{{short description|Welsh footballer (born 1995)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}} {{Use British English|date=December 2019}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Ryan Hedges | image = Ryan_Hedges_at_Aberdeen_2019.jpg | image_size = 150 | caption = Hedges with Aberdeen in 2019 | fullname = Ryan Peter Hedges<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.efl.com/siteassets/efl-documents/efl-professional-retain-list--free-transfers---2017-18.pdf |title=Club list of registered players: As at 19th May 2018: Barnsley |publisher=English Football League |page=4 |accessdate=16 June 2018}}</ref> | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1995|07|08|df=y}} | birth_place = Northampton, England | height = 1.85m | position = Winger, left wing-back | currentclub = Blackburn Rovers | clubnumber = 19 | youthyears1 = 2003–2010 | youthclubs1 = Everton | youthyears2 = 2010–2013 | youthclubs2 = Flint Town United | years1 = 2012–2013 | clubs1 = Flint Town United | caps1 = 24 | goals1 = 2 | years2 = 2013–2017 | clubs2 = Swansea City | caps2 = 0 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 2015 | clubs3 = → Leyton Orient (loan) | caps3 = 17 | goals3 = 2 | years4 = 2016 | clubs4 = → Stevenage (loan) | caps4 = 6 | goals4 = 0 | years5 = 2016–2017 | clubs5 = → Yeovil Town (loan) | caps5 = 21 | goals5 = 4 | years6 = 2017–2019 | clubs6 = Barnsley | caps6 = 52 | goals6 = 2 | years7 = 2019–2022 | clubs7 = Aberdeen | caps7 = 66 | goals7 = 11 | years8 = 2022–2026 | clubs8 = Blackburn Rovers | caps8 = 137 | goals8 = 8 | nationalyears1 = 2013–2014 | nationalteam1 = Wales U19 | nationalcaps1 = 5 | nationalgoals1 = 1 | nationalyears2 = 2014–2016 | nationalteam2 = Wales U21 | nationalcaps2 = 11 | nationalgoals2 = 0 | nationalyears3 = 2017–2019 | nationalteam3 = Wales | nationalcaps3 = 3 | nationalgoals3 = 0 | pcupdate = 17 April 2026 (UTC) | ntupdate = }}
'''Ryan Peter Hedges''' (born 8 July 1995) is a professional footballer who plays as a winger or left wing-back for {{English football updater|BlackbuR}} club Blackburn Rovers. Born in England, he played for the Wales national team.
He made his professional debut for Leyton Orient in January 2015, on loan from Swansea City. After further loan spells at Stevenage and Yeovil Town, Hedges signed permanently for Barnsley in 2017. He joined Scottish Premiership club Aberdeen in June 2019 and later signed for EFL Championship side Blackburn Rovers in January 2022.
==Early and personal life== Ryan Peter Hedges was born on 8 July 1995 in Northampton, England. At a young age, he moved to Wales, and would go on to attend Hawarden High School in Hawarden, a village in Flintshire.<ref name="Wales Schools U18">{{cite web | url=http://www.dailypost.co.uk/sport/football/amateur-football/football-ryan-hedges-puts-show-2590286 | title= Ryan Hedges puts on a show to help Welsh Schools FA beat England | publisher=Daily Post | work=dailypost.co.uk | date=7 March 2013 | accessdate=7 March 2013}}</ref> Michael Owen, Andy Dorman, Gary Speed and Danny Ward are all fellow ex-pupils from the school who would later become professional footballers. Hedges' first involvement with football began with Liverpool-based club Everton, where he spent seven years with the club in youth as a schoolboy, eventually being released at under-16 level in 2010.{{citation needed|date=August 2022}}
==Club career==
===Swansea City===
Hedges joined Swansea City from Flint Town in July 2013 following some impressive performances for the Welsh Schools Under-18 team.<ref>{{cite web | title=Ryan Hedges signs for Swansea | url=http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/flinttownunited/news/ryan-hedges-signs-for-swansea-995073.html | publisher=Pitchero | work=Pitchero.com | accessdate=25 July 2013 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130911145539/http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/flinttownunited/news/ryan-hedges-signs-for-swansea-995073.html | archivedate=11 September 2013 }}</ref> Hedges linked up with the Swansea City Under-21 team in the 2013–14 season, and was rewarded for his progress with a new one-year contract until June 2014.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.swanseacity.net/news/article/youngsters-contract-extensions-1582928.aspx | title=Eight young Swans pros offered contract extensions | publisher=Swansea City | work=swanseacity.net | date=30 May 2014 | accessdate=30 May 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150503010101/http://www.swanseacity.net/news/article/youngsters%2Dcontract%2Dextensions%2D1582928.aspx|archivedate=3 May 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In June 2015, Hedges signed a three-year contract extension at Swansea.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Youngsters offered pro contracts |url=http://www.swanseacity.net/news/article/youngsters-offered-pro-contracts-2471980.aspx |publisher=Swansea City A.F.C |date=15 April 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=PHOTO: @RyanHedges95 puts pen to paper on a contract extension at the Liberty Stadium. #swans |url=https://twitter.com/SwansOfficial/status/608235651239157760 |publisher=swansofficial Twitter |date=9 June 2015}}</ref>
==== Leyton Orient (loan) ==== On 16 January 2015, Hedges joined League One team Leyton Orient on a one-month loan deal.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hedges joins Orient on loan |url=http://www.swanseacity.net/news/article/hedges-joins-orient-on-loan-2205727.aspx|work=swanseacity.net |date=16 January 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150116203056/http://www.swanseacity.net/news/article/hedges-joins-orient-on-loan-2205727.aspx|archivedate=16 January 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> He made his professional debut for Leyton Orient against Colchester United on 24 January 2015.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Colchester v Leyton Orient |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/30860678|work=BBC Sport|date=24 January 2015}}</ref> After an impressive start, Hedges' loan was extended until the end of the 2014–15 season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hedges extends Leyton Orient loan |url=http://www.swanseacity.net/news/article/hedges-extends-leyton-orient-loan-2244204.aspx|work=swanseacity.net |date=2 February 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150203033941/http://www.swanseacity.net/news/article/hedges-extends-leyton-orient-loan-2244204.aspx|archivedate=3 February 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> Hedges scored his first professional goal for Leyton Orient, and then set up a goal for Chris Dagnall, in a 2–0 win over Walsall on 28 February 2015.<ref>{{cite news|title=Walsall 0 – 2 Leyton Orient|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/31562546|work=BBC Sport|date=28 February 2015|access-date=3 May 2015}}</ref> Weeks later on 14 March 2015, Hedges scored his second goal for Leyton Orient in a 3–0 win over Yeovil Town.<ref>{{cite news|title=Yeovil Town 3 – 0 Leyton Orient|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/31776154|work=BBC Sport|date=14 March 2015|access-date=3 May 2015}}</ref> Hedges went on to make seventeen appearances, scoring twice, as Orient were relegated to League Two.
==== Stevenage (loan) ==== In February 2016, Hedges joined Stevenage on a one-month emergency loan.
==== Yeovil Town (loan) ==== On 8 July 2016, Hedges signed for League Two side Yeovil Town on a six-month loan deal.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36751005 |title=Ryan Hedges: Yeovil Town sign Swansea City winger on loan |work=BBC Sport |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=8 July 2016 |accessdate=8 July 2016 }}</ref>
===Barnsley===
On 31 January 2017, Hedges was recalled from his loan spell at Yeovil,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ytfc.net/hedges-loan-cut-short/ |title=Hedges loan cut short |publisher=Yeovil Town F.C. |date=31 January 2017 |access-date=31 January 2017 }}</ref> and signed permanently for EFL Championship side Barnsley for an undisclosed fee on a two-and-a-half-year contract.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38810548 |title=Barnsley sign Swansea forward Ryan Hedges and Leicester defender Callum Elder |work=BBC Sport |date=31 January 2017 |accessdate=31 January 2017 }}</ref> He scored his first goal for Barnsley in a 3–1 loss at Bristol City on 5 August 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40760791|title=Bristol City 3–1 Barnsley|work=BBC Sport|date=5 August 2017|accessdate=5 August 2017}}</ref>
===Aberdeen===
Hedges was offered a new contract by Barnsley at the end of the 2018–19 season,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48313554|title=Adam Davies & Ryan Hedges: Barnsley offer Wales duo new deals|date=17 May 2019|accessdate=20 May 2019|work=BBC Sport}}</ref> but he instead opted to sign a three-year contract with Scottish Premiership club Aberdeen.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48516405 |title=Ryan Hedges joins Aberdeen from Barnsley after taking Danny Ward advice |work=BBC Sport |date=4 June 2019 |accessdate=4 June 2019}}</ref> On 27 August 2020, he scored a hat-trick as Aberdeen won 6–0 at home against NSÍ Runavík in the Europa League first qualifying round, having only come on as a half-time substitute.<ref>{{cite web|title=Aberdeen 6–0 NSÍ Runavík|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53880798|work=BBC Sport|last=Campbell|first=Andy|date=27 August 2020|accessdate=28 August 2020}}</ref>
===Blackburn Rovers===
On 30 January 2022, Hedges joined Blackburn Rovers on a three-and-a-half-year deal, with an optional 12 month extension, for an undisclosed fee.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Third |first1=Paul |title=Aberdeen winger Ryan Hedges joins Blackburn |url=https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/sport/football/aberdeen-fc/3899529/aberdeen-winger-ryan-hedges-joins-blackburn/ |website=The Press and Journal |access-date=30 January 2022 |date=30 January 2022}}</ref> He scored his first goal for the club on 13 September 2022 in a 2–0 win against Watford.<ref>{{cite news |title=Blackburn 2–0 Watford |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/62803562 |access-date=14 September 2022 |work=BBC Sport |date=13 September 2022}}</ref> Almost 12 months later he scored one of the contenders for goal of the season against Watford away to secure a 0–1 win.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66561725 | title=Watford 0–1 Blackburn Rovers: Hedges strike makes Hornets pay for missed chances | work=BBC Sport | date=27 August 2023 }}</ref>
On 19 May 2025, Blackburn announced it had triggered a one-year extension to the player's contract.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-05-19 |title=Blackburn Rovers offer deals to Danny Batth, Tyrhys Dolan & Andi Weimann |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cp85jrz382go |access-date=2025-05-20 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}}</ref> Hedges made 22 appearances during the 2025–26 season, primarily operating as a left wing-back, scoring once and providing two assists. On 1 January 2026, he suffered a fractured fibula in a 2–0 defeat to Wrexham.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Blackburn Rovers 0-2 Wrexham: Red Dragons clinch third successive Championship win |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/live/c7412jrl924t |access-date=2026-02-05 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Report: Rovers 0-2 Wrexham |url=https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2026/january/01/report--rovers---wrexham/ |access-date=2026-02-05 |website=www.rovers.co.uk}}</ref>
Manager Valérien Ismaël later confirmed that Hedges would undergo surgery and was expected to be sidelined for a minimum of eight weeks, with the full extent of the injury only to be determined following the operation, with the worst-case scenario being that Hedges would miss the remainder of the season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Injury update: Ryan Hedges |url=https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2026/january/05/injury-update--ryan-hedges/ |access-date=2026-02-05 |website=www.rovers.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-01-05 |title=Ryan Hedges: Blackburn Rovers midfielder could be out for rest of season |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c5yv80ynl4yo |access-date=2026-02-05 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}}</ref> On 6 February, following the conclusion of the transfer window, the club released its matchday squad list for the remainder of the season, with Hedges omitted.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Squad list submitted |url=https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2026/february/05/squad-list-submitted/ |access-date=2026-02-05 |website=www.rovers.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2026-02-05 |title=Blackburn Rovers confirm the two players left out of Championship squad |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/25828269.blackburn-rovers-confirm-two-players-left-efl-squad/ |access-date=2026-02-05 |work=Lancashire Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}</ref>
Hedges would later be re-added to the squad as the club were granted special dispensation to make changes after a spate of season-ending injuries, he made his return in a 3–0 defeat to Southampton at St Mary's Stadium and featured once more in the following match against Coventry City. Hedges departed the club at the conclusion of his contract.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Retain List 2026 |url=https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2026/may/19/retain-list-2026/ |access-date=2026-05-19 |website=www.rovers.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-05-19 |title=Blackburn: Sondre Tronstad, Ryan Hedges and Nathan Redmond to leave Rovers |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/ce8p6jnk4p5o |access-date=2026-05-19 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}}</ref>
==International career== Prior to joining Swansea City, Hedges scored twice and claimed an assist as captain of the Welsh Schools Under-18s team in a 4–1 win over England.<ref name="Wales Schools U18"/> Hedges has represented Wales at under-19 and under-21 level.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.swanseacity.net/news/article/international-break-sept-14-1891139.aspx|title=Busy international period for Swans stars|publisher=Swansea City A.F.C.|date=14 September 2014|accessdate=3 May 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150503205719/http://www.swanseacity.net/news/article/international-break-sept-14-1891139.aspx|archivedate=3 May 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>
He made his debut for the senior side on 14 November 2017 as a substitute during a 1–1 draw with Panama.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41884895 |title=Wales 1–1 Panama |publisher=BBC Sport |date=14 November 2017 |accessdate=14 November 2017}}</ref>
