Ángelo Balanta

Ángelo Balanta
Balanta in 2011
Personal information
Full name Ángelo Jasiel Balanta[1]
Date of birth (1990-07-01) 1 July 1990 (age 34)[1]
Place of birth Cali, Colombia
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[1]
Position(s) Attacking midfielder / Striker
Team information
Current team
 Hornchurch
Youth career
CB Hounslow United
–2007 Queens Park Rangers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2014 Queens Park Rangers 25 (2)
2008–2009 → Wycombe Wanderers (loan) 11 (3)
2010–2011 → Milton Keynes Dons (loan) 18 (6)
2011–2012 → Milton Keynes Dons (loan) 20 (4)
2012–2013 → Milton Keynes Dons (loan) 12 (1)
2013 → Yeovil Town (loan) 6 (0)
2014–2015 Bristol Rovers 16 (1)
2015–2016 Carlisle United 7 (1)
2016–2018 Boreham Wood 85 (19)
2018–2023 Dagenham & Redbridge 118 (35)
2023–2024 Boreham Wood 39 (6)
2024– Hornchurch 0 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21:30, 16 May 2024 (UTC)

Ángelo Jasiel Balanta (born 1 July 1990) is a Colombian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or a striker for National League South club Hornchurch.

Club career

Born in Cali, Colombia, Balanta moved to England when he was 5[2] and grew up in Fulham as a youth where he attended Hurlingham & Chelsea Secondary school.[citation needed] he then attended south thames college for a year, completing a construction course. Balanta progressed through the Queens Park Rangers youth system before being promoted to the first team in 2007. He had been spotted by QPR scouts playing for CB Hounslow United who play in the Combined Counties League.[3] He signed his first professional contract with QPR in January 2008, which will keep him at the club until 2010 and was given shirt number 36.[4]

He made his first team debut when he was brought on as a substitute, replacing Ben Sahar, against Crystal Palace on 4 December 2007. He made his first start against Watford on 29 December 2007.[5] In the 10th minute of the game, Balanta put Dexter Blackstock through with a looping ball which resulted in him being fouled and a penalty kick being given, which was scored by Martin Rowlands. In the 40th minute, Balanta won an aerial challenge against Lloyd Doyley and found unmarked Martin Rowlands with a lob.[5] Rowlands scored with a chip over Richard Lee from an acute angle. Balanta is highly rated at QPR and is the latest talent to break through the youth set up at Loftus Road.[4] On 5 January 2008, he made his FA Cup debut against Chelsea, coming on as a 65th-minute substitute for new signing Hogan Ephraim. On 23 February 2008, Balanta scored his first senior goal for QPR against Sheffield United at Loftus Road. The goal came in the 19th minute when Hogan Ephraim whipped in a cross into the near post where Balanta latched onto the ball. Rangers drew the game 1–1.[6]

At the start of the 2008–09 season, new manager Iain Dowie handed Balanta the number 19 shirt and gave him his first start in a League Cup third round game away at Swindon Town, which was won 3–2, with Balanta scoring the first goal. On 13 November 2008, Balanta moved on loan to League Two side Wycombe Wanderers for three months.[7] He was recalled from his loan spell two weeks early having scored three goals in 11 games.[8][9]

In June 2010, Balanta moved on loan to Milton Keynes Dons for the entire 2010–11 season.[10] On 1 August 2011 Balanta returned to MK Dons for a five-month loan.[11][12]

In January 2012, Balanta returned to Queens Park Rangers and was given the number 46 shirt. In their game against Aston Villa he was placed on the bench.

On 26 March 2013, Balanta joined League One side Yeovil Town on loan until the end of the 2012–13 season.[13] Balanta made seven appearances for Yeovil and was an unused substitute in the 2013 League One play-off final as Yeovil beat Brentford 2–1 to secure promotion to the Football League Championship.[14][15] On 1 July 2014, Balanta was released by QPR after seven years at the club, and joined Bristol Rovers.[16] Balanta had a successful year at Rovers in the Football Conference, scoring a penalty in the club's penalty shootout victory over Grimsby Town in the play-off final.[17] However, he decided to join Carlisle in June 2015.[18]

On 28 July 2016, Balanta joined National League side Boreham Wood on a one-year deal.[19]

On 22 October 2018, he signed for fellow National League outfit Dagenham & Redbridge[20] mere days after playing against them in the FA Cup, a game in which Boreham Wood chairman Danny Hunter stated 'his mind was understandably elsewhere'.[21] In the same statement, Hunter also revealed that Dagenham had initially seen two bids rejected before finally reaching agreement on a 'substantial deal' of undisclosed value.

After just short of five years at Dagenham, with the latter two being limited by injury, he left the club by mutual consent in the summer of 2023.[22] Former club Boreham Wood then announced his return there on 01 July, his 33rd birthday.[23]

Following Boreham Wood's relegation at the end of the 2023–24 season, Balanta was in talks regarding a new contract,[24] instead opting to join newly promoted National League South side Hornchurch.[25]

International career

In September 2008, the England Under-19 side placed Balanta on standby as a replacement were a player to withdraw from the team.[26]

Career statistics

As of match played 20 April 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Queens Park Rangers 2007–08[27] Championship 11 1 1 0 0 0 — 12 1
2008–09[27] Championship 10 1 0 0 3 1 — 13 2
2009–10[27] Championship 4 0 0 0 0 0 — 4 0
2010–11[27] Championship 0 0 — — — 0 0
2011–12[27] Premier League 0 0 — — — 0 0
2012–13[27] Premier League 0 0 — 0 0 — 0 0
2013–14[27] Championship 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 25 2 1 0 3 1 0 0 29 3
Wycombe Wanderers (loan) 2008–09[27] League Two 11 3 — — — 11 3
Milton Keynes Dons (loan) 2010–11[27] League One 18 6 1 0 3 0 3[a] 1 25 7
2011–12[27] League One 20 4 2 0 2 1 — 24 5
2012–13[27] League One 12 1 1 0 — — 13 1
Total 50 11 4 0 5 1 3 1 62 13
Yeovil Town (loan) 2012–13[27] League One 6 0 — — 1[b] 0 7 0
Bristol Rovers 2014–15[27] Conference Premier 16 1 0 0 — 3[c] 0 19 1
Carlisle United 2015–16[27] League Two 7 1 0 0 2 0 1[d] 0 10 1
Boreham Wood 2016–17[27] National League 42 6 3 2 — 5[e] 2 50 10
2017–18[27] National League 32 10 3 0 — 7[f] 1 42 11
2018–19[27] National League 11 3 1 0 — — 12 3
Total 85 19 7 2 — 12 3 104 24
Dagenham & Redbridge 2018–19[27] National League 23 6 — — 2[e] 1 25 7
2019–20[27] National League 22 8 1 0 — 0 0 23 8
2020–21[27] National League 34 11 3 0 — 2[e] 1 39 12
2021–22[27] National League 22 8 2 2 — 2[e] 0 26 10
2022–23[27] National League 17 2 0 0 — 0 0 17 2
Total 118 35 6 2 — 6 2 130 39
Boreham Wood 2023–24[27] National League 39 6 1 0 — 0 0 40 6
Career total 357 78 19 4 10 2 25 5 412 90
  1. ^ One appearance in Football League Trophy, two appearances and one goal in League One play-offs
  2. ^ Appearance in League One Play-offs
  3. ^ One appearance in FA Trophy, two in Conference Premier Play-offs
  4. ^ Appearance in Football League Trophy
  5. ^ a b c d Appearances in FA Trophy
  6. ^ Three appearances and one goal in National League play-offs, four in FA Trophy

Honours

Yeovil Town

Bristol Rovers

Individual

References

  1. ^ a b c Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2010). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2010–11. Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing. p. 31. ISBN 978-1-84596-601-0.
  2. ^ Pareja, Leo. "Angelo Balanta, futbolista colombiano del QPR, convocado a Selección Inglaterra Sub-18". www.vivalaradio.co.uk. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
  3. ^ "WAITING IN THE WINGS | QPR | News | Latest | Latest". Archived from the original on 16 May 2008. Retrieved 24 September 2008.
  4. ^ a b "Exclusive: Balanta turns pro". Queens Park Rangers F.C. 16 January 2008. Archived from the original on 18 January 2008. Retrieved 16 January 2008.
  5. ^ a b "Report | QPR | Match". Archived from the original on 7 March 2008. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  6. ^ "Report | QPR | Match". Archived from the original on 26 February 2008. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  7. ^ "Wycombe sign QPR striker Balanta". BBC Sport. 14 November 2008. Retrieved 14 November 2008.
  8. ^ Peters, Dave (3 February 2009). "Rangers recall Colombian ace". This Is Local London. Retrieved 3 February 2009.
  9. ^ "Ángelo Balanta". Soccerbase. Retrieved 3 February 2009.
  10. ^ "Balanta makes MK Dons loan switch". 8 June 2010. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  11. ^ "Ángelo returnes to MK". MK Dons official website. 1 August 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2011.
  12. ^ "Balanta back but Doumbe is ruled out". Milton Keynes Citizen. 2 August 2011.
  13. ^ "Ángelo Balanta joins Yeovil Town from QPR on loan". BBC Sport. 26 March 2013. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
  14. ^ a b "Starting Lineups - Brentford vs Yeovil | 19 May 2013". Sky Sports. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  15. ^ a b Maiden, Phil (19 May 2013). "Brentford 1–2 Yeovil". BBC Sport. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
  16. ^ "Bristol Rovers sign winger Balanta". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  17. ^ a b Mitchell, Brendon (17 May 2015). "Bristol Rovers 1–1 Grimsby". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  18. ^ "McQueen and Balanta join Carlisle". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  19. ^ "Boreham Wood sign forward Balanta". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  20. ^ "Balanta joins the Daggers!". Dagenham & Redbridge FC. 22 October 2018. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  21. ^ "Angelo joins Dagenham". Boreham Wood FC. 22 October 2018. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  22. ^ "Balanta Departs Dagenham". Dagenham & Redbridge FC. 20 June 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  23. ^ "Welcome Back, Angelo Balanta". Boreham Wood FC. 1 July 2023. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  24. ^ "WOOD ANNOUNCE RETAINED LIST". www.borehamwoodfootballclub.co.uk. 24 April 2024. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  25. ^ "Welcome Angelo Balanta". www.hornchurchfc.com. 12 June 2024. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  26. ^ "BALANTA ON STANDBY | QPR | News | Latest | Latest". Archived from the original on 23 September 2008. Retrieved 24 September 2008.
  27. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Ángelo Balanta at Soccerway. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  28. ^ "National League's March Monthly Award Winners Revealed!". thenationalleague.org.uk. 12 April 2021.
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