John Ridley (footballer) facts for kids

John Ridley (born 27 April 1952 – died 3 May 2020) was an English footballer. He was a very flexible player. He could play as a defender or a midfielder.

John Ridley had a professional football career that lasted 12 years. He played for teams like Port Vale, Chesterfield, and Leicester City. He also played for Stafford Rangers and an American team called Fort Lauderdale Strikers.

He was named Port Vale F.C. Player of the Year in 1976. He also won the Anglo-Scottish Cup with Chesterfield in 1981. John Ridley helped Port Vale get promoted from the Fourth Division in 1983. Before becoming a footballer, he trained to be a teacher. After his football career, he went back to teaching.

John Ridley's Football Journey

John Ridley had an interesting path to becoming a professional footballer.

Starting at Port Vale

When he was young, Ridley played football for Sheffield University. He also played for other English university teams. This was while he was studying to become a teacher.

After finishing his degree, he signed a professional contract with Port Vale in July 1973. He had been part of their youth team before. He joined the professional team at the same time as David Harris. Harris also became a very important player for Port Vale, who are nicknamed the "Valiants."

In his first season, 1973–74, Ridley played 10 games in the Third Division. He scored his first goal on 27 April 1974. This was in a 3–1 win against Charlton Athletic.

Becoming a Key Player

By March 1975, Ridley became a regular player in the first team. He played as a midfielder under manager Roy Sproson. He played 19 games in the 1974–75 season.

The 1975–76 season was a big one for him. He played in every single game, a total of 52 matches. He scored a goal against Rotherham United. Because of his great performances, he won the Player of the Year award.

In the 1976–77 season, he played 45 more games and scored once. He became a strong central defender alongside David Harris. People thought he might move to a bigger club, but then he had some injuries and lost a bit of form.

Moving to America

In the 1977–78 season, Ridley played 47 games. He scored in a big 5–2 win in the FA Cup. However, Port Vale was moved down to the Fourth Division that season.

In May 1978, he went on loan to an American team. This team was the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. They played in the North American Soccer League, which doesn't exist anymore. He played 22 games in the United States, scoring one goal. He came back early in August because he was ill.

Time at Leicester City

After playing seven games for Port Vale in the 1978–79 season, he was sold. He moved to Leicester City in October 1978. The transfer fee was £55,000, which was a record for Port Vale at the time.

Leicester City was in the Second Division. They managed to avoid being moved down to a lower league that season. Ridley played 24 league games as a defensive midfielder for Leicester. However, when a new manager, Jock Wallace, took over, Ridley's time there was short. He was sold to Chesterfield for £35,000 in August 1979.

Playing for Chesterfield

At Chesterfield, Ridley played in defence. He formed a strong partnership with Bill Green. Chesterfield almost got promoted from the Third Division in 1979–80. They missed out by just one point.

They came close again in 1980–81. They also won the very last Anglo-Scottish Cup! They beat Notts County 2–1. After another season, Ridley returned to Port Vale in July 1982. Chesterfield was having money problems at the time. He joined Port Vale on a special non-contract deal. This allowed him to keep his job as a teacher.

Coming Back to Port Vale

Ridley played 44 games in the 1982–83 season. He switched between playing in defence and midfield. Port Vale won promotion from the Fourth Division that year, finishing in third place. He scored goals in games against Mansfield Town, Hereford United, and Hartlepool United.

However, Port Vale was moved back down to a lower league in 1983–84. Ridley scored two goals that season and played 35 games. He played as a central defender with Phil Sproson. He played 51 games in the 1984–85 season.

At the end of that season, he joined Stafford Rangers. He became a player-coach there. Stafford Rangers was promoted to the Alliance Premier League for the 1985–86 season.

How John Ridley Played

The Chesterfield F.C. website described John Ridley as a "powerful, dominating" player. But they also said he had a "calming influence and elegant touch." Football writer Jeff Kent called him "tall and elegant."

Life After Football

After his playing career, John Ridley became a coach. He coached at Stafford Rangers, Matlock Town, and Newcastle Town. He continued to play amateur football for many years. He even won the Sentinel Sunday Cup when he was 48 years old!

He also went back to his first career, teaching. He taught maths at different schools. He spent many years teaching at James Brindley High School in Chell.

Career Statistics

Here's a look at John Ridley's career statistics:

Awards and Achievements

John Ridley achieved several honors during his football career:

Individual Awards

• Port Vale F.C. Player of the Year: 1976

Team Achievements

• With Chesterfield:
  • Anglo-Scottish Cup: 1981
• With Port Vale:
  • Football League Fourth Division third-place promotion: 1982–83