Ryan Green (born 20 October 1980) is a Welsh former footballer who played as a defender. He earned two international caps for Wales in 1998, breaking Ryan Giggs's record as their youngest player, a record which has since been surpassed.
Club career
Wolverhampton Wanderers Green began his career as a trainee with Wolverhampton Wanderers turning professional in October 1997. Despite already being a full international, manager Mark McGhee kept him in the reserves. His successor Colin Lee needed a replacement for defender Kevin Muscat on 10 November 1998 and gave Green his debut in a 2–1 First Division victory against Sheffield United at Molineux. He was praised by local newspaper Express & Star for his performance, and was given an ovation when he was substituted due to injury. During his recuperation, Muscat recovered and regained his place in the team.
Green handed in a transfer request in January 2000, when he was not chosen for an FA Cup game against Sheffield Wednesday, and Lee stated that his preferred right backs were Muscat and Darren Bazeley. However, at the start of the 2000–01 season, Bazeley was moved into right midfield and Muscat to left back, giving Green an extended run in the team. On 17 October, away to West Bromwich Albion in the Black Country derby, he was sent off in the 40th minute of a 1–0 loss, for two fouls on Jason Roberts in a three-minute space. He never started for the team again, and totalled eight starts and four substitute appearances in his time at the club.
In early 2001, Green handed in another transfer request, and joined Torquay United on loan in March, where Lee was assistant manager. He played ten times as they successfully fought off relegation to the Conference, despite scoring an own goal in the final game of the season, a 3–2 win away to Barnet which relegated the hosts.
Millwall and Sheffield Wednesday Green moved to fellow First Division side Millwall on a free transfer on 20 October 2001, until the end of the season, signed by his former Wolves manager McGhee.Green joins Millwall He made his debut later that day in a 3–3 draw against Nottingham Forest at The New Den.
He almost joined Bradford City in 2002, a move scuppered by the financial impact on Football League clubs of the ITV Digital collapse. Instead he joined Cardiff City on a monthly contract in November 2002, joining Sheffield Wednesday two weeks later. He was released by Wednesday at the end of the season, having been relegated to the Second Division.
Hereford United In August 2003, Green signed for Conference side Hereford United. On 23 September, against Telford United at Edgar Street, he scored his first senior goal, a left-foot volley to seal a 2–1 win in the third minute of added time and keep the Bulls in first place in the league. On 13 December, he was sent off in the last minute of a 0–1 home loss to Tamworth. The team finished the season in the play-off places, where they were eliminated in the semi-finals by Aldershot.
Green played 26 league games in the 2004–05 season, scoring his only goal of the campaign on 30 August in a 4–1 win at Northwich Victoria. Hereford again reached the play-off semi-finals, losing 2–1 on aggregate to Stevenage Borough.
He opened his third season at the club on 13 August 2005, scoring the third goal of a 4–0 home win over Scarborough. Sixteen days later, in a 1–0 win at Tamworth, he was sent off for violent conduct. For a third successive season, Hereford made the play-offs, and dispatched Morecambe in the semi-finals to set up a final against Halifax Town on 20 May 2006. In the decisive game, at Leicester City's Walkers Stadium, he scored the 108th-minute winner in a 3–2 victory.
Bristol Rovers On 31 May 2006, Green signed a two-year contract with Bristol Rovers of League Two.Rovers bag Bulls' defender Green He made his debut on 5 August, replacing Chris Carruthers for the final 15 minutes of a 2–1 loss at Peterborough United. Green made 33 league appearances in his first season with the Pirates but suffered a foot injury in the 4–3 away defeat to Grimsby Town on 20 February 2007. Due to the injury, he missed the Football League Trophy final, which his team lost to Doncaster Rovers. He returned for the final stages of the campaign as they qualified for the play-offs. After eliminating Lincoln 7–4 on aggregate in the semi-finals, he played in the final on 26 May at Wembley Stadium, a 3–1 win over Shrewsbury Town.
