Stuart Ripley

Stuart Edward Ripley (born 20 November 1967) is an English former professional footballer who played as a winger from 1985 until 2002, notably in the Premier League for Blackburn Rovers and Southampton. He was part of the Rovers squad that won the title in the 1994–95 season. Prior to this he had played just under 250 times in the Football League for Middlesbrough. He also appeared professionally for Bolton Wanderers, Barnsley and Sheffield Wednesday. He earned two national caps for England.

Stuart Ripley
Personal information
Full name Stuart Edward Ripley
Date of birth (1967-11-20) 20 November 1967
Place of birth Middlesbrough, England
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Position(s) Winger
Youth career
Middlesbrough
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1985–1992 Middlesbrough 249 (26)
1986 → Bolton Wanderers (loan) 5 (1)
1992–1998 Blackburn Rovers 187 (13)
1998–2002 Southampton 53 (1)
2000–2001 → Barnsley (loan) 10 (1)
2001 → Sheffield Wednesday (loan) 6 (1)
Total 510 (43)
International career
1988–1989 England U21 8 (1)
1993–1997 England 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Ripley retired from professional football in 2002 and after working as a sports physio is now working as a solicitor.[1]

Club career

Middlesbrough

Ripley first made his name with Middlesbrough in the late 1980s, before achieving success in a £1.3 million move to Blackburn Rovers, helping them to the league title in the 1994–95 season and becoming a cult hero. In the 1991–1992 season he helped Middlesbrough achieve promotion to the newly founded Premier League, as well as playing an important role in Middlesbrough getting through to the League Cup semi-final. They also reached the fifth round of the FA Cup losing in a replay to Portsmouth.

Blackburn Rovers

During the summer of 1992, Ripley was signed by Blackburn Rovers who had achieved promotion along with Middlesbrough. He was briefly their record signing until later in July they signed Alan Shearer for £3.3million.[2] On his debut for Blackburn, he scored the club's first Premier League goal, opening their scoring a 3–3 draw with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.[3]

Southampton

In 1998, aged almost 31, he moved to Southampton, and retiring four years later. He scored one goal for Southampton against Derby County on 4 October 1999.[4] He also served loan spells at Barnsley (twice[5]) – scoring in his debut, a 1–2 home loss to former side Blackburn[6] – and Sheffield Wednesday, where he scored once against Crystal Palace.[7]

International career

He was capped twice by England as a full international; against San Marino on 17 November 1993 and against Moldova on 10 September 1997.[8]

Personal life

After finishing his playing career, Ripley set up the Castleford Physiotherapy & Sports Injury Clinic, providing physiotherapy to nearby rugby league teams, as well as local football teams. He graduated from the University of Central Lancashire in 2007, with a first class combined honours degree in Law and French.[9]

His son, Connor Ripley, is a goalkeeper and plays for Port Vale.[10]

In 2010 Ripley became a qualified solicitor.[11][12] He is a member of FA's Judicial Panel hearing cases relating to matters such as doping, safeguarding, agent activity and discrimination.[12]

Career statistics
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[13][14][15]
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Middlesbrough 1984–85 Second Division 100000—10
1985–86 Second Division 800000—80
1986–87 Third Division 4443042—516
1987–88 Second Division 43840404[lower-alpha 1]0558
1988–89 First Division 3641020—394
1989–90 Second Division 3913020—441
1990–91 Second Division 39630401[lower-alpha 2]0476
1991–92 Second Division 3934071—504
Total 249261802335029529
Blackburn Rovers 1992–93 Premier League 4070000—407
1993–94 Premier League 4044000—444
1994–95 Premier League 37010403[lower-alpha 3]0450
1995–96 Premier League 28020305[lower-alpha 4]0380
1996–97 Premier League 1300000—130
1997–98 Premier League 2923100—323
Total 18713101708021214
Southampton 1998–99 Premier League 2201010—240
1999-2000 Premier League 2312020—271
2000–01 Premier League 300010—40
2001–02 Premier League 500010—60
Total 531305000611
Barnsley (loan) 2000–01 First Division 1010000—101
Sheffield Wednesday (loan) 2000–01 First Division 610000—61
Career total 5054231135313058446
  1. Appearances in 1987–88 Second Division play-offs
  2. Appearances in 1990–91 Second Division play-offs
  3. Appearances in Charity Shield and Europa League
  4. Appearances in UEFA Champions League

Honours

Middlesbrough

Blackburn Rovers

References
  1. "Fan 'completes' 1996 Premier League sticker album". BBC News. 19 November 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
  2. "Boom and bust the Blackburn way". BBC Sport. 13 May 1999. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  3. "Crystal Palace vs Blackburn". www.statbunker.com. 15 August 1992. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  4. Brodkin, Jon (4 October 1999). "Beck late on the draw for Derby". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  5. "Ripley loan deal extended". BBC Sport. 12 December 2000. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  6. "Barnsley 1 – 2 Blackburn". BBC Sport. 8 November 2000. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  7. "Sheff Wed 4 – 1 Crystal Palace". BBC Sport. 14 April 2001. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  8. "Stuart Edward Ripley". England career details. www.englandstats.com. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  9. "Former Premiership footballer graduates from UCLan with law degree". University of Central Lancashire. 18 July 2008. Archived from the original on 25 July 2011. Retrieved 14 October 2010.
  10. "Connor Ripley". Senior squad. Middlesbrough FC. Archived from the original on 4 October 2012. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  11. Cosgrove, David (28 August 2015). "Life after the final whistle has gone". Express & Star. Wolverhampton.
  12. "Stuart Ripley solicitor". Brabners Chaffe Street. Archived from the original on 27 October 2012. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  13. "Stuart Ripley career appearances". soccerbase.com. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
  14. "Stuart Ripley career appearances". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
  15. "Stuart Ripley career appearances". 11v11.com. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
  16. "Stuart Ripley: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
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