Rhys Healey

For the Australian rules footballer, see Rhys Healey (Australian footballer).

Rhys James Evitt-Healey (born 6 December 1994) is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for EFL League One club Huddersfield Town.

Rhys Healey

Healey playing for Cardiff City in 2018
Personal information
Full name	Rhys James Evitt-Healey[1]
Date of birth	(1994-12-06) 6 December 1994 (age 29)[2]
Place of birth	Manchester, England[3]
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[4]
Position(s)	Forward
Team information
Current team	Huddersfield Town
Number	11
Youth career
2009–2011	Connah's Quay Nomads
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2011–2013	Connah's Quay Nomads	29	(15)
2013–2019	Cardiff City	14	(1)
2014–2015	→ Colchester United (loan)	17	(4)
2015	→ Colchester United (loan)	4	(0)
2015–2016	→ Dundee (loan)	7	(1)
2016–2017	→ Newport County (loan)	17	(6)
2018	→ Torquay United (loan)	8	(6)
2018–2019	→ Milton Keynes Dons (loan)	18	(8)
2019–2020	Milton Keynes Dons	19	(11)
2020–2023	Toulouse	69	(37)
2023	Toulouse B	2	(0)
2023–2024	Watford	11	(2)
2024–	Huddersfield Town	11	(3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 02:39, 15 May 2024 (UTC)

Career

Connah's Quay Nomads

Healey started his career with Connah's Quay Nomads, joining their youth setup at Under-16 level in 2009.^[5][2] He made his first team debut for the club as a substitute during a 6–1 victory on the opening Cymru Alliance match of the 2011–12 season against Caersws and made 10 league appearances as the club won promotion to the Welsh Premier League.^[6][2] The following season, he made his debut in the Welsh Premier League, coming off the bench against Bangor City and went on to score 12 league goals for the club during the first half of the 2012–13 season. His prolific form saw him attract the attention of several clubs and Healey spent time on trial with Stoke City and Manchester City.^[5]

Cardiff City

On 28 January 2013, Healey signed for Cardiff City.^[7] In March 2014 he signed a new contract with the club.^[8] On 11 May, he made his first-team debut on the last day of the season, in a 2–1 defeat against Chelsea as a substitute in place of Craig Bellamy.^[9]

Healey signed on loan for EFL League One club Colchester United on 19 September 2014. He joined the club as back-up to first choice striker Freddie Sears, initially signing until 20 December.^[10] He made his debut as a substitute in the second half, and scored in a 3–0 win over Crewe Alexandra, which was followed with another in the next game, in a 4–2 loss at Preston North End.^[11][12] Having made ten appearances and scored four goals, his loan was extended until the end of the season.^[13] On 19 March 2015, Healey was recalled by his parent club.^[14] On 2 April, he was re-loaned to Colchester as a protracted loan move to EFL League Two club Newport County fell through after the move was blocked by FIFA,^[15] a decision that was branded unbelievable by Newport manager Jimmy Dack.^[16]

On 1 September 2015, Healey signed for Scottish Premiership club Dundee on loan until January.^[17] He made a total of 7 appearances for the club, scoring once during a 2–1 defeat to Kilmarnock, before his loan spell was ended early following an injury.

On 31 August 2016, Healey joined Newport County on loan until 3 January 2017.^[18] He made his debut on 10 September in League Two during a 2–2 draw with Cheltenham Town, coming on as a second-half substitute in place of Jon Parkin.^[19] He scored his first goal two weeks later in a 2–1 defeat to Cambridge United.^[20] His final appearance was in a 2–1 defeat to Wycombe Wanderers on 2 January.^[21]

Upon on returning, Healey found himself placed on the bench for Cardiff City for the first time in three years against Aston Villa. On 21 January, he scored the winner against Burton Albion, also his first for the Bluebirds, after replacing Junior Hoilett.^[22] During his second start for the club against Rotherham United on 18 February, Healey was forced off after suffering a serious knee injury, which ruled him out for up to nine months.^[23]

