Dom Ballard
English footballer (born 2005)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dominic Ballard (born 1 April 2005) is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for EFL League One club Leyton Orient.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Dominic Ballard[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 1 April 2005 | ||
| Place of birth | Guildford, England[2] | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Leyton Orient | ||
| Number | 32 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2013–2022 | Southampton | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022–2025 | Southampton | 2 | (0) |
| 2023–2024 | → Reading (loan) | 10 | (3) |
| 2024–2025 | → Blackpool (loan) | 18 | (1) |
| 2025 | → Cambridge United (loan) | 17 | (2) |
| 2025– | Leyton Orient | 31 | (21) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2022 | England U17 | 3 | (0) |
| 2022 | England U18 | 3 | (3) |
| 2023 | England U19 | 8 | (4) |
| 2024 | England U20 | 6 | (1) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 03:00, 18 March 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 13:38, 12 December 2024 (UTC) | |||
Early life
Ballard spent the formative years of his childhood living in Greece, before his family moved back to England in 2010 and settled in Berkshire.[3] When he was first invited to train at Southampton, Ballard and his parents would commute to the south coast a couple of times a week.[3]
Club career
Southampton
Ballard signed his first professional contract with Southampton in April 2022.[4]
On 23 August 2022, he made his senior debut and scored his first goal for Southampton's first team in a 3–0 victory against Cambridge United in the EFL Cup.[5] On 21 May 2023, Ballard made his Premier League debut in a 3–1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion, replacing Joe Aribo in the 70th minute.[6]
On 27 June 2023, Ballard signed a two-year contract extension until 2026.[7]
Reading (loan)
On 1 September 2023, Ballard joined League One side Reading on a season-long loan.[8] He made his debut for the club on 16 September 2023 in a 2–1 victory against Bolton Wanderers.[9] On 19 September 2023, Ballard scored a brace during a 0–9 victory against Exeter City in the EFL Trophy.[10][11] He scored his first league goal for the club on 3 October 2023 in a 3–1 defeat to Northampton Town.[12] During a 1–2 victory against Wycombe Wanderers on 25 November 2023, Ballard was forced off in the first half after suffering a leg injury from a fall.[13] Three days later, head coach Rubén Sellés confirmed that Ballard would be out for the season after snapping his patellar tendon.[14]
Blackpool (loan)
On 13 August 2024, Ballard joined League One side Blackpool on a season-long loan.[15][16] He made his debut for the club on 17 August 2024 in a 3–0 home defeat against Stockport County after he replaced Ashley Fletcher in the 72nd minute.[17] On 24 August 2024, Ballard scored his first goal for the club in a 4–4 draw with Cambridge United.[18] He suffered a shoulder injury during a 2–0 victory against Huddersfield Town on 24 September 2024, with head coach Steve Bruce later confirming Ballard was expected to be sidelined for several weeks.[19][20] On 3 January 2025, he was recalled from loan and returned to Southampton.[21][22]
Cambridge United (loan)
On 27 January 2025, Ballard joined League One side Cambridge United on loan for the remainder of the 2024–25 season.[23] He made his debut for the club on 28 January 2025 in a 2–1 defeat against Rotherham United after he replaced Josh Stokes in the 67th minute.[24] On 11 March 2025, Ballard scored his first goal for the club in a 2–1 defeat against Blackpool.[25][26]
Leyton Orient
On 1 September 2025, Ballard joined Leyton Orient on a three-year contract with an option of a fourth.[27] He was named EFL League One Player of the Month for January 2026 having scored five goals in six matches, including a perfect hat-trick against former club Reading.[28]
International career
Having previously represented England U17s, Ballard made his U18 debut during a 1–0 win over the Netherlands in Pinatar on 21 September 2022.[29]
On 6 September 2023, Ballard made his England U19 debut during a 1–0 defeat to Germany in Oliva.[30]
On 6 September 2024, Ballard made a goalscoring England U20 debut during a 1–1 draw away to Turkey.[31]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 18 March 2026
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | EFL Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Southampton U23 | 2021–22 | — | — | — | — | 3[a] | 0 | 3 | 0 | |||
| Southampton | 2022–23[32] | Premier League | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 4 | 1 | |
| 2023–24[33] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2024–25[34] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 4 | 1 | |||
| Reading (loan) | 2023–24[33] | League One | 10 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 2 | 12 | 5 |
| Blackpool (loan) | 2024–25[34] | League One | 18 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 22 | 1 |
| Cambridge United (loan) | 2024–25[34] | League One | 17 | 2 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 17 | 2 | ||
| Leyton Orient | 2025–26[35] | League One | 31 | 21 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 35 | 21 |
| Career total | 78 | 27 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 93 | 30 | ||
- Notes
- Appearances in EFL Trophy
Honours
Individual
- EFL League One Player of the Month: January 2026[28]