Full name John Ridley 1973–1978 Port Vale Position Midfielder Years Team | Playing position Role Footballer Place of birth Consett, England Name John Ridley | |
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Date of birth (1952-04-27) 27 April 1952 (age 63) | ||
Education University of Sheffield | ||
John Ridley (born 27 April 1952) is an English former footballer. A versatile midfielder, he had a twelve-year professional career in the Football League, playing for Port Vale and Chesterfield, as well as Leicester City. He also played for non-league Stafford Rangers and for American side Fort Lauderdale Strikers.
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He was voted Port Vale F.C. Player of the Year in 1975–76, won the Anglo-Scottish Cup with Chesterfield in 1981, and helped Port Vale to win promotion out of the Fourth Division in 1982–83. Qualifying as a teacher before he began his football career, once he retired he returned to the education profession.
Playing career
As a young man, Ridley played for Sheffield University and other English Universities, as he earned his degree and qualified as a teacher. This achieved, he then signed professional forms with Port Vale in July 1973, having previously been at the club on youth terms. He came through to the professional ranks at the same time as David Harris, who would also become a key player for the "Valiants". Ridley played ten Third Division games in 1973–74. He scored his first goal in senior football in a 3–1 win over Charlton Athletic on 27 April 1974.
He established himself in the first team under manager Roy Sproson by March 1975, and played nineteen games of the 1974–75 campaign. He was an ever-present for the 1975–76 season, playing 52 games and finding the net against Rotherham United. His performances earned him the Player of the Year award at the end of the season. He played a further 45 games in 1976–77, scoring once against Swindon Town.
Ridley played 47 games of the 1977–78 season, and found the net in a 5–2 demolition of non-league Arnold in the FA Cup First Round. However Vale suffered relegation into the Fourth Division at the end of the season under Bobby Smith. In May 1978 he was loaned to American side Fort Lauderdale Strikers, who were competing in the now defunct North American Soccer League. Strikers finished third in their four team East Division, though he returned early in August after suffering from illness.
He played seven games for Vale at the start of the 1978–79, before he was sold to Leicester City for a then club-record £55,000 fee in October 1978. The "Foxes" were then a Second Division side, and avoided relegation by three points in 1978–79. A Frank McLintock signing, when Jock Wallace took over as manager Ridley's days at Filbert Street were numbered. He played 24 league games for Leicester, before he was sold on to Chesterfield for a £35,000 fee in August 1979.
He was used in defence by the club, and formed an impressive centre-back partnership with Bill Green. Chesterfield missed out on promotion from the Third Division in 1979–80 after finishing one point behind Sheffield Wednesday. The "Spireites" went close again 1980–81, finishing three points behind promotion winners Barnsley and Charlton Athletic. They also won the last ever instalment of the Anglo-Scottish Cup following a 2–1 win over Notts County. Chesterfield then posted a disappointing eleventh-place finish in 1981–82, and Ridley returned to Port Vale in July 1982, amid a financial crisis at Chesterfield. He joined the Vale on a non-contract basis so as to continue his day job as a teacher.
Ridley played 44 games in 1982–83, as Vale won promotion out of the Fourth Division in third place under the management of John McGrath. He also found the net in games at Mansfield Town, Hereford United, and Hartlepool United. However Vale failed to retain their third tier status in 1983–84; Ridley scored against Newport County and Southend United as he made 35 appearances. He played 51 games under John Rudge in the 1984–85 campaign. At the end of the season he joined Stafford Rangers in a player-coach capacity for a fee that was settled at £700 following a tribunal. Rangers were promoted to the Alliance Premier League for the 1985–86 season.
Style of play
The Chesterfield F.C. website described Ridley as "a powerful, dominating type, [who] nevertheless had a calming influence and elegant touch to his play." He was described by Jeff Kent as "tall and elegant".
Post-retirement
After finishing his playing career, Ridley went on to coach at Stafford Rangers, Matlock Town and Newcastle Town. He also went on to teach at various schools. He currently teaches mathematics at Blurton High School in Stoke-on-Trent.