# Reg Ryan > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Reg_Ryan > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Reg_Ryan.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reg_Ryan > Source revision: 1342573594 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Irish footballer}} {{for|the Australian rules footballer|Reg Ryan (Australian footballer)}} {{Use British English|date=May 2015}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}} {{Infobox football biography | name= Reg Ryan | image = | fullname = Reginald Alphonso Ryan | birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1925|10|30}} | birth_place = [Dublin](/source/Dublin), Ireland | death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|1997|2|13|1925|10|30}} | death_place = [Sheldon](/source/Sheldon%2C_West_Midlands), [West Midlands](/source/West_Midlands_(county)), England | position= Wing half, inside forward | youthyears1 = | youthyears2 = | youthyears3 = | youthyears4 = | youthyears5 = | youthclubs1 = Marino School, Dublin (gaelic football) | youthclubs2 = Blackpool Boys | youthclubs3 = Claremont Juniors | youthclubs4 = Sunbeam Cars | youthclubs5 =Jaguar Cars | years1 = | years2 = 1943–1945 | years3 = 1945–1955 | years4 = 1955–1958 | years5 =1958–1960 | clubs1 = [Nuneaton Borough](/source/Nuneaton_Borough_F.C.) | clubs2 = [Coventry City](/source/Coventry_City_F.C.) | clubs3 = [West Bromwich Albion](/source/West_Bromwich_Albion_F.C.) | clubs4 = [Derby County](/source/Derby_County_F.C.) | clubs5 =[Coventry City](/source/Coventry_City_F.C.) | caps1 = | goals1 = | caps2 = (wartime) | goals2 = | caps3 = 234 | goals3 = 28 | caps4 = 133 | goals4 = 30 | caps5 = 65 | goals5 = 9 | nationalyears1 = 1949–1955 | nationalyears2 =1950 | nationalteam1 = [Ireland (FAI)](/source/Republic_of_Ireland_national_football_team) | nationalteam2 =[Ireland (IFA)](/source/Ireland_national_football_team_(1882%E2%80%931950)) | nationalcaps1 = 16 | nationalgoals1 = 3 | nationalcaps2 = 1 | nationalgoals2 = 0 }} '''Reginald Alphonso Ryan''' (30 October 1925 – 13 February 1997) was an Irish [footballer](/source/association_football) who played for [West Bromwich Albion](/source/West_Bromwich_Albion_F.C.), [Derby County](/source/Derby_County_F.C.) and [Coventry City](/source/Coventry_City_F.C.). Ryan was also a [dual international](/source/List_of_dual_Irish_international_footballers), playing for both Ireland teams – the [FAI XI](/source/Republic_of_Ireland_national_football_team) and the [IFA XI](/source/Ireland_national_football_team_(1882%E2%80%931950)). He was the last player to represent both teams. He was more of a goal creator than a goalscorer. ==Club career== ===Early years=== Ryan initially played [gaelic football](/source/gaelic_football) for the Marino School in [Dublin](/source/Dublin) while growing up, but then switched to soccer after moving to [Blackpool](/source/Blackpool) during the early years of the [Second World War](/source/Second_World_War). He then played with Claremount School, Blackpool Boys, various factory teams and had trials with both [Sheffield United](/source/Sheffield_United_F.C.) and [Nottingham Forest](/source/Nottingham_Forest_F.C.) before joining [Nuneaton Borough](/source/Nuneaton_Borough_F.C.). ===Coventry City=== Ryan had two spells with [Coventry City](/source/Coventry_City_F.C.). In April 1943 he signed for the club as an amateur and during the 1942–43 season he played 2 games in wartime regional leagues. He then turned professional in August 1944 and made a further 4 appearances for the club during the 1944–45 wartime season. After playing for [West Bromwich Albion](/source/West_Bromwich_Albion_F.C.) and [Derby County](/source/Derby_County_F.C.), he returned to City in September 1958. He then helped the club win promotion from the newly formed [Division Four](/source/Football_League_Fourth_Division), after they finished as runners-up in [1959](/source/1958%E2%80%9359_in_English_football). During his second spell with City he played 70 times in all competitions.[https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/075531431X ''Soccer at War – 1939 – 45'' (2005): Jack Rollin][http://www.ccfpa.co.uk/player_search/player_profile.php Coventry City Former Players Association] ===West Bromwich Albion=== In April 1945 Ryan signed for [West Bromwich Albion](/source/West_Bromwich_Albion_F.C.) and during the 1945–46 season, he made 17 appearances in the [Football League South](/source/Football_League_South). He made his debut for the club against [Millwall](/source/Millwall_F.C.) in November 1945. Together with [Davy Walsh](/source/Davy_Walsh) and [Jackie Vernon](/source/Jackie_Vernon_(footballer)), he helped West Brom gain promotion to the [First Division](/source/Football_League_First_Division) in 1949. In 1954, together with [Ronnie Allen](/source/Ronnie_Allen) and [Frank Griffin](/source/Frank_Griffin_(English_footballer)), he was also a member of the West Brom team that finished as First Division runners-up and [FA Cup](/source/1954_FA_Cup_final) winners. He also helped West Brom gain a share of the [FA Charity Shield](/source/FA_Charity_Shield) when he scored in a 4–4 draw with [Wolves](/source/Wolverhampton_Wanderers_F.C.).{{cite book | last = Matthews | first = Tony | title = The Who's Who of West Bromwich Albion | publisher = Breedon Books | year = 2005 | pages = 205–206 | isbn = 1-85983-474-4}} ===Derby County=== Ryan signed for [Derby County](/source/Derby_County_F.C.) in June 1955 for a fee of £3,000. He was appointed team captain by manager [Harry Storer](/source/Harry_Storer%2C_Jr.) and during his three seasons with the club missed only three matches – two because of injury one because of international duty. He was a member of the side promoted as champions of the Third Division North to the Football League Second Division in 1956–57. In 1955 he also played for an [English Division Three North XI](/source/Football_League_Third_Division_North_vs._South_Representative_Games) against an [English Division Three South XI](/source/English_Division_Three_South_XI). Ryan played 133 league games for County, scoring 30 goals. He also played a further 6 games for the club in the [FA Cup](/source/FA_Cup), scoring a further goal. {{cite web |url=http://www.therams.co.uk/details.asp?back=true&key=2941%7C0%7C2C97135881782%7CR%7C713%7C159422972004361360731&parentkey=2941%7C0%7C2C97135881782%7Cp%7C713%7C0 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927201714/http://www.therams.co.uk/details.asp?back=true&key=2941%7c0%7c2C97135881782%7cR%7c713%7c159422972004361360731&parentkey=2941%7c0%7c2C97135881782%7cp%7c713%7c0 |archivedate=27 September 2007 |title=Ryan, Reg |accessdate=30 October 2013}} ==Irish international== When Ryan began his international career in 1949 there were, in effect, two Ireland teams, chosen by two rival associations. Both associations, the Northern Ireland – based [IFA](/source/Irish_Football_Association) and the Ireland – based [FAI](/source/Football_Association_of_Ireland) claimed jurisdiction over the whole of Ireland and selected players from the whole island. As a result, several notable Irish players from this era, including Ryan, played for both teams. ===FAI XI=== Between 1949 and 1955 Ryan made 16 appearances and scored 3 goals for the [FAI XI](/source/Republic_of_Ireland_national_football_team). He made his debut in a 3–1 defeat to [Sweden](/source/Sweden_men's_national_football_team) on 13 November 1949 in a qualifier for the [1950 World Cup](/source/1950_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification). He scored his first two goals for the FAI XI in October 1953 during the qualifiers for the [1954 World Cup](/source/1954_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification), one against [France](/source/France_national_football_team) in a 5–3 defeat and the second, a penalty, against [Luxembourg](/source/Luxembourg_national_football_team) in 4–0 win. On 7 November 1954 in a friendly against [Norway](/source/Norway_national_football_team), he scored his third goal, again from the penalty spot, and earned the FAI XI a 2–1 victory. He made his last appearance for the FAI XI on 27 November 1955 in a 2–2 draw with [Spain](/source/Spain_national_football_team).[http://www.soccerscene.ie/ss_gen/player.php?id=126&level=sssenior Ireland (FAI) stats][https://www.amazon.ca/dp/1851589392 ''The Boys In Green – The FAI International Story'' (1997): Sean Ryan] ===IFA XI=== Ryan made his one and only appearance for the [IFA XI](/source/Ireland_national_football_team_(1882%E2%80%931950)) in a 0–0 draw with [Wales](/source/Wales_national_football_team) on 8 March 1950. As well as being part of the [1950 British Home Championship](/source/1950_British_Home_Championship), the game also doubled up as a qualifier for the [1950 World Cup](/source/1950_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification). Ryan, together with [Con Martin](/source/Con_Martin), [Davy Walsh](/source/Davy_Walsh) and [Tom Aherne](/source/Tom_Aherne), was one of four players born in the Irish Free State, included in the IFA XI that day. Ryan had earlier played for the FAI XI in the same competition, and as a result had played for two different teams in the same [FIFA World Cup](/source/FIFA_World_Cup) tournament. This situation eventually led to intervention by [FIFA](/source/FIFA) and as a result Ryan became one of the last four [Irish Free State](/source/Irish_Free_State) – born players to play for the IFA XI. ==Later years== After retiring as a player in November 1960, Ryan worked as a [pools](/source/Football_pools) supervisor for both [Coventry City](/source/Coventry_City_F.C.) (1960–1961) and [West Bromwich Albion](/source/West_Bromwich_Albion_F.C.) (1961–1962). Between September 1962 and October 1976 he was chief scout for West Brom. He later worked as a scout for various clubs including [Aston Villa](/source/Aston_Villa_F.C.), [Derby County](/source/Derby_County_F.C.), [Hereford United](/source/Hereford_United_F.C.) and [Leeds United](/source/Leeds_United_F.C.) before retiring in 1994. ==Honours== '''West Bromwich Albion''' *[FA Cup](/source/FA_Cup): [1953–54](/source/1953%E2%80%9354_FA_Cup){{cite book |first1=Leslie |first2=Jack |last1=Vernon |last2=Rollin |title=Rothmans Football Yearbook 1977–78 |year=1977 |publisher=Brickfield Publications Ltd |location=London |isbn=0354 09018 6 |page=490}} '''Derby County''' [* Third Division North: 1956-57](/source/1956%E2%80%9357_Football_League) ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== *[http://nifootball.blogspot.co.uk/2008/01/reg-paddy-ryan.html Northern Ireland Footballing Greats] {{DEFAULTSORT:Ryan, Reg}} Category:1925 births Category:1997 deaths Category:Association footballers from County Dublin Category:Republic of Ireland men's association footballers Category:Ireland (FAI) men's international footballers Category:Republic of Ireland men's international footballers Category:Pre-1950 IFA men's international footballers Category:Dual Irish men's international footballers Category:Nuneaton Town F.C. players Category:Coventry City F.C. players Category:West Bromwich Albion F.C. players Category:Derby County F.C. players Category:Gaelic footballers who switched code Category:Men's association football forwards Category:English Football League players --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Reg Ryan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reg_Ryan) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reg_Ryan?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.