During his recovery from the injury, Healey signed a new two-and-a-half-year deal at Cardiff, before making his first team return on 26 December 2017, coming on for Loïc Damour against Fulham.^[24][25] He joined Torquay United on loan in March 2018 for the remainder of the 2017–18 season,^[26] scoring six times in eight appearances including a hat-trick during a 4–3 defeat at home to Guiseley.^[27]

On 24 August 2018, Healey joined EFL League Two club Milton Keynes Dons on loan until January.^[28] He scored his first goal for in an EFL Trophy tie against Peterborough United on 4 September.^[29]

Milton Keynes Dons

On 16 July 2019, Healey returned to former loan club Milton Keynes Dons on a permanent basis, signing for an undisclosed fee.^[30] In his first game back at the club, Healey scored a 93rd-minute winner in a 1–0 home victory over Shrewsbury Town.^[31] Despite missing several months of the season through injury, Healey finished the 2019–20 campaign as the club's top scorer with 12 goals in 20 appearances across all competitions, and was voted Players' Player of the Year by his teammates.^[32]

Toulouse

On 27 August 2020, Healey joined Ligue 2 club Toulouse for an undisclosed fee.^[33] He made his debut on 14 September when he replaced Efthymis Koulouris, in a league match versus Sochaux.^[34] A few days later, Healey scored his first goal in a 3–1 league win against Auxerre.^[35] Healey was named the UNFP Ligue 2 Player of the Month for December 2020 following an impressive run of six goals in five consecutive league games during the month.^[36]

On 20 November 2021, Healey scored all four goals in a 4–1 home league win over Sochaux.^[37] He was later named UNFP Ligue 2 Player of the Month for the second time, winning the November 2021 award.^[38] On 9 April 2022, Healey scored a hat-trick in a 4–2 away win over Guingamp.^[39]

At the conclusion of the 2021–22 season, in total Healey had scored 20 goals in 32 appearances, contributing to Toulouse achieving promotion back to Ligue 1 as champions. He finished the campaign as Ligue 2's top scorer,^[40] and was later chosen as one of six Toulouse players to feature in the UNFP Ligue 2 Team of the Year.^[41]

Watford

Healey signed for Watford in 2023.^[42] He scored his first goal for the club in a 1–1 draw with Southampton on 9 December 2023.^[43]

Career statistics

As of match played 4 May 2024

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cup		League cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Connah's Quay Nomads	2011–12[44]	Cymru Alliance	10	3	2	2	0	0	0	0	12	5
	2012–13[45]	Welsh Premier League	19	12	0	0	2	2	0	0	21	14
	Total		29	15	2	2	2	2	0	0	33	19
Cardiff City	2013–14[46]	Premier League	1	0	0	0	0	0	—		1	0
	2014–15[47]	Championship	0	0	—		—		—		0	0
	2015–16[48]	Championship	0	0	0	0	0	0	—		0	0
	2016–17[49]	Championship	7	1	—		0	0	—		7	1
	2017–18[50]	Championship	3	0	2	0	0	0	—		5	0
	2018–19[51]	Premier League	3	0	—		—		—		3	0
	Total		14	1	2	0	0	0	—		16	1
Colchester United (loan)	2014–15[47]	League One	21	4	1	0	1	0	0	0	23	4
Dundee (loan)	2015–16[48]	Scottish Premiership	7	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	7	1
Newport County (loan)	2016–17[49]	League Two	17	6	4	1	0	0	2[lower-alpha 1]	0	23	7
Torquay United (loan)	2017–18[50]	National League	8	6	0	0	—		0	0	8	6
Milton Keynes Dons (loan)	2018–19[51]	League Two	18	8	1	0	1	0	1[lower-alpha 1]	1	21	9
Milton Keynes Dons	2019–20[52]	League One	18	11	0	0	1	1	1	0	20	12
Toulouse	2020–21[53][54]	Ligue 2	33	15	1	0	—		2[lower-alpha 2]	1	36	16
	2021–22[54]	Ligue 2	32	20	5	2	—		—		37	22
	2022–23[55]	Ligue 1	4	2	0	0	—		—		4	2
	Total		69	37	6	2	—		2	1	77	40
Toulouse B	2022–23[55]	National 3	2	0	—		—		—		2	0
Watford	2023–24[56]	Championship	11	2	1	0	1	0	—		13	2
Huddersfield Town	2023–24[56]	Championship	11	3	0	0	0	0	—		11	3
Career total			225	94	17	5	6	3	6	2	254	104

1. Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy
2. Appearances in Ligue 1 relegation/promotion play-offs

Honours

Connah's Quay Nomads

• Cymru Alliance: 2011–12^[57]

Milton Keynes Dons

• EFL League Two third-place promotion: 2018–19^[58]

Toulouse

• Ligue 2: 2021–22^[59]
• Coupe de France: 2022–23

Individual

• Milton Keynes Dons Players' Player of the Year: 2019–20^[32]
• UNFP Player of the Month Ligue 2: December 2020,^[36] November 2021,^[38] April 2022^[60]
• Ligue 2 Top Scorer: 2021–22^[40]
• UNFP Ligue 2 Team of the Year: 2021–22^[41]

References

1. "List of Players under Written Contract Registered Between 01/12/2014 and 31/12/2014" (PDF). The Football Association. p. 1. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
2. "Rhys Healey". Gap Connah's Quay. Archived from the original on 9 February 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
3. "Rhys Healey". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
4. "Rhys Healey - Forward - First Team - Milton Keynes Dons". Milton Keynes Dons F.C. Archived from the original on 25 April 2020. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
5. "Healey speaks out". Connah's Quay Nomads. 8 August 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2020.^{[permanent dead link]}
6. "Caersws 1–6 Nomads". Connah's Quay Nomads. 13 August 2011. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
7. "Cardiff City sign Connah's Quay Nomads striker Rhys Healey". BBC Sport. 28 January 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
8. "Cardiff City starlet Rhys Healey agrees new contract at the club". Sky Sports. 14 March 2014. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
9. "Cardiff 1–2 Chelsea". BBC Sport. 11 May 2014. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
10. Marston, Carl (19 September 2014). "Colchester United snap up striker Rhys Healey on loan deal". East Anglia: East Anglian Daily Times. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
11. "Crewe Alexandra 0–3 Colchester United". BBC Sport. 27 September 2014. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
12. "Preston North End 4–2 Colchester United". BBC Sport. 4 October 2014. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
13. "Rhys To Stay With U's". Colchester United F.C. 19 December 2014. Archived from the original on 20 December 2014. Retrieved 20 December 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
14. Gregory, David (19 March 2015). "Healey Recalled". Colchester United. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
15. "HEALEY TO COMPLETE COLCHESTER LOAN SPELL". Cardiff City. 3 April 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
16. Pearlman, Michael (2 April 2015). "Exiles still angry at failure to sign Cardiff City striker Rhys Healey". South Wales Argus. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
17. "RHYS SIGNS ON LOAN". Dundee F.C. 1 September 2015. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
18. Penman, Andrew (31 August 2016). "Cardiff City starlet signs for Newport County". South Wales Argus. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
19. "Newport 2–2 Cheltenham". BBC Sport. 10 September 2016. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
20. "Newport County 1–2 Cambridge United". BBC Sport. 24 September 2016. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
21. Penman, Andrew (3 January 2017). "Graham Westley expects more new arrivals before Stevenage trip". South Wales Argus. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
22. "Cardiff City 1–0 Burton Albion". BBC Sport. 21 January 2017. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
23. "Rhys Healey: Cardiff City striker set for long lay-off with knee injury". BBC Sport. 18 February 2017. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
24. Mitchelmore, Ian (30 October 2017). "Cardiff City striker Rhys Healey signs new contract with the Bluebirds". Wales Online. Retrieved 30 October 2017.
25. "Cardiff City 2–4 Fulham". BBC Sport. 26 December 2017. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
26. "Rhys Healey: Cardiff City striker joins National League side Torquay United on loan". BBC Sport. 16 March 2018. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
27. "Torquay United 3–4 Guiseley". BBC Sport. 24 April 2018. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
28. "Cardiff City striker Healey secures League Two loan switch". Inside Wales Sport. 24 August 2018. Archived from the original on 25 August 2018. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
