Lewis Hardcastle

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Lewis Hardcastle
Personal information
Full name Lewis James Hardcastle[1]
Date of birth (1998-07-04) 4 July 1998 (age 23)[2]
Place of birth Bolton, England[2]
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
2004–2015 Blackburn Rovers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2019 Blackburn Rovers 0 (0)
2015 → Salford City (loan) 10 (0)
2018–2019 → Port Vale (loan) 6 (0)
2019 → Barrow (loan) 9 (2)
2019–2021 Barrow 54 (4)
Total 79 (6)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Lewis James Hardcastle (born 4 July 1998) is an English former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.

Having been with Blackburn Rovers since the age of six, he turned professional at the club in December 2015 after impressing on loan at Salford City. He captained the Blackburn Rovers U23 team to the Premier League 2 Division 2 title during the 2017–18 season. He joined Port Vale on loan for the first half of the 2018–19 season, and signed permanently with Barrow in February 2019 following a spell on loan. He helped Barrow to win promotion into the Football League as champions of the National League in the 2019–20 season.

Hardcastle retired from football in March 2021 after being diagnosed with a heart condition, aged 22.

Club career[]

Blackburn Rovers[]

Hardcastle joined the Academy at Blackburn Rovers at the age of six.[3] He played 12 games for the under-18 team during the 2013–14 season.[4] He appeared for the under-21 team in the second leg of the Under-21 Premier League Cup final defeat to Southampton at St Mary's Stadium on 20 April 2015, coming on as a 57th-minute substitute for David Carson in what ended as a 2–1 defeat after extra-time.[5] He scored two goals in 22 appearances for the under-18's during the 2014–15 season.[4]

On 24 September 2015, Hardcastle joined Northern Premier League Premier Division side Salford City on a one-month loan deal.[6] The 17-year old's loan deal was later extended to three months, after which time co-manager Anthony Johnson said that "we're devastated to be losing him because he's been an integral part of what we've done".[7] He helped the "Ammies" to reach the Second Round of the FA Cup, eliminating Notts County in the First Round with a 2–0 win at Moor Lane.[8] He signed his first professional contract with Rovers whilst at Salford, after manager Paul Lambert gave him a 2+1⁄2-year contract.[9] He returned to playing for the "Riversiders" youth-team, and scored the only goal of the game against Luton Town in the quarter-finals of the FA Youth Cup.[10] He scored three goals in 26 youth-team appearances during the 2015–16 season and scored two goals in 33 youth-team appearances during the 2016–17 season, including three appearances in the EFL Trophy.[4] In November 2017 he signed a new contract to keep him at Ewood Park until the summer of 2019.[11] He went on to captain the under-23 team to the Premier League 2 Division 2 title at the end of the 2017–18 season.[12]

On 30 August 2018, Hardcastle joined EFL League Two side Port Vale on loan for the rest of the 2018–19 season.[13] He said that "the gaffer (Tony Mowbray) said to me I needed to go out and play games in men's football, come back strong and fit and you never know" and that he was "excited about the challenge" in playing in the English Football League.[14] He made his first-team debut two days later after starting in a 2–1 defeat to Newport County at Vale Park.[15] However he made only five starts and four substitute appearances for Neil Aspin's "Valiants" before he was recalled to Blackburn on 7 January.[16]

Barrow[]

On 8 February 2019, he joined National League side Barrow on an initial one-month youth loan.[17] The deal was made into a permanent move on 28 March after he impressed "Bluebirds" boss Ian Evatt with his dynamism and bravery in midfield;[18] he signed a contract to run until summer 2020.[19] He scored three goals in 41 appearances in the 2019–20 season, which was permanently suspended on 26 March due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England, with Barrow top of the table.[20] Though the season was not resumed, Barrow went on to be promoted to the Football League as National League champions.[21]

On 24 March 2021, Hardcastle announced his retirement from football at the age of 22, after being diagnosed with a heart problem (arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy).[22][23]

International career[]

Hardcastle was called up to England C team for their friendly fixture against on 24 March 2020.[24] The match was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England.

