Sam Ricketts

Sam Ricketts

Ricketts playing for Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2014
Personal information
Full name Samuel Derek Ricketts[1]
Date of birth (1981-10-11) 11 October 1981[1]
Place of birth Aylesbury, England
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[2]
Playing position Defender
Club information
Current team
 Coventry City
Number 18
Youth career
0000–2000 Oxford United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000–2003 Oxford United 45 (1)
2002–2003 → Nuneaton Borough (loan) 11 (1)
2003–2004 Telford United 41 (4)
2004–2006 Swansea City 89 (2)
2006–2009 Hull City 113 (1)
2009–2013 Bolton Wanderers 96 (1)
2013–2015 Wolverhampton Wanderers 48 (2)
2015 → Swindon Town (loan) 9 (0)
2015–2016 Coventry City 46 (1)
National team‡
2003–2004 England C 4 (1)
2005–2014 Wales 52 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 23:03, 18 August 2016 (UTC).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 23:31, 5 March 2014 (UTC)

Samuel Derek "Sam" Ricketts (born 11 October 1981) is a retired English-born Welsh international footballer who last played as a defender for Coventry City. He was the club captain. His favoured position was full-back, able to play on the left or right side, but also able of playing in the centre of defence.

He played over 100 games for Swansea City before playing Premier League football for both Hull City and Bolton Wanderers. He left Bolton in 2013 and captained Wolves to the League One title with a record points total.

Personal life

Ricketts' family is highly involved in equestrianism. His father is the 1978 world showjumping champion Derek Ricketts, later performance manager of the UK showjumping team from 2002 to 2010,[3] and his uncle is the former National Hunt champion jockey John Francome. As a teenager, Ricketts himself was a keen rider until prioritising football.[4]

Club career

Early career

Ricketts began his career at Oxford United, making his first team debut on 8 October 2000 in a 2–1 defeat at rivals Swindon Town.[5] During his time at Oxford United he had a brief spell on loan at Nuneaton Borough before being released from his professional contract to sign for Conference National side Telford United in the summer of 2003. His form for Telford led him to be selected for the England non-League XI that season.

Swansea City

Telford United went out of business at the end of the 2003–04 season, meaning Ricketts' contract was annulled. Swansea manager Kenny Jackett offered him a return to league football though, and he joined Swansea City on 27 May 2004.[6]

He helped the team to promotion from League Two in his first season, during which he was selected in the division's PFA Team of the Year.[7] At the end of the campaign he was rewarded for his performances with a new improved contract.[8] His second season saw the team reach the League One Play-off Final, but Ricketts was part of the team that lost on penalties to Barnsley.[9]

Hull City

Ricketts playing for Hull City in 2009

After 103 appearances in total for Swansea, Ricketts moved to Championship club Hull City on 14 July 2006 for a fee of £300,000 (triggering a minimum fee release clause in his contract).[10] He started every minute of Hull's first ten games but sustained a broken cheekbone in the tenth game – a win against Hartlepool United – that required an operation, thereby ruling him out for several weeks.[11] He made 45 appearances during the season, and scored his first, and ultimately, only goal for Hull in March 2007 against Southend.[12]

The defender was part of the Hull team that won promotion to the Premier League for the first time in the club's history at the end of the 2007–08 season; he played in their Championship play-off final victory over Bristol City.[13] Hull manager Phil Brown had stated in advance of this that he wanted to extend Ricketts' contract due to his performances.[14]

Ricketts made 29 league appearances for the Tigers in their inaugural top flight campaign, as they narrowly avoided relegation on the final day of the season.[2] Following this, he entered into talks regarding a new deal with the club, but had been linked to other Premier League sides.[15]

Bolton Wanderers

On 25 July 2009, fellow Premier League side Bolton Wanderers confirmed Ricketts had signed a three-year deal with them for an undisclosed fee.[16] He made his debut in a 0–1 defeat to Sunderland on 15 August and went on to play in every defensive position for the club.

