Biography

Sam Ricketts was an attacking right back, who could also do a turn on the left, that was a legacy of Phil Parkinson’s short and ill-fated reign at Hull City. Signed in July 2006, he spent three seasons in the City defence that propelled the club from Championship also-rans to Premier League trailblazers. Ricketts was a consistent force for much of that time and in 2009 he cashed in on his elevated reputation and took a big money move out of the KC Stadium.
Born in Aylesbury into a showjumping and horse racing family, Ricketts. cut his teeth at Oxford United and made his first team bow days before his 19th birthday. But by 22 he had fallen out of favour and dropped down to the fifth tier with Telford United. That one season galvanised Ricketts and he returned to the Football League with Swansea City, from whom City signed him.
In May 2009 he left Hull City and joined Premier League rivals Bolton Wanderers. Two years later Bolton dropped down to the Championship but Ricketts stayed on until 2013 when he joined Wolves. Serious injuries spoiled his time at Molineux and he stopped playing altogether in late 2016 after a short spell at Coventry City. After a year of coaching Ricketts was appointed manager of Wrexham in May 2018, and within six months the good form exhibited by the Welsh side encouraged Shrewsbury Town to offer him the chance to seal their League One survival. Sam initially thrived in Shropshire but during 2020 an extended run of poor form saw him relieved of his duties in November 2020. A year later in November 2021 Ricketts had turned his back on football and opened a builder’s merchant business in Cheshire.
Although born and raised in England, Ricketts chose to play international football for Wales through his grandmother’s birth, between 2005 and 2014 he amassed 52 caps.
Details
Nationality: Wales
Date/Place of Birth: 11 October 1981, Aylesbury
Hull City First Game: 5 August 2006, West Bromwich Albion A (Championship), 24 years, 298 days old
Hull City Final Game: 24 May 2009, Manchester United H (Championship), 27 years, 225 days old
Clubs
Oxford United (1999-2003), Nuneaton Borough (2002-2003, loan), Telford United (2003-2004), Swansea City (2004-2006), Hull City (2006-2009), Bolton Wanderers (2009-2013), Wolverhampton Wanderers (2013-2015), Swindon Town (2015, loan), Coventry City (2015-2016)
Hull City Record
Career: 129 apps, 1 goals
Sam RickettsSeason | LGE App | LGE Gls | FAC App | FAC Gls | FLC App | FLC Gls | EUR App | EUR Gls | OTH App | OTH Gls |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2006/07 | 40 (0) | 1 | 2 (0) | 0 | 3 (0) | 0 | - | - | - | - |
2007/08 | 44 (0) | 0 | - | - | 1 (1) | 0 | - | - | 3 (0) | 0 |
2008/09 | 27 (2) | 0 | 6 (0) | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - |