# Ronnie Sinclair

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> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ronnie_Sinclair.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronnie_Sinclair
> Source revision: 1339362010
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{short description|Scottish footballer and coach}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name           = Ronnie Sinclair
| image          = 
| fullname       = Ronald McDonald Sinclair<ref name="cumk">{{cite web |title=Leeds United F.C. History |url=http://www.ozwhitelufc.net.au/players_profiles/S/SinclairRM.php |website=ozwhitelufc.net.au |access-date=29 October 2022}}</ref>
| birth_date     = {{birth date and age|1964|11|19|df=y}}<ref name="ddd">{{cite web |title=leeds-fans.org.uk: Leeds United Player Profile: Ronnie Sinclair |url=https://www.leeds-fans.org.uk/leeds/players/362.html |website=leeds-fans.org.uk |access-date=29 October 2022}}</ref>
| birth_place    = [Stirling](/source/Stirling), Scotland<ref name="ddd"/>
| height         = {{height|ft=5|in=11}}<ref name="leeds"/>
| youthyears1    = | youthclubs1    = Stirling Boys Club
| youthyears2    = 1981–1982| youthclubs2    = [Nottingham Forest](/source/Nottingham_Forest_F.C.)
| currentclub    =
| position       = [Goalkeeper](/source/Goalkeeper_(association_football))
| years1   = 1982–1986 |clubs1  = [Nottingham Forest](/source/Nottingham_Forest_F.C.)          |caps1   = 0   |goals1   = 0
| years2   = 1984      |clubs2  = → [Wrexham](/source/Wrexham_A.F.C.) (loan)                   |caps2   = 11  |goals2   = 0
| years3   = 1984      |clubs3  = → [Derby County](/source/Derby_County_F.C.) (loan)           |caps3   = 0   |goals3   = 0
| years4   = 1985      |clubs4  = → [Sheffield United](/source/Sheffield_United_F.C.) (loan)   |caps4   = 0   |goals4   = 0
| years5   = 1986      |clubs5  = → [Leeds United](/source/Leeds_United_F.C.) (loan)           |caps5   = 0   |goals5   = 0
| years6   = 1986–1989 |clubs6  = [Leeds United](/source/Leeds_United_F.C.)                    |caps6   = 8   |goals6   = 0
| years7   = 1987      |clubs7  = → [Halifax Town](/source/Halifax_Town_A.F.C.) (loan)         |caps7   = 4   |goals7   = 0
| years8   = 1988–1989 |clubs8  = → [Halifax Town](/source/Halifax_Town_A.F.C.) (loan)         |caps8   = 10  |goals8   = 0
| years9   = 1989–1991 |clubs9  = [Bristol City](/source/Bristol_City_F.C.)                    |caps9   = 44  |goals9   = 0
| years10  = 1991      |clubs10 = → [Walsall](/source/Walsall_F.C.) (loan)                     |caps10  = 10  |goals10  = 0
| years11  = 1991–1996 |clubs11 = [Stoke City](/source/Stoke_City_F.C.)                        |caps11  = 80  |goals11  = 0
| years12  = 1994      |clubs12 = → [Bradford City](/source/Bradford_City_A.F.C.) (loan)       |caps12  = 0   |goals12  = 0
| years13  = 1996–1998 |clubs13 = [Chester City](/source/Chester_City_F.C.)                    |caps13  = 70  |goals13  = 0
| years14  = 1998      |clubs14 = [Stoke City](/source/Stoke_City_F.C.)                        |caps14  = 0   |goals14  = 0
| years15  = 1999      |clubs15 = [Leek Town](/source/Leek_Town_F.C.)                          |caps15  = 4   |goals15  = 0
| years16  = 1999–2000 |clubs16 = [Witton Albion](/source/Witton_Albion_F.C.)                  |caps16  =     |goals16  = 
| totalcaps = 241 | totalgoals = 0
| nationalyears1 = 
| nationalteam1  = [Scotland](/source/Scotland_national_football_team) Youth
| nationalcaps1  = 
| nationalgoals1 =
}}
'''Ronald McDonald Sinclair''' (born 19 November 1964) is a Scottish former professional [footballer](/source/Association_football) who played as a [goalkeeper](/source/goalkeeper_(association_football)).

