Matt Bloomfield

Matthew James Bloomfield (born 8 February 1984) is an English professional football coach and former midfielder who spent the majority of his career with Wycombe Wanderers, having started his career with Ipswich Town, graduating from the club's academy and making his senior debut in 2003, later joining Wycombe on a free transfer in the same year. He is currently head coach of EFL League Two club Colchester United.

Bloomfield spent 19 years with Wycombe, playing for the club in League Two, League One and the Championship, and also part of the side which reached the semi-final of the 2006–07 Football League Cup. At the start of the 2021/2022 season, Bloomfield was given additional responsibility and named as First Team Coach alongside his playing duties during his final season with the club until his retirement from active playing in February 2022.

Career

Born in Felixstowe, Suffolk, Bloomfield started his career as a trainee with Ipswich Town in August 2001 and was at one point a player scouted by Newcastle United and an England under-19 international player. But with a plethora of midfielders at Portman Road, he was released by manager Joe Royle to join Wycombe Wanderers on 22 December 2003, having appeared just once for Ipswich's first team.

Bloomfield's debut came in the 2–0 home defeat against Rushden & Diamonds on 28 December, and he scored his first goal for the club against Queens Park Rangers in March 2004.

In July 2008, Bloomfield finally signed a two-year contract extension. Recovering from a long-term injury at the time, Wycombe had decided not to offer him a pay rise. Bloomfield finally signed after Wycombe's new manager, Peter Taylor, said he would look to get Bloomfield a better deal when he had returned to fitness and was back in the first team.

Bloomfield made his return to league football on 2 December, as part of a 4–0 win at home to Macclesfield Town.

At the end of the 2009–10 season, Bloomfield featured heavily in the side that failed to keep Wycombe in League One. Despite this, his performances persuaded manager Gary Waddock to further extend his contract until summer 2011. He has since kept his place in the team at the start of the 2010–11 season, scoring his first goal of the season against Accrington Stanley.

Bloomfield then once again extended his contract for a further year taking him into his eighth season at the club, amassing over 250 appearances. He was also part of the proud Wycombe side that reached the League Cup semi finals in 2007, drawing 1–1 in the first leg but later losing 4-0 in the return fixture against Chelsea.

On 16 July 2013, Wycombe held Bloomfield's testimonial against Chelsea, which finished 0–5 to Chelsea. The likes of John Terry, Branislav Ivanović and José Mourinho were at Adams Park to celebrate the event.

Bloomfield was part of the Wycombe side that saw promotion to the Championship in 2020, starting as captain in the final where they defeated local rivals Oxford United 2-1 at Wembley Stadium to take the side into English football's second tier for the first time in the club's history. Bloomfield made 16 appearances in the Championship for Wycombe the following season, which would prove to be his last full season as a Wycombe player, as he began to take up additional duties after being named a first team coach. The club were relegated back to League One at the end of the campaign, after which Bloomfield would make just one more appearance for the club, captaining the side in an EFL Cup first round tie against Exeter, which Wycombe would later win on penalties. Bloomfield was substituted at half time for Oliver Pendlebury, after suffering a concussion, after which the club doctor advised him that it may no longer be safe for him to play football. Bloomfield announced his retirement from active playing on February 2, 2022.

Coaching career

On 30 September 2022, Bloomfield was appointed head coach of League Two side Colchester United. At the time of his appointment, Colchester were sat in 21st position, one point clear of the relegation zone after ten matches.

Personal life

As of November 2010, Bloomfield was studying to complete a degree in Professional Sports Writing and Broadcasting at Staffordshire University, alongside former teammate Kevin Betsy. Bloomfield regularly writes blogs for the BBC
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