Base|url=https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=145702|access-date=14 December 2021|publisher=SoccerBase}} |0 |0 |0 |0 |1 |0 | colspan="2" |— |1 |0 | |||||||||
| colspan="2"|Total
!0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| rowspan="2"|Portsmouth
|2024-25{{cite web |url= https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=145702 |title= Games played by Harvey Blair in 2024/2025 |publisher=SoccerBase |access-date=3 May 2025 |df=dmy }} |12 |1 |0 |0 |0 |0 | colspan="2" |— |12 |1 | |||||||||
| colspan="2"|Total
!12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1 |
| colspan="3" |Career total
!12 !1 !0 !0 !1 !0 !0 !0 !13 !1 |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.portsmouthfc.co.uk/teams/Men/harveyblair Profile] at the Portsmouth F.C. website
- {{Premier League player}}
- {{UEFA player}}
{{Portsmouth F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blair, Harvey}}
Category:English men's footballers
Category:English people of Jamaican descent
Category:Sportspeople of Jamaican descent
Category:Footballers from Huddersfield
Category:Liverpool F.C. players
Category:Portsmouth F.C. players
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:Black British sportsmen