As a player he made 275 league and cup appearances in a 16-year professional career in the [English Football League](/source/English_Football_League) with [Nottingham Forest](/source/Nottingham_Forest_F.C.), [Leeds United](/source/Leeds_United_F.C.), [Bristol City](/source/Bristol_City_F.C.), [Stoke City](/source/Stoke_City_F.C.) and [Chester City](/source/Chester_City_F.C.), as well as spells on [loan](/source/Loan_(sports)) with [Wrexham](/source/Wrexham_A.F.C.), [Derby County](/source/Derby_County_F.C.), [Sheffield United](/source/Sheffield_United_F.C.), [Halifax Town](/source/Halifax_Town_A.F.C.), [Walsall](/source/Walsall_F.C.) and [Bradford City](/source/Bradford_City_A.F.C.). He won [promotion](/source/Promotion_and_relegation) out of the [Third Division](/source/Football_League_Third_Division) with Bristol City in 1989–90 and out of the [Second Division](/source/Football_League_Second_Division) with Stoke City in 1992–93, and was voted as Chester City's Player of the Season for 1996–97. He later went on to [coach](/source/Coach_(sport)) at Stoke City, [Aston Villa](/source/Aston_Villa_F.C.) and [Port Vale](/source/Port_Vale_F.C.).

==Playing career==
[Capped](/source/Cap_(sport)) by Scotland at youth and schoolboy level, Sinclair joined [Nottingham Forest](/source/Nottingham_Forest_F.C.) as an apprentice from Stirling Boys Club, and he signed professional forms in October 1982.<ref name="cumk"/> However, he failed to make a first-team appearance for the City Ground club. It was in a [loan](/source/Loan_(sports)) spell with [Fourth Division](/source/Football_League_Fourth_Division) side [Wrexham](/source/Wrexham_A.F.C.) in the closing stages of the [1983–84](/source/1983%E2%80%9384_in_English_football) season that Sinclair gained his first [Football League](/source/English_Football_League) action. Over the following two seasons, he spent time on loan with [Derby County](/source/Derby_County_F.C.), [Sheffield United](/source/Sheffield_United_F.C.) and [Leeds United](/source/Leeds_United_F.C.) without making the first-team. Still, he was snapped up permanently by Leeds in June 1986 for £10,000.<ref name="leeds">{{cite web|title=leeds-fans.org.uk: Leeds United Player Profile: Ronnie Sinclair|url=https://www.leeds-fans.org.uk/leeds/players/362.html|website=leeds-fans.org.uk|accessdate=23 December 2017|language=en}}</ref> He made eight league appearances the following season before twice joining [Halifax Town](/source/Halifax_Town_A.F.C.) on loan.

In September 1989 Sinclair moved to [Bristol City](/source/Bristol_City_F.C.), who he helped win [promotion](/source/Promotion_and_relegation) from [Third Division](/source/Football_League_Third_Division) in his first season at [Ashton Gate](/source/Ashton_Gate_(stadium)). By the early stages of the [1991–92](/source/1991%E2%80%9392_in_English_football) campaign, he was out on loan again though, spending time with [Walsall](/source/Walsall_F.C.) before beginning a five-year stay with [Stoke City](/source/Stoke_City_F.C.) in a £25,000 move in November 1991.<ref name="leeds"/> Sinclair faced regular competition for the goalkeeper's shirt with Stoke but played over 20 games in his first three seasons at the club.

