Ricardo Fuller facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ricardo Fuller

Fuller playing for Stoke City in 2010
Personal information
Full name	Ricardo Dwayne Fuller
Date of birth	(1979-10-31) 31 October 1979 (age 45)
Place of birth	Kingston, Jamaica
Height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Playing position	Forward
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1998–2001	Tivoli Gardens
2001	Crystal Palace	8	(0)
2001–2002	Tivoli Gardens	16	(12)
2001–2002	→ Heart of Midlothian (loan)	27	(8)
2002–2004	Preston North End	58	(27)
2004–2005	Portsmouth	31	(1)
2005–2006	Southampton	31	(9)
2006	→ Ipswich Town (loan)	3	(2)
2006–2012	Stoke City	182	(43)
2012–2013	Charlton Athletic	31	(5)
2013–2014	Blackpool	27	(6)
2014–2015	Millwall	38	(4)
2015–2016	Oldham Athletic	5	(0)
2019–2020	Nantwich Town	21	(4)
2020	Hanley Town	0	(0)
Total		478+	(121+)
National team
1999–2012	Jamaica	76	(10)
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Ricardo Dwayne Fuller (born October 31, 1979) is a retired Jamaican professional footballer. He played as a forward, scoring many goals throughout his career.

Fuller began his football journey with Tivoli Gardens in Jamaica. He then moved to England to play for Crystal Palace in 2001. After a short return to Jamaica and a loan spell with Hearts, he joined Preston North End. He was a top scorer at Preston, which led to Portsmouth signing him for £1 million.

Later, Fuller played for Southampton before joining Stoke City in 2006. At Stoke, he became a very important player. His goals helped the team get promoted to the Premier League in 2008. He continued to be a key player in the top league and helped Stoke reach the 2011 FA Cup Final. After leaving Stoke in 2012, he played for Charlton Athletic, Blackpool, Millwall, and Oldham Athletic.

Fuller also proudly represented the Jamaica national team. He played 77 international matches for his country between 1999 and 2012.

Ricardo Fuller's Club Career

Early Days and Crystal Palace

Ricardo Fuller was born in Kingston, Jamaica. He started his football career with Tivoli Gardens. He later had a trial with Charlton Athletic. In February 2001, he moved to the English club Crystal Palace. The transfer fee could have reached £1 million depending on how many games he played.

Fuller faced some challenges at Crystal Palace, including knee problems. He played only eight games for the team. After this, he returned to Tivoli Gardens in Jamaica.

Loan to Heart of Midlothian

For the 2001–02 season, Fuller went on loan to Hearts, a club in the Scottish Premier League. He made a big impact, scoring 8 goals in 27 games. He ended up as the club's joint top-scorer that season. However, Hearts could not afford to sign him permanently.

Success at Preston North End

Preston North End then signed Fuller for £500,000. He scored in his very first game for Preston. He quickly became a vital player for the team. He scored 11 goals in just 20 games before a knee injury ended his first season early.

In the 2003–04 season, a fit Fuller started strongly, scoring six goals in five games. Even with more knee issues, he scored 19 goals that season, making him the club's top-scorer.

Time at Portsmouth

In August 2004, Fuller moved to Portsmouth for £1 million. He had scored 31 goals in 63 games for Preston. His knee problems meant that Portsmouth agreed to a special "pay-as-you-play" deal. This meant they would pay him based on his appearances.

Fuller found it tough to make a big impact in the Premier League at Portsmouth. He scored one goal during his time there, in a 3–1 win against Crystal Palace.

Moving to Southampton

In 2005, Fuller joined Southampton for £90,000. He had a dramatic start, scoring in his first two games. However, his time at Southampton became difficult.

In February 2006, he went on loan to Ipswich Town. He scored two goals in three games there. When he returned to Southampton, he played much better. He scored six goals in the final six games of the season. This earned him the Championship Player of the Month award for April. He finished as the club's top-scorer with nine goals.

Becoming a Stoke City Star

On August 31, 2006, Fuller joined Stoke City for about £500,000. In his first season, he was the top goalscorer with 11 goals.

In the 2007–08 season, Fuller became a key player for Stoke. He helped them win promotion to the Premier League. He scored 15 goals that season and won the club's goal of the season award.

Fuller scored Stoke City's first-ever Premier League goal in August 2008. He scored another goal against Aston Villa, which won the "Goal of the Month" award. Fuller had a disagreement with a teammate during a match in December 2008. The team later resolved the issue. He also faced shoulder injuries but recovered quickly.

In the 2009–10 season, Fuller scored two goals against Arsenal in the FA Cup. He also won the goal of the season award for the third time in a row.

During the 2010–11 season, Fuller scored his 100th goal in British football. He suffered an Achilles tendon injury, which meant he missed the rest of the season, including the 2011 FA Cup Final.

Fuller returned from injury in November 2011. He scored his 50th goal for Stoke in the UEFA Europa League. He left Stoke in June 2012 when his contract ended.

Later Career Clubs

Fuller joined Championship side Charlton Athletic in August 2012. He scored important goals for them. Despite helping Charlton finish ninth, he was released in 2013.

On August 15, 2013, Fuller signed with Blackpool. He scored six goals in 28 games for them. He then joined Millwall in July 2014, playing 40 times and scoring six goals.

In October 2015, Fuller signed a three-month contract with Oldham Athletic. He left Oldham in January 2016 and announced his retirement in May 2016. However, he later signed for Nantwich Town in January 2019 and again in November 2019. In August 2020, Fuller joined Hanley Town. He scored a winning goal in an FA Cup match, helping Hanley Town reach the FA Second Qualifying Round for the first time.

International Career

Ricardo Fuller was part of the Jamaica Under 20 national team in 1998. He was then called up to the senior national team in 1999. Fuller played in Jamaica's World Cup campaigns in 2002, 2006, and 2010. He also played in the CONCACAF Gold Cup competitions in 2005 and 2009.

Personal Life

Ricardo Fuller was raised by his grandmother in Kingston, Jamaica. He used his football earnings to help rebuild his grandmother's house after it was damaged in 2010. In November 2022, Stoke City honored Fuller by renaming their sports bar at the bet365 Stadium "Ricardo's."

Club Statistics

Club

International

Source:

Honours

Stoke City

• Football League Championship second-place promotion: 2007–08

Nantwich Town

• Cheshire Senior Cup: 2018–19

Individual

• Scottish Premier League Player of the Month: December 2001
• Football League Championship Player of the Month: April 2006
• PFA Team of the Year: 2007–08 Championship

See also

In Spanish: Ricardo Fuller para niños