In February 2011 he suffered a snapped Achilles tendon during an FA Cup Replay against Wigan Athletic, which put him out of first team contention until the end of the year.[17] He made his return on New Year's Eve 2011, where he also scored his first Bolton goal, in a 1–1 draw against his future club Wolverhampton Wanderers.[18] Ricketts' contract expired at the end of the 2011–12 season but, despite Bolton being relegated from the Premier League, he signed a new two-year deal with the club in the summer of 2012.[19] On 4 July 2013, after a season in which the team failed to make an instant return to the top flight, Bolton confirmed that his contract had been cancelled by mutual agreement.[20]

He later expressed his surprise at leaving Bolton Wanderers.[21]

Wolverhampton Wanderers

On the same day as his exit from Bolton, Ricketts joined Wolverhampton Wanderers of League One as a free agent in a two-year deal, reuniting with his former Swansea manager Kenny Jackett.[22] Having been appointed club captain, he made his club debut on 3 August 2013 in a goalless draw at Preston.[23] Ricketts was a regular member of the Wolves team that won the League One title that season with a record 103 points.[24] He scored his first goal for the club in a 6–4 win against Rotherham United on 18 April 2014.[25]

Back in the Championship, Ricketts seldom featured for Wolves, despite remaining club captain, and in January 2015 was made available for loan.[26] Soon after he took on a coaching role at the club,[27] but on 21 March 2015, left to join League One promotion contenders Swindon Town on loan for the remainder of the season.[28] He helped the club to the play-off final, scoring an equaliser in the semi-final at Sheffield United,[29] but the Robins lost the Wembley final 0–4 to Preston, in which Ricketts came on as an early substitute.[30]

On 17 June 2015 it was announced that his contract with Wolves will not be renewed.[31]

Coventry City

Ricketts signed for Coventry City on 6 July 2015 signing a one-year deal with the club.[32] In July 2016 his contract was extended until the end of the 2016-17 season.[33] On 16 November, he was forced to retire from football because of a knee injury.[34]

International career

Although born in England, Ricketts is eligible for the Wales national football team due to a Welsh grandmother.[35] He made his international debut for Wales on 9 February 2005 in a friendly against Hungary that was John Toshack's first game in charge after his return as manager.[36]

Career statistics

As of 18 August 2016
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
Oxford United 2000–01[37] Division Two14000001[lower-alpha 1]0150
2001–02[38] Division Three29100101[lower-alpha 1]0311
2002–03[39] Division Three2000000020
Total 451001020481
Nuneaton Town (loan) 2002–03[39] Conference111000000111
Telford United 2003–04[40] Conference41451005[lower-alpha 1][lower-alpha 2]1516
Total 414510051516
Swansea City 2004–05[41] League Two42050102[lower-alpha 1]1501
2005–06[42] League One44110109[lower-alpha 1][lower-alpha 3]1552
Total 86160201121053
Hull City 2006–07[43] Championship401203000451
2007–08[44] Championship44000203[lower-alpha 4]0490
2008–09[45] Premier League290600000350
Total 11318050301291
Bolton Wanderers 2009–10[46] Premier League270303000330
2010–11[47] Premier League170302000220
2011–12[48] Premier League201400000241
2012–13[49] Championship320200000340
Total 96112050001131
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2013–14[50] League One442200000462
2014–15[51] Championship4000110051
Total 482201000512
Swindon Town (loan) 2014–15[51] League One9000002[lower-alpha 5]1111
Coventry City 2015–16[52] League One43110101[lower-alpha 1]0461
2016–17[53] League One3000100040
Total 461102010501
Career total 4951234116124456918
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Appearances in Football League Trophy
  2. ↑ Appearances in FA Trophy
  3. ↑ Appearances in 2006 Football League play-offs
  4. ↑ Appearances in 2008 Football League play-offs
  5. ↑ Appearances in 2015 Football League play-offs