29. "Report: MK Dons 3-3 Peterborough United (6-5 pens)". Milton Keynes Dons F.C. 4 September 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
30. "Rhys Healey leaves Cardiff City to return to MK Dons". BBC Sport. 16 July 2019. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
31. "Milton Keynes Dons 1-0 Shrewsbury Town". BBC Sport. 10 August 2019. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
32. "Gilbey named Player of the Year". Milton Keynes Dons. 26 June 2020. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
33. "Nouvelle recrue au Toulouse Football Club : le Britannique Rhys Healey à l'attaque" [New recruit at Toulouse Football Club: Briton Rhys Healey on the attack]. ladepeche.fr (in French). 27 August 2020. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
34. "Ligue 2 : un match nul rassurant pour Toulouse contre Sochaux" [Ligue 2: a reassuring draw for Toulouse against Sochaux]. L'Équipe (in French). 14 September 2020. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
35. "Le but du break du TFC contre Auxerre inscrit par Rhys Healey" [The goal of the break of the TFC against Auxerre scored by Rhys Healey]. Toulouse FC (in French). 28 September 2020. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
36. UNFP [@UNFP] (19 January 2021). "Nous avons notre vainqueur pour le Trophée UNFP du Joueur du Mois Sparkles. Rhys Healey, votre récompense vous attend" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
37. "Ligue 2 : Toulouse écrase Sochaux (4-1), un quadruplé pour Rhys Healey" [Ligue 2: Toulouse crushes Sochaux (4-1), a quadruple for Rhys Healey]. France Bleu (in French). 20 November 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
38. "Trophée UNFP : Rhys Healey élu joueur du mois de novembre en Ligue 2 !" [UNFP Trophy: Rhys Healey elected player of the month for November in Ligue 2!]. Les Violets (in French). 21 December 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
39. "Guingamp - TFC (2-4) : avant son triplé, Rhys Healey méritait-il un carton rouge ?". La Dépêche du Midi. 9 April 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
40. Ligue 2 [@Ligue2BKT] (14 May 2022). "Rhys Healey, meilleur buteur de la saison" (Tweet) – via Twitter.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
41. UNFP [@UNFP] (15 May 2022). "Un onze-type qui a vu la vie en rose cette saison, ne cuvée 2021-2022 qui a fière allure, n'est-ce pas" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
42. "Official: Healey's A Hornet!". www.watfordfc.com.
43. "Watford 1-1 Southampton". BBC. 9 December 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
44. "2011–12". Connah's Quay Nomads. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
45. "R. Healey". Soccerway. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
46. "Games played by Rhys Healey in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
47. "Games played by Rhys Healey in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
48. "Games played by Rhys Healey in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
49. "Games played by Rhys Healey in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
50. "Games played by Rhys Healey in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
51. "Games played by Rhys Healey in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
52. "Games played by Rhys Healey in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
53. "Rhys Healey | Buts de la saison 2020-2021". ligue2.fr (in French). Retrieved 5 January 2022.
54. "Rhys Healey". footballdatabase.eu. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
55. "Games played by Rhys Healey in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
56. "Games played by Rhys Healey in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
57. "Rhys Healey speaks out". The-Nomads.co.uk. 8 August 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2019.^{[permanent dead link]}
58. "League Two: 2018/19: Current table". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
    "MK Dons: Squad details: 2018/19". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
59. "Former Colchester United loanee Rhys Healey has helped Toulouse win promotion". Colchester Daily Gazette. 27 April 2022. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
60. "Rhys Healey et Benjamin Bourigeaud, joueurs du mois d'avril !" [Rhys Healey and Benjamin Bourigeaud, players of the month for April!] (in French). National Union of Professional Footballers. 19 May 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2022.

External links

• Rhys Healey at Soccerbase
• Rhys Healey – French league stats at Ligue 1 – also available in French