Style of play[]

Hardcastle is a box-to-box midfielder.[25]

Statistics[]

As of 24 March 2021
Club Season League FA Cup EFL Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Blackburn Rovers 2015–16[26] Championship 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2016–17[27] EFL Championship 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2017–18[28] EFL League One 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2018–19[29] EFL Championship 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Salford City (loan) 2015–16[30] Northern Premier 10 0 7 0 - - 2[a] 0 19 0
Blackburn Rovers U23 2016–17[27] – 0 0 0 0 0 0 3[b] 0 3 0
Port Vale (loan) 2018–19[29] League Two 6 0 0 0 0 0 3[b] 0 9 0
Barrow 2018–19[2] National League 15 3 0 0 - - 0 0 15 3
2019–20[2] National League 36 2 1 0 - - 4[c] 1 41 3
2020–21[2] League Two 12 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 13 1
Total 63 6 1 0 1 0 4 1 69 7
Career total 79 6 8 0 1 0 12 1 100 7
  1. ^ 1 appearance in the FA Trophy and 1 appearance in the Northern Premier League Challenge Cup
  2. ^ a b Appearance/s in the EFL Trophy
  3. ^ Appearances in the FA Trophy

Honours[]

Blackburn Rovers U23

Barrow

References[]

  1. ^ "Notification of shirt numbers: Barrow" (PDF). English Football League. p. 6. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Lewis Hardcastle at Soccerway
  3. ^ Sharpe, Rich (29 November 2017). "'The club have done a lot for me - Rovers youngster Lewis Hardcastle delighted to sign contract extension". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  4. ^ a b c "Lewis Hardcastle - Midfielder - Profiles - Blackburn Rovers". www.rovers.co.uk. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  5. ^ a b "REPORT: Southampton 2-1 Blackburn Rovers (Under-21 Premier League Cup final second leg)". Southampton FC. 20 April 2015. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  6. ^ "Blackburn Rovers youngster Lewis Hardcastle joins 'Class of 92' side Salford City". Lancashire Telegraph. 24 September 2015. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  7. ^ "Praise for returning Blackburn Rovers youngster Lewis Hardcastle". Lancashire Telegraph. 24 December 2015. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  8. ^ Wheelock, Paul (6 November 2015). "Blackburn Rovers youngster helps Salford City pull off FA Cup giant-killing". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  9. ^ Harvey, Joe (18 December 2015). "Blackburn Rovers Starlet Lewis Hardcastle Agrees Professional Terms Under Paul Lambert". 90min.com. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  10. ^ Wheelock, Paul (23 February 2016). "Lewis Hardcastle the hero as Blackburn Rovers book place in FA Youth Cup semi-finals". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  11. ^ "Hardcastle signs new deal". rovers.co.uk. 28 November 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  12. ^ a b "Hardcastle joins Valiants on loan". rovers.co.uk. 30 August 2018. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  13. ^ "Ben Whitfield & Lewis Hardcastle: Port Vale add youngsters to squad". BBC Sport. 30 August 2018. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  14. ^ Smith, Peter (31 August 2018). "Blackburn boss told Vale signing to go and prove himself in League Two". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  15. ^ "Port Vale v Newport County". BBC Sport. 31 August 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  16. ^ Baggaley, Michael (7 January 2019). "Transfer news: Lewis Hardcastle returns to Blackburn Rovers from Port Vale". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  17. ^ Bazeley, Marc (8 February 2019). "Rovers midfielder Hardcastle makes AFC loan move". The Mail. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
  18. ^ Wright, Matt (28 March 2019). "Hardcastle joins Barrow AFC on a permanent transfer". The Mail. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  19. ^ Sharpe, Rich (28 March 2019). "Rovers allow youngster to leave on permanent deal". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  20. ^ "National League clubs vote to end regular season immediately". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  21. ^ a b Baggaley, Michael (18 June 2020). "Port Vale's message to Barrow after they clinch promotion with former Valiants". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  22. ^ "Club Statement: Lewis Hardcastle". www.barrowafc.com. 24 March 2021.
  23. ^ "Barrow's Hardcastle retires aged 22". BBC Sport.
  24. ^ "England C squad announced ahead of Wales C clash". TheFA. 3 March 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  25. ^ Smith, Peter (30 August 2018). "Vale double transfer swoop as Whitfield returns and Hardcastle arrives". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  26. ^ "Games played by Lewis Hardcastle in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  27. ^ a b "Games played by Lewis Hardcastle in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  28. ^ "Games played by Lewis Hardcastle in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  29. ^ a b "Games played by Lewis Hardcastle in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  30. ^ "Results". Salford City Football Club. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
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