Honours

Club

Swansea City
Hull City
Wolverhampton Wanderers

Individual

References

  1. 1 2 Hugman, Barry J. (2005). The PFA Premier & Football League Players' Records 1946–2005. Queen Anne Press. p. 521. ISBN 1-85291-665-6.
  2. 1 2 "Player Profile: Samuel Ricketts". Premier League.
  3. ↑ Horse and Hound, Report of dismissal, Published 13 January 2010
  4. ↑ "'If Millwall don't fancy it, then we've got a chance' says Telford's Ricketts – and he's not horsing around!". GiveMeFootball.com. Retrieved 1 July 2006.
  5. ↑ "Swindon 2–1 Oxford". BBC Sport. 8 October 2000.
  6. ↑ "Ricketts moves to Swansea". BBC Sport. 27 May 2004.
  7. ↑ "Swans duo win PFA team accolade". BBC Sport. 25 April 2005.
  8. ↑ "Ricketts signs new Swansea deal". BBC Sport. 3 August 2005.
  9. ↑ "How Lge 1 play-off final unfolded". BBC Sport. 28 May 2006.
  10. ↑ "Ricketts completes move to Hull". BBC Sport. 15 July 2006.
  11. ↑ "Ricketts faces cheekbone surgery". BBC Sport. 20 September 2006.
  12. ↑ "Hull 4–0 Southend". BBC Sport. 31 March 2007.
  13. ↑ "Bristol City 0–1 Hull". BBC Sport. 24 May 2008.
  14. ↑ "Hull to offer Ricketts new deal". BBC Sport. 9 April 2008.
  15. ↑ "Hull hopeful of keeping Ricketts". BBC Sport. 1 July 2009.
  16. ↑ "Bolton edge Portsmouth in getting Sam Ricketts signature". The Mirror. 24 July 2009.
  17. ↑ "Sam Ricketts ruled out for season with Achilles injury". BBC Sport. 18 February 2011.
  18. ↑ "Bolton 1–1 Wolverhampton". BBC Sport. 31 December 2011.
  19. ↑ "Ricketts signs new deal". Bolton Wanderers F.C. 18 May 2012.
  20. ↑ "Ricketts departs". Bolton Wanderers F.C. 4 July 2013.
  21. ↑ "Sam Ricketts admits disappointment at leaving Bolton Wanderers". Bolton Wanderers F.C. 8 November 2013. Archived from the original on 10 January 2016.
  22. ↑ "Sam Ricketts: Wolves sign Bolton Wanderers' Welsh defender". BBC Sport. 4 July 2013.
  23. ↑ "Preston 0–0 Wolves". BBC Sport. 3 August 2013.
  24. ↑ "Wolves 3–0 Carlisle United". BBC Sport. 3 May 2014.
  25. ↑ "Wolves 6–4 Rotherham". BBC Sport. 18 April 2014.
  26. ↑ "Wolves make Sam Ricketts available for loan". Express & Star. 20 January 2015.
  27. ↑ "Sam Ricketts takes on coaching role at Wolves". Express & Star. 5 March 2015.
  28. ↑ "Sam Ricketts: Swindon sign Wolves defender on loan". BBC Sport. 21 March 2015.
  29. ↑ "Sheffield United 1–2 Swindon Town". BBC Sport. 7 May 2015.
  30. ↑ "Preston North End 4–0 Swindon Town". BBC Sport. 24 May 2015.
  31. ↑ "Ricketts to leave Wolves". Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. 17 June 2015.
  32. ↑ "Sam Ricketts: Coventry City sign ex-Wolves captain". BBC Sport. 6 July 2015. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
  33. ↑ Ricketts extended at Coventry
  34. ↑ "Sam Ricketts: Coventry City skipper forced to retire by knee injury - BBC Sport". BBC Sport. 16 November 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  35. ↑ "Sam Ricketts: Biography & Statistics". FAW.
  36. ↑ "Wales 2–0 Hungary". BBC Sport. 9 February 2005.
  37. ↑ "Games played by Sam Ricketts in 2000/2001". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  38. ↑ "Games played by Sam Ricketts in 2001/2002". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  39. 1 2 "Games played by Sam Ricketts in 2002/2003". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  40. ↑ "Games played by Sam Ricketts in 2003/2004". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  41. ↑ "Games played by Sam Ricketts in 2004/2005". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  42. ↑ "Games played by Sam Ricketts in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  43. ↑ "Games played by Sam Ricketts in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  44. ↑ "Games played by Sam Ricketts in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  45. ↑ "Games played by Sam Ricketts in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  46. ↑ "Games played by Sam Ricketts in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  47. ↑ "Games played by Sam Ricketts in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  48. ↑ "Games played by Sam Ricketts in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  49. ↑ "Games played by Sam Ricketts in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  50. ↑ "Games played by Sam Ricketts in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  51. 1 2 "Games played by Sam Ricketts in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  52. ↑ "Games played by Sam Ricketts in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  53. ↑ "Games played by Sam Ricketts in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
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