Michael Ricketts

Michael Ricketts (born December 4, 1978 in Birmingham, West Midlands, England) is an English association football player who currently plays for Walsall F.C. in League One. He plays as a striker. He has been cap (sport) once by England national football team.

Ricketts began his career at Walsall F.C., for whom he signed in 1996. He made 90 league appearances for them, scoring 15 times. In July 2000, then Football League First Division side Bolton Wanderers F.C. signed him for £500,000. He started his Bolton career in impressive style, scoring 24 times as Bolton won promotion to the Premier League through the playoffs. His finest moments at Bolton Wanderers F.C. include sealing victory against Preston North End F.C. in the Division one Play off final in 2001. And scoring the winning goal at Old Trafford (football ground) in a 2-1 win for the Whites over Manchester United F.C. in the 2001/2002 Premier League season.

Ricketts continued scoring in his first season in the Premier League, hitting 15 goals by February, and this form led to his call-up for England national football team friendly against Netherlands national football team in February 2002. Ricketts played 45 minutes in that game but failed to score.

Michael Ricketts then fell out with his manager Sam Allardyce and subsequently did not feature in the team very often. In January 2003, Middlesbrough F.C. spent £3 million to sign him from Bolton. He failed to recapture his goal-scoring form, netting just four times in 38 matches. While at Middlesbrough he did, however, win the Football League Cup in the 2003-04 in English football season, coincidentally against Bolton.

In June 2004, he signed for Football League Championship side Leeds United A.F.C. on a free transfer. Ricketts failed to impress, failing to score in 25 league appearances, although he did manage a solitary goal in the League Cup against Oldham Athletic A.F.C.. He was then loaned out to Stoke City F.C. in February, but also failed to impress there, and returned to Leeds. He made five more appearances, scoring once, again in the Football League Cup. He was then loaned out to Cardiff City F.C., where he scored four goals in 11 appearances, before returning to Leeds.

On January 30, 2006 he signed for Championship side Burnley F.C. in a loan deal that would keep him at Turf Moor until the end of the season. Despite scoring twice in his first three matches, he again failed to impress (he did not score again) and returned to Leeds after the season had finished.

On June 30, 2006, Ricketts signed a two-year deal with Championship side Southend United F.C. with an option to extend for another year. There was no fee involved although depending on clauses in the contract Leeds may receive a fee in the future. Another clause in his contract states that he is prohibited from playing against Leeds United in upcoming League and Cup matches. 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 games for their first team. However, Ricketts' fitness and his inability to break into the first team on a regular basis led to him being released by Preston on May 8, 2007, again leaving him without a club until being picked up by Oldham, for whom he signed until 2010.

On 2 November, 2007 he returned to his first club Walsall F.C. on a three-month loan deal from Oldham. The reasons for this shock loan are shrouded in mystery, but one thought is that Ricketts had a training ground bust up with another Oldham player. He made his debut for Walsall in a league match against Cheltenham Town F.C. on 3 November. On Transfer Deadline Day (31st January 2008) Ricketts had his contract cancelled by Oldham Athletic. It was announced on 12 March 2008 that he was on trial at Southampton F.C.. In March and April 2008 Ricketts spent time on trial at the San Jose Earthquakes in the Major League Soccer, having also had an earlier trial with Columbus Crew, but failed to earn a permanent deal at either side.

On July 24 2008 Ricketts once again rejoined Walsall and is now in his third spell with the Midlands side.

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