==Career statistics== ===Club=== {{updated|match played 17 April 2026}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition |- !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National Cup !colspan="2"|League Cup !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |Flint Town United |2012–13 |Cymru Alliance |24||2||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||24||2 |- |rowspan="5"|Swansea City |2013–14<ref name="13/14 appearances">{{soccerbase season|80677|2013|accessdate=23 December 2018 }}</ref> |Premier League |0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0 |- |2014–15<ref name="14/15 appearances">{{soccerbase season|80677|2014|accessdate=5 August 2017 }}</ref> |Premier League |0||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||0||0 |- |2015–16<ref name="15/16 appearances">{{soccerbase season|80677|2015|accessdate=5 August 2017 }}</ref> |Premier League |0||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||0||0 |- |2016–17<ref name="16/17 appearances">{{soccerbase season|80677|2016|accessdate=5 August 2017 }}</ref> |Premier League |0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||0||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0 |- |Leyton Orient (loan) |2014–15<ref name="14/15 appearances"/> |League One |17||2||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||17||2 |- |Stevenage (loan) |2015–16<ref name="15/16 appearances"/> |League Two |6||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||6||0 |- |Yeovil Town (loan) |2016–17<ref name="16/17 appearances"/> |League Two |21||4||2||1||2||0||3{{efn|name=EFLT|Appearances in EFL Trophy}}||0||28||5 |- |rowspan="4"|Barnsley |2016–17<ref name="16/17 appearances"/> |Championship |8||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||8||0 |- |2017–18<ref name="17/18 appearances">{{soccerbase season|80677|2017|accessdate=5 August 2017 }}</ref> |Championship |23||2||0||0||3||1||colspan="2"|—||26||3 |- |2018–19<ref name="18/19 appearances">{{soccerbase season|80677|2018|accessdate=9 May 2019 }}</ref> |League One |21||0||2||0||0||0||2{{efn|name=EFLT}}||1||25||1 |- !colspan="2"|Total !52!!2!!2!!0!!3!!1!!2!!1!!59!!4 |- |rowspan=4|Aberdeen |2019–20<ref>{{soccerbase season|80677|2019|accessdate=11 July 2019}}</ref> |Scottish Premiership |22||4||2||0||2||0||6{{efn|name=UEL|Appearances in the UEFA Europa League}}||0||32||4 |- |2020–21<ref>{{soccerbase season|80677|2020|accessdate=1 August 2020}}</ref> |Scottish Premiership |28||5||0||0||1||0||3{{efn|name=UEL}}||4||32||9 |- |2021–22<ref>{{soccerbase season|80677|2021|accessdate=13 August 2021}}</ref> |Scottish Premiership |16||2||1||1||1||0||4{{efn|name=UEC|Appearances in the UEFA Europa Conference League}}||2||22||5 |- !colspan=2|Total !66!!11!!3!!1!!4!!0!!13!!6!!86!!18 |- |rowspan=6|Blackburn Rovers |2021–22<ref>{{soccerbase season|80677|2021|access-date=23 October 2022}}</ref> |Championship |11||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||11||0 |- |2022–23<ref>{{soccerbase season|80677|2022|access-date=23 October 2022}}</ref> |Championship |43||4||4||0||1||0||colspan="2"|—||48||4 |- |2023–24<ref>{{soccerbase season|80677|2023|access-date=21 August 2024}}</ref> |Championship |17||2||0||0||1||0||colspan="2"|—||18||2 |- |2024–25<ref>{{soccerbase season|80677|2024|access-date=21 August 2024}}</ref> |Championship |42||1||1||0||1||0||colspan="2"|—||44||1 |- |2025–26<ref>{{soccerbase season|80677|2025|access-date=21 August 2024}}</ref> |Championship |24||1||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||24||1 |- !colspan=2|Total !137!!8!!5!!0!!3!!0!!colspan="2"|—!!145!!8 |- !colspan="3"|Career total !323!!29!!12!!2!!12!!1!!18!!7!!365!!39 |}
{{notelist}}
===International=== {{updated|match played 20 March 2019}}
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center |+ Appearances and goals by national team and year |- !National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan="3"|Wales |2017||1||0 |- |2018||1||0 |- |2019||1||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total!!3!!0 |}
==Honours== ===Club=== '''Barnsley''' *EFL League One runner-up: 2018–19<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.soccerbase.com/tournaments/tournament.sd?tourn_id=1645 |title=League One: 2018/19: Current table |website=Soccerbase |publisher=Centurycomm |accessdate=5 May 2019}}<br />{{cite web |url=https://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=208&teamTabs=stats&season_id=151 |title=Barnsley: Squad details: 2018/19 |website=Soccerbase |publisher=Centurycomm |accessdate=5 May 2019}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category}} * {{soccerbase}} * {{Soccerway}} * {{UEFA player}} * [http://www.swanseacity.net/news/article/under-21-profiles-1758088.aspx Swansea City A.F.C. profile]
{{Blackburn Rovers F.C. squad}} {{Aberdeen F.C. Player of the Year}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hedges, Ryan}} Category:1995 births Category:Living people Category:English men's footballers Category:Welsh men's footballers Category:Men's association football wingers Category:Men's association football forwards Category:Flint Town United F.C. players Category:Swansea City A.F.C. players Category:Leyton Orient F.C. players Category:Stevenage F.C. players Category:Yeovil Town F.C. players Category:Barnsley F.C. players Category:Aberdeen F.