After falling out of favour, Sinclair joined [Chester City](/source/Chester_City_F.C.) on a [free transfer](/source/Free_transfer_(association_football)) in August 1996. After conceding just 43 goals in [1996–97](/source/1996%E2%80%9397_in_English_football), Chester qualified for the Third Division [play-offs](/source/English_Football_League_play-offs) with Sinclair voted the club's Player of the Season. The Blues lost to [Swansea City](/source/Swansea_City_A.F.C.) in the semi-finals and the following season saw Sinclair miss 13 league games following the emergence of [Wayne Brown](/source/Wayne_Brown_(goalkeeper%2C_born_1977)). He was not selected again after a 5–0 thrashing at [Exeter City](/source/Exeter_City_F.C.) on 4 April 1998 and [manager](/source/Manager_(association_football)) [Kevin Ratcliffe](/source/Kevin_Ratcliffe) announced later in the month that Sinclair's [contract](/source/Association_football_contracts) would not be renewed.<ref>{{Cite news| title= Sinclair Released by City| url= http://www.chester-city.co.uk/april98news.asp | publisher= chester-city.co.uk (see 29 April)| date= 29 April 1998| accessdate= 4 January 2008}}</ref> He later played four [Northern Premier League](/source/Northern_Premier_League) Premier Division games for [Leek Town](/source/Leek_Town_F.C.), before signing with [Witton Albion](/source/Witton_Albion_F.C.) in December 1999 after manager [Nigel Gleghorn](/source/Nigel_Gleghorn) looked to rest first-choice goalkeeper Phil McGing.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ronnie sizes up challenge to keep Witton at the top |url=https://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/news/5299175.ronnie-sizes-up-challenge-to-keep-witton-at-the-top/ |access-date=16 February 2022 |work=Warrington Guardian |date=8 December 1999 |language=en}}</ref> He made his debut for Witton on 4 December 1999 and made 15 appearances as the club finished third in the Northern Premier League Division One at the end of the [1999–2000](/source/1999%E2%80%932000_Northern_Premier_League) season, missing out on promotion and the league title on [goal difference](/source/goal_difference).<ref>{{cite web |title=1999–2000 PLAYERS RECORDS |url=https://www.wittonalbionfc.co.uk/a/seasons-archive-19902000-50679.html?page=29 |website=wittonalbionfc.co.uk |access-date=16 February 2022}}</ref>

==Coaching career==
Sinclair never played professionally again after leaving Chester and has spent most of his time working as goalkeeping [coach](/source/Coach_(sport)) with [Stoke City](/source/Stoke_City_F.C.), where he initially was registered again as a player. He became the assistant [academy](/source/Stoke_City_F.C._Under-21s_and_Academy) manager before moving to become the [academy](/source/Aston_Villa_Under-23s_and_Academy) goalkeeping coach at [Aston Villa](/source/Aston_Villa_F.C.). He was appointed as goalkeeping coach at [Port Vale](/source/Port_Vale_F.C.) by manager [Neil Aspin](/source/Neil_Aspin) in December 2017.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Baggaley|first1=Michael|title=Former Stoke City keeper Ronnie Sinclair joins Port Vale's coaching staff|url=http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/port-vale-stoke-city-sinclair-874168|accessdate=4 December 2017|work=Stoke Sentinel|date=4 December 2017}}</ref>

==Career statistics==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition<ref>{{ENFA}}</ref><ref>{{Soccerbase}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=PlayerStats – LeekTownSE |url=https://leektown.net/players/PlayerStats?name=Ronnie%20Sinclair |website=leektown.net |access-date=11 April 2022}}</ref>
|-
!rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season
!colspan="3"|League
!colspan="2"|[FA Cup](/source/FA_Cup)
!colspan="2"|[League Cup](/source/EFL_Cup)
!colspan="2"|Other{{ref label|Other|A|}}
!colspan="2"|Total
|-
!Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|[Wrexham](/source/Wrexham_A.F.C.) (loan)
|[1983–84](/source/1983%E2%80%9384_Wrexham_A.F.C._season)
|[Fourth Division](/source/Football_League_Fourth_Division)
|11||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||12||0
|-
|[Leeds United](/source/Leeds_United_F.C.)
|[1986–87](/source/1986%E2%80%9387_Leeds_United_A.F.C._season)
|[Second Division](/source/Football_League_Second_Division)
|8||0||0||0||1||0||0||0||9||0
|-
|rowspan="3"|[Halifax Town](/source/Halifax_Town_A.F.C.) (loan)
|[1986–87](/source/1986%E2%80%9387_Halifax_Town_A.F.C._season)
|Fourth Division
|4||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||4||0
|-
|[1988–89](/source/1988%E2%80%9389_Halifax_Town_A.F.C._season)
|Fourth Division
|10||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||11||0
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!14!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!1!!0!!15!!0
|-
|rowspan="3"|[Bristol City](/source/Bristol_City_F.C.)
|[1989–90](/source/1989%E2%80%9390_Bristol_City_F.C._season)
|[Third Division](/source/Football_League_Third_Division)
|27||0||5||0||0||0||0||0||32||0
|-
|[1990–91](/source/1990%E2%80%9391_Bristol_City_F.C._season)
|Second Division
|17||0||0||0||3||0||1||0||21||0
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!44!!0!!5!!0!!3!!0!!1!!0!!53!!0
|-
|[Walsall](/source/Walsall_F.C.) (loan)
|[1991–92](/source/1991%E2%80%9392_Walsall_F.C._season)
|Fourth Division
|10||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||11||0
|-
|rowspan="6"|[Stoke City](/source/Stoke_City_F.C.)
|[1991–92](/source/1991%E2%80%9392_Stoke_City_F.C._season)
|Third Division
|26||0||0||0||0||0||2||0||28||0
|-
|[1992–93](/source/1992%E2%80%9393_Stoke_City_F.C._season)
|Second Division
|29||0||2||0||2||0||5||0||38||0
|-
|[1993–94](/source/1993%E2%80%9394_Stoke_City_F.C._season)
|[First Division](/source/Football_League_First_Division)
|0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
|[1994–95](/source/1994%E2%80%9395_Stoke_City_F.C._season)
|First Division
|24||0||2||0||0||0||2||0||28||0
|-
|[1995–96](/source/1995%E2%80%9396_Stoke_City_F.C._season)
|First Division
|1||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||2||0
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!80!!0!!4!!0!!2!!0!!10!!0!!97!!0
|-
|rowspan="3"|[Chester City](/source/Chester_City_F.C.)
|[1996–97](/source/1996%E2%80%9397_Chester_City_F.C._season)
|Third Division
|37||0||3||0||1||0||3||0||44||0
|-
|[1997–98](/source/1997%E2%80%9398_Chester_City_F.C._season)
|Third Division
|33||0||0||0||2||0||0||0||35||0
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!70!!0!!3!!0!!3!!0!!3!!0!!79!!0
|-
|[Leek Town](/source/Leek_Town_F.C.)
|[1996–97](/source/1996%E2%80%9397_Northern_Premier_League)
|[Northern Premier League](/source/Northern_Premier_League)<br>Premier Division
|4||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||0||0||4||0
|-
!colspan="3"|Career total
!241!!0!!12!!0!!9!!0!!17!!0!!279!!0
|}

{{refbegin}}
:A.&nbsp;{{note|Other}} The "Other" column constitutes appearances and goals in the [Anglo-Italian Cup](/source/Anglo-Italian_Cup), [Football League Trophy](/source/EFL_Trophy), [Football League play-offs](/source/Football_League_play-offs) and [Full Members' Cup](/source/Full_Members'_Cup).
{{refend}}

==Honours==
'''Bristol City'''
* [Football League Third Division](/source/Football_League_Third_Division) second-place promotion: [1989–90](/source/1989%E2%80%9390_Bristol_City_F.C._season)

'''Stoke City'''
* [Football League Second Division](/source/Football_League_Second_Division): [1992–93](/source/1992%E2%80%9393_Stoke_City_F.C._season)

'''Individual'''
* [Chester City F.C.](/source/Chester_City_F.C.) Player of the Season: [1996–97](/source/1996%E2%80%9397_Chester_City_F.C._season)

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Chester City F.C. Player of the Year}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sinclair, Ronnie}}
Category:1964 births
Category:Living people
Category:Footballers from Stirling
Category:Scottish men's footballers
Category:Men's association football goalkeepers
Category:Nottingham Forest F.C. players
Category:Wrexham A.F.C. players
Category:Derby County F.C. players
Category:Sheffield United F.C. players
Category:Leeds United F.C. players
Category:Halifax Town A.F.C. players
Category:Bristol City F.C. players
Category:Walsall F.C. players
Category:Stoke City F.C. players
Category:Bradford City A.F.C. players
Category:Chester City F.C. players
Category:Leek Town F.C. players
Category:Witton Albion F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:Northern Premier League players
Category:Scottish football coaches
Category:Association football goalkeeping coaches
Category:Stoke City F.C. non-playing staff
Category:Aston Villa F.C. non-playing staff
Category:Port Vale F.C. non-playing staff
Category:20th-century Scottish sportsmen

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ronnie Sinclair](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronnie_Sinclair) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronnie_Sinclair?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.