Dexter Blackstock


Dexter Anthony Titus Blackstock is a former professional footballer who played as a striker. He played most notably for Queens Park Rangers and Nottingham Forest.
Having represented England at youth international level, Blackstock went on to play for the Antigua and Barbuda national team; he qualified through his grandfather, who was born in Antigua.

Playing career

Southampton

Born in Oxford, Oxfordshire, he came through the Oxford United youth system and was then signed by Southampton, who had to pay United compensation of £275,000 as a result. Due to an injury crisis he was brought into the Southampton first team, where he scored a hat-trick against Colchester United in the League Cup in 2004. He then scored in the local derby against Portsmouth in Southampton's 2–1 win, thus establishing himself in the squad.
He was sent out on loan twice; to Plymouth Argyle in February 2005 for twelve weeks, scoring 4 goals in 14 appearances, and to Derby County in October 2005, scoring 3 goals in 9 appearances. He was recalled from Derby on 22 December 2005 after the appointment of George Burley as Southampton manager.
On 18 February 2006 he played in goal for the final ten minutes of the FA Cup fifth round tie against Newcastle United. An injury to Bartosz Białkowski and with Southampton having used all three substitutes, meant that Blackstock had to take over.
Although Blackstock had featured regularly under Burley, Southampton's purchase of Bradley Wright-Phillips meant that Blackstock had more competition for a role in Southampton's first team. As a result, Blackstock moved to Queens Park Rangers on 10 August 2006 for a fee believed to be around £500,000.

Queens Park Rangers

paid a £500,000 transfer fee for Blackstock's service. Blackstock was given the number 32 shirt for the 2006–07 season, he was first choice striker throughout the season and played with a number of different partners, including Kevin Gallen, Paul Furlong and Marc Nygaard. Somewhat surprisingly however, the teenager Ray Jones was Blackstock's most regular partner as they struck up a good understanding with a combination of pace and power.
As the season progressed so did Blackstock, and it was in the final stages of the season that his performances started to blossom. Throughout the campaign his work effort was fantastic, but he had displayed a worrying sign of missing one-on-one's in the early stages of his QPR career. These worries soon disappeared and a fantastic goal against Preston North End was the highlight of the season. Receiving a ball from Marc Nygaard in a left back position, Blackstock chested the ball down and volleyed it with his left foot into the top corner from 30 yards.
Blackstock ended the campaign as club top scorer on 14 goals, one short of his personal target of 15. He came second in the player of the season awards, and his goal against Preston won goal of the season.
After scoring just six in 2007–08, Blackstock returned to form in 2008–09, and by the end of January had scored 12 goals in all competitions.

Nottingham Forest

On 26 March 2009 it was announced that Blackstock had signed for Nottingham Forest on loan until the end of the season, with an undisclosed fee agreed should Forest avoid relegation. Blackstock subsequently made his debut for Forest against Barnsley on 4 April 2009 at Oakwell, scoring his first goal, the winner, for the club against Bristol City in a dramatic 3–2 win at the City Ground on 11 April 2009.
On 22 July 2009, Blackstock signed a 4-year contract with Nottingham Forest for a seven figure fee. He scored his first goal of the season when he notched in a first round Football League Cup win over Bradford City on 12 August 2009. He scored his first goal of the 2010–11 season in a 1–1 draw against newly promoted side Leeds United.
On 20 November 2010 Blackstock suffered serious knee ligament damage after scoring the second goal in Forest's 2–0 win at Cardiff City and was subsequently sidelined for 12 months. He made his comeback in a friendly against York City on 14 November 2011 and scored along with Paul Anderson, another long term injured player.
In August 2011, there was reported interest from Blackpool in Blackstock.
He scored both goals, his first ones back after being injured, in a 2–1 win against Birmingham City on 25 February 2012. Blackstock signed a new four and a half-year contract with Forest on 24 January 2013.

Leeds United loan

On 24 October 2013, Blackstock signed for Leeds United on a three-month loan until 25 January 2014. He was handed the number 9 shirt and made his Leeds debut as a second-half substitute against Huddersfield Town on 26 October, scoring with his first touch for a debut goal.
Blackstock's loan at Leeds was cut short when he returned to Nottingham on 10 December 2013 due to a knee injury.

Return from loan

Blackstock missed the remainder of the 2013–14 season and the beginning of the 2014–15 season with the knee injury. He made his first return to action since suffering the injury on 2 September 2014, playing 45 minutes in a game for Forest's under-21 side. Blackstock eventually made his return to competitive action as a substitute in the 74th minute of a League Cup tie against Spurs on 24 September 2014.
On 1 September 2016, Forest and Blackstock mutually agreed to terminate his contract at the club.

Rotherham United

Following his release from Forest, Blackstock signed a 3-year deal with Rotherham United on 5 September 2016. Blackstock scored his first goal for the club in a 3–1 loss against Norwich City on 15 October 2016.
On 12 July 2017 he agreed to leave Rotherham United by mutual consent.

International career

On 16 August 2007, Blackstock was called up to Stuart Pearce's first England under-21 squad as full-time manager. In the match against Montenegro on 7 September, he came on as a substitute on 90 minutes and headed the ball down for Andrew Surman to score the final goal in a 3–0 victory.
Blackstock made his senior international appearance for Antigua and Barbuda in a 4–0 friendly defeat to Trinidad & Tobago on 29 February 2012. He scored his first goal on 12 October 2012 in a 2014 World Cup qualifier against United States.

International goals

#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.12 October 2012Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound1–11–22014 World Cup qualification
2.5 June 2016Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium, Bayamón1–11–22017 Caribbean Cup qualification

Outside interests

In 2009, Blackstock opened a football school for children aged from six to fourteen. In 2016, tenants in a buy to let home owned by Blackstock spoke out to the media about the dangerous condition the home was in, despite complaining several times to Blackstock and Student Living, the property management company he had hired. Student Living claimed that working with Blackstock had been 'a nightmare'.

Career statistics