Ryan Edwards (English footballer)

Last updated

Ryan Edwards
Personal information
Full name Ryan Christopher Edwards [1]
Date of birth (1993-10-07) 7 October 1993 (age 31)
Place of birth Halewood, Liverpool, England
Height 6 ft 5 in (1.95 m) [2]
Position(s) Centre-back
Team information
Current team
Chennaiyin
Number 3
Youth career
2010–2012 Blackburn Rovers
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2012–2014 Blackburn Rovers 0 (0)
2012–2013Rochdale (loan) 26 (0)
2013Fleetwood Town (loan) 9 (0)
2013Chesterfield (loan) 5 (0)
2013Tranmere Rovers (loan) 0 (0)
2014Morecambe (loan) 9 (0)
2014–2017 Morecambe 111 (2)
2017–2019 Plymouth Argyle 61 (8)
2019–2020 Blackpool 21 (1)
2020–2023 Dundee United 86 (8)
2023– Chennaiyin 32 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15:50, 7 December 2024 (UTC)

Ryan Christopher Edwards (born 7 October 1993) is an English professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Indian Super League club Chennaiyin.

Contents

Career

Blackburn Rovers

Born in Liverpool, Edwards started a two-year scholarship with Blackburn Rovers in 2010. He was captain of the Blackburn squad that reached the final of the 2011–12 FA Youth Cup. [3] Following this, in May 2012, Edwards signed his first professional contract on a two-year deal. [4]

Despite being determined to make a breakthrough under the management of Gary Bowyer, [5] Edwards was among sixteen players to be released by the club at the end of the 2013–14 season. [6]

Loan moves

On 2 July 2012, Edwards joined League Two side Rochdale on a six-month loan. [7] He made his Rochdale debut in the first round of the League Cup, in a 4–3 loss against Barnsley. [8] and he also made his league debut, in the opening game of the season, in a goalless draw against Northampton Town. [9] Having made 26 league appearances for Rochdale, Edwards returned to his parent club after the club's management decided not to extend his loan spell. [10]

Following his time at Rochdale, Edwards had been linked to sign on loan for the second half of the season. [11] On 21 February 2013, he joined Fleetwood Town on a one-month loan. [12] He made his debut for the club two days later, in a 2–0 loss against Aldershot Town. [13] After making four appearances for the club, his loan spell with Fleetwood Town was extended until the end of the season. [14] Edward went on to make nine appearances for the club before returning to Blackburn Rovers.

On 24 July 2013, Edwards joined Chesterfield on a one-month loan deal. [15] Upon the move, the club's first-team coach Keith Lynch believed Edwards could be a "good asset". [16] Edwards made a starting debut for the club in the opening game of the season, a 2–0 win over Bury. [17] His performances throughout the pre-season and at the start of the season led to Chesterfield extending Edwards' loan spell for two months. [18] Edwards featured less in the first team, and then on 24 October 2013 he returned to Ewood Park. [19]

On 28 November 2013, Edwards joined Tranmere Rovers on loan until 29 December 2013; [20] however, he made his only appearance for the club in the second round of the FA Cup, in a 5–0 defeat to Peterborough United. [21] After his loan spell at Tranmere Rovers came to an end, [22] manager Ronnie Moore explained his decision not including Edwards, stating: "It is not ideal for a young kid to be coming into the side with the way we are playing at the moment." [23]

Morecambe

On 21 March 2014, Edwards joined League Two side Morecambe on a one-month youth loan. [24] The next day, he made his debut in a 1–1 draw against Northampton Town. [25] Edwards' seven appearances for the club led, on 24 April 2014, to the extension of his loan stay with the Shrimps until the end of the 2013–14 season. [26] He went on to make nine appearances for the club.

After a successful loan spell at the Globe Arena towards the end of the 2013–14 season, Edwards signed a two-year deal after being released by Blackburn Rovers on 19 May 2014; [27] however, at the start of the season, Edwards fractured his fingers in a friendly match, which kept him out for two months. [28] Throughout August, Edwards started to maintain his fitness after surgery. [29] Edwards' first game after signing for the club on a permanent basis, as well as coming from injury, came in a goalless draw against Cheltenham Town on 6 September 2014. [30] Edwards continued to be in the first team, although he spent six games on the substitutes bench.

Edwards was sent off on 7 March 2015, in a 3–2 win over Luton Town. [31] After making his return against Shrewsbury Town on 17 March 2015, [32] he provided an assist for Kevin Ellison in a 1–1 draw against Accrington Stanley on 3 April 2015. [33] Edwards ended his first full season at Morecambe with 31 appearances after suffering a back injury. [34]

Edwards scored his first career goal in a 2–0 win over Portsmouth on 16 August 2016. [35]

Plymouth Argyle

On 13 June 2017, Plymouth Argyle announced Edwards as their third signing of the summer, from Morecambe. [36]

He was offered a new contract by Plymouth Argyle at the end of the 2018–19 season. [37]

Blackpool

On 14 June 2019, Edwards signed a two-year contract with Blackpool, [38] marking a return to his native North West.

He made his debut for the Seasiders in their opening fixture of the 2019–20 season, a 2–0 victory over Bristol Rovers at Bloomfield Road.

Dundee United

On 3 August 2020, Edwards signed for Scottish club Dundee United. [39] [40]

Chennaiyin

Following his release from Dundee United, Edwards joined Chennaiyin in the Indian Super League. [41]

Personal life

Edwards survived testicular cancer after treatment only three months after being diagnosed with the disease. [42]

Career statistics

As of match played 20 April 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeague FA Cup League Cup OtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Blackburn Rovers 2012–13 [43] Championship 0000000000
2013–14 [44] 0000000000
Total0000000000
Rochdale (loan) 2012–13 [43] League Two 26010101 [a] 0290
Fleetwood Town (loan) 2012–13 [43] League Two 9000000090
Chesterfield (loan) 2013–14 [44] League Two 5000101 [a] 070
Tranmere Rovers 2013–14 [44] League One 0010000010
Morecambe (loan) 2013–14 [44] League Two 9000000090
Morecambe 2014–15 [45] League Two 31010002 [a] 0340
2015–16 [46] 37020103 [a] 0430
2016–17 [47] 43110204 [a] 1502
Total11114030911272
Plymouth Argyle 2017–18 [48] League One 25320102 [a] 1304
2018–19 [49] 36500101 [a] 0385
Total618202031689
Blackpool 2019–20 [50] League One 21120103 [a] 0271
Dundee United 2020–21 [51] Scottish Premiership 242414100324
2021–22 [52] Scottish Premiership364305000444
2022–23 [53] Scottish Premiership320002020360
Total92671111201128
Chennaiyin 2023–24 [54] Indian Super League 222300000252
2024–25 [55] Indian Super League0000000000
Total222300000252
Career total3561820119119241422
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Appearances in the EFL Trophy

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