A broken jaw and further Achilles tendon problems in a volatile match at Swindon Town ruled him out for the rest of the following season. A hamstring injury sustained in a pre-season friendly added to Green's injury nightmare.Green looking to end Bristol Rovers injury jinx Evening Post, 20 October 2008, retrieved 14 June 2009. His contract was not renewed, and he left the club on 8 May 2009.
Return to Hereford United On 5 June 2009, Green re-signed for Hereford United on a one-year deal ahead of the 2009–10 season. Following their relegation in 2012, Hereford did not offer him a new contract.Green rejoins Bulls from Pirates www.bbc.co.uk
Later career In August 2012, Green joined Welsh Premier League club Port Talbot Town.
Green left Port Talbot after one season and in June 2014, he joined Merthyr Town, where he captained the team as they won the Southern League Division One South & West, and promotion to the Premier Division.
On 14 September 2015, he signed for newly formed Hereford, the phoenix club of Hereford United, playing in the Midland League Premier Division. Following a successful season which resulted in promotion, Green signed for a further season in July 2016.
In September 2018, Green was appointed player-manager of Hereford after the departure of Peter Beadle, overseeing five matches before Marc Richards was appointed as permanent manager on 2 October. In December 2018, Green took a break from playing, but remained at Hereford as a scout.
On 11 July 2019, Green joined Hereford-based Hellenic League Premier Division club Westfields.Ryan Green joins Westfields, herefordtimes.com, 11 July 2019 In July 2020, he renewed his stay with the club for a further year, however two months later it was announced that he was leaving the club due to work commitments.
In July 2023, Green rejoined Westfields, aged 42.
International career Cardiff-born Green made his full international debut against Malta on 3 June 1998, before playing a senior club game.Ryan Green for go – Lewin Western Mail, 2 March 2006, retrieved 14 June 2009. At the age of 17 years and 226 days, he became their youngest international, eclipsing the record of Ryan Giggs.Green the younger to eclipse Giggs' mark The Independent, 3 June 1998, retrieved 14 June 2009. Wales manager Bobby Gould went on to select him for a match against Tunisia, his second and final cap. Giggs himself called the selection of Green a "typical Gould stunt", and wrote in his autobiography that he and Green only had a hometown in common.
Green's record stood until it was surpassed by Lewin Nyatanga in 2004, aged 17 years and 195 days. After being occupied by Gareth Bale, it is currently held by Harry Wilson, who was 16 years and 207 days old on his 2013 debut.
Career statistics Club
+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsWolverhampton Wanderers1998–99First Division10000000101999–2000First Division00000000002000–01First Division70202000110Total80202000120Torquay United (loan)2000–01Third Division100000000100Millwall2001–02First Division 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 130Cardiff City (loan)2002–03Second Division 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 10Sheffield Wednesday2002–03First Division 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 40Hereford United2003–04Football Conference38110—504412004–05Conference National26100—302912005–06Conference National26120—51332Total90330—1311064Bristol Rovers2006–07League Two3302010604202007–08League One1201000101402008–09League One260100010280Total710401080840Hereford United2009–10League Two3111020203612010–11League Two4113010104612011–12League Two280102000310Total10025050301132Port Talbot Town2012–13Welsh Premier League2910010003012013–14Welsh Premier League240002000260Total531003000561Career total 349 6 14 0 12 0 25 1 4007
Honours Hereford United Conference National play-offs: 2006
Bristol Rovers Football League Two play-offs: 2007 Football League Trophy runner-up: 2006–07
Merthyr Town Southern Football League South & West: 2014–15
Hereford Midland Football League Premier Division: 2015–16 Southern Football League South & West: 2016–17 Midland Football League League Cup: 2015–16 Herefordshire FA County Cup: 2015–16 FA Vase runner-up: 2015–16
References
External links Ryan Green player profile at bristolrovers.co.uk Ryan Green player profile at wolves.co.uk