“I could have gone either way,” admitted Sam Ricketts. “It was left open for me, but I made my decision when I was about thirteen or so. Something had to give.” What gave way was a promising career as a show jumper, to become a footballer.
Who knows what might have happened had the budding horseman remained in the saddle, but his decision to become a footballer has hardly resulted in failure. Sam Ricketts has played for two Premiership clubs, helped Swansea City on their way to a place in the Championship, but the real bonus has been earning thirty seven caps for Wales.
The 28 year old Bolton defender was brought up surrounded by horses. His father Derek Ricketts is a former World champion show jumper, and his sister has ridden for England and Great Britain. His uncle, on his mother’s side, is former National Hunt Champion jockey and now channel four racing pundit John Francome. “Being brought up on the yard, my dad was still competing at that time, and dealing with the horses. That was our life growing up, I was brought up in that environment.”
So with the young Ricketts destined to follow in the family traditions, he embarked on a successful budding career as a top show jumper. “I was fortunate. My dad was a very good teacher for me and my sister,” he explained.
“I rode for Oxfordshire where we lived and won national competitions. I had ridden in all the big shows and I was lucky enough to have a successful career.” He also won the Daily Mail Family Challenge held at Hickstead, the biggest show jumping venue in the UK.
SW
44
issue11twothousand&ten
sportingwales
The switch in sports that would take him from the biggest show jumping arenas to the nation’s biggest football stadiums came about as a result of
an after school sleep-over. “Up until I was seven or eight the horses came fi rst, I had not played football - none of my family were into football,” said Ricketts.
“I stayed at my friend’s house one night after school and it was football training with the local village side, so I just went along with him.”
From that casual and chance start, the rise for Sam Ricketts was rapid. He attended trials for Oxford United, his local side. They spotted his talent and invited him to join their centre of excellence.
But this is not a romantic story of a youngster going from supporting his team from the terraces to pulling on a fi rst team shirt. The Ricketts family did not know that Oxford had a football team, let alone going to watch them.
“Oxford played on a Sunday,” recalls Sam. “I trained with them every week, but I had never seen the fi rst team play. I was just doing it because I enjoyed playing football. They played on a Sunday, the horses came on Sundays. Something had to give.
“I just packed in one day. I had been to a show, a big national competition, and did really well. Everyone was saying well done, and I just came out and said that is it I am not doing it any more. I think everyone was quite surprised.”
It would be easy to assume that his parents would be quite upset, even annoyed, but to the relief of 13-year- old Sam there was no argument. “They supported me. My dad still went off to the horses with my sister, whilst mum was the other way taking me training or to matches all over the country.”
Ricketts signed professional forms at Oxford, but ended up on loan at Nuneaton Borough. He then agreed to cancel his contract at Oxford and drop down into non-league football with Telford. “I have spoken to people since who thought it was the end of
my football career, but at the time I backed myself, possibly naively, to put in enough good performances, to be playing every week and get back into the football league.” he said.
“The guy who owned the Telford, his business just went under one day and from that day we were on half wages just to keep the club going. Every Friday I used to go in to get paid and get a little money bag - I was picking up about a hundred and nine pounds a week in my hand,” laughs Ricketts, now on Premiership wages.
“As they went bust my contract became null and void. I became a free agent so I could go anywhere I wanted. I knew there were bits and pieces of interest. Chester City were interested and I nearly signed there, but then Swansea came in out of the blue so I signed for them.”
After being part of Kenny Jackett`s promotion winning Swansea team, Ricketts moved to Hull and was part of their squad which gained promotion to the Premiership. Then last summer a move to his present Premiership club Bolton.
There were times when I was playing non-league football that I was thinking I might have made a better show jumper than I was a footballer. It is only in the past couple of years, having reached the Premier League that I think I have done as well as I could have done in show jumping.”
Ricketts’ Welsh qualifi cation comes about from his grandmother. “My mum is from Cardiff and the family is still living in Cardiff. I am getting married in the summer to a Welsh girl. Our wedding will have a very Welsh theme.”
Sam Ricketts
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52