 Ricketts in 2007 while on loan atWalsall | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Michael Barrington Ricketts | ||
| Date of birth | (1978-12-04)4 December 1978 (age 47) | ||
| Place of birth | Birmingham, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[1] | ||
| Position | Striker | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1996–2000 | Walsall | 76 | (14) |
| 2000–2003 | Bolton Wanderers | 98 | (37) |
| 2003–2004 | Middlesbrough | 32 | (3) |
| 2004–2006 | Leeds United | 25 | (0) |
| 2005 | →Stoke City (loan) | 11 | (0) |
| 2005–2006 | →Cardiff City (loan) | 17 | (5) |
| 2006 | →Burnley (loan) | 13 | (2) |
| 2006–2007 | Southend United | 2 | (0) |
| 2007 | Preston North End | 14 | (1) |
| 2007–2008 | Oldham Athletic | 9 | (2) |
| 2007–2008 | →Walsall (loan) | 12 | (3) |
| 2008–2009 | Walsall | 28 | (9) |
| 2009–2010 | Tranmere Rovers | 12 | (2) |
| Total | 349 | (78) | |
| International career | |||
| 2002 | England | 1 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Michael Barrington Ricketts (born 4 December 1978) is an English formerfootballer. He played as astriker and wascapped once byEngland, in a friendly againstthe Netherlands in 2002.[2][3]
Ricketts had a 14-year career which saw him play forWalsall,Bolton Wanderers,Middlesbrough,Leeds United,Stoke City,Cardiff City,Burnley,Southend United,Preston North End,Oldham Athletic andTranmere Rovers.
Ricketts began his career atWalsall, for which he signed in 1996. He made 76 league appearances for them, scoring 14 times.
In July 2000,First Division sideBolton Wanderers signed him for £400,000.[4] He started his Bolton career in impressive style, scoring 24 times as they won promotion to thePremier League through the playoffs. His finest moments at Bolton Wanderers include sealing victory againstPreston North End in the Division One Play-off final in 2001 and scoring the winning goal atOld Trafford in a 2–1 win for Bolton overManchester United in the 2001–02Premier League season.[5]
Ricketts continued scoring in his first season in the Premier League, hitting 15 goals by February, and this form led to his call-up forEngland's friendly against theNetherlands in February 2002. Ricketts played 45 minutes in that game but failed to score, and subsequently did not score for Bolton again all season.[6]
In January 2003,Middlesbrough spent £3.5 million to sign him from Bolton.[7] He failed to recapture his goal-scoring form, netting just four times in 38 matches. While at Middlesbrough he did, however, win theLeague Cup in the2003–04 season, coincidentally against Bolton.
In June 2004, he signed forChampionship sideLeeds United on a free transfer, agreeing a three-year deal with the club.[8] Ricketts failed to impress, failing to score in 25 league appearances, although he did manage a solitary goal in the League Cup againstSwindon Town.[9]
Ricketts then joinedStoke City on a month-long loan in February 2005,[10] but also failed to impress there, and returned to Leeds. He made five more appearances, scoring once againstOldham Athletic, again in the League Cup.[11] He was then loaned out toCardiff, where he scored four goals in 11 appearances, before returning to Leeds. On 30 January 2006, he signed for Championship sideBurnley in a loan deal that would keep him atTurf Moor until the end of the season.[12] Despite scoring twice in his first three matches againstPlymouth Argyle[13] and Ipswich Town,[14] he again failed to impress (he did not score again) and returned to Leeds after the season had finished.
On 30 June 2006, Ricketts signed a two-year deal with Championship sideSouthend United with an option to extend for another year. A clause in the contract he signed stated that he was prohibited from playing against Leeds United. However, after only a couple of months into the new season, Southend released Ricketts on the basis that he was overweight and had put on weight since joining the club, questioning his level of fitness.
After leaving Southend, Ricketts joined Preston North End, playing a handful of games for their first team. In March 2007 he scored the winner againstIpswich Town.[15] However, Ricketts' fitness and his inability to break into the first team on a regular basis led to him being released by Preston on 8 May 2007, again leaving him without a club until being picked up by Oldham Athletic, for whom he signed until 2010.[16] He scored two league goals during his time at Oldham, in victories overSwansea City[17] and his former club Walsall.[18]
On 2 November 2007, he returned to his first club Walsall on a three-month loan from Oldham.[19] He made his second debut for Walsall in a league match againstCheltenham Town on 3 November. On 31 January 2008, transfer deadline day, Ricketts had his contract cancelled by Oldham Athletic.
On 24 July 2008, Ricketts once again rejoined Walsall and scored nine goals in his third spell there. At the game against Southend United played at Roots Hall on 7 March 2009, Ricketts was sent off in the 14th minute when he attempted to punch Kevin Betsy.[20] At the end of the season he was released.[21]
On 14 August 2009, it was announced that Ricketts had signed a one-year deal withTranmere Rovers (his 11th professional club). Ricketts stated playing forJohn Barnes was a major factor in his decision to join the club.[22] He made his debut for the club as a substitute in a League Cup game against his former club Bolton Wanderers on 25 August. He scored his first goal for Tranmere in a 2–1 defeat at Exeter City on 19 September 2009.[23] On 21 January 2010, Ricketts had cancelled his contract by mutual consent.
On 17 January 2011, Ricketts pleaded guilty to a charge ofcommon assault after punching and headbutting his ex-girlfriend.[24] He was sentenced to a 12-monthcommunity order and fined £200 and ordered to pay £85 costs.[24]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other[A] | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Walsall | 1995–96 | Second Division | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1996–97 | Second Division | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1 | |
| 1997–98 | Second Division | 24 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 31 | 2 | |
| 1998–99 | Second Division | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | |
| 1999–2000 | First Division | 32 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 11 | |
| Total | 76 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 90 | 15 | ||
| Bolton Wanderers | 2000–01 | First Division | 39 | 19 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 47 | 24 |
| 2001–02 | Premier League | 37 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 15 | |
| 2002–03 | Premier League | 22 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 7 | |
| Total | 98 | 37 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 112 | 46 | ||
| Middlesbrough | 2002–03 | Premier League | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 |
| 2003–04 | Premier League | 23 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 3 | |
| Total | 32 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 4 | ||
| Leeds United | 2004–05 | Championship | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 1 |
| 2005–06 | Championship | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | |
| Total | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 2 | ||
| Stoke City (loan) | 2004–05 | Championship | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Cardiff City (loan) | 2005–06 | Championship | 17 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 5 |
| Burnley (loan) | 2005–06 | Championship | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 2 |
| Southend United | 2006–07 | Championship | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Preston North End | 2006–07 | Championship | 14 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 1 |
| Oldham Athletic | 2007–08 | League One | 9 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 2 |
| Walsall | 2007–08 | League One | 12 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 5 |
| 2008–09 | League One | 28 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 32 | 12 | |
| Total | 40 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 48 | 17 | ||
| Tranmere Rovers | 2009–10 | League One | 12 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 2 |
| Career total | 349 | 78 | 25 | 7 | 23 | 7 | 9 | 4 | 406 | 96 | ||
Source:[26]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | 2002 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 1 | 0 | |
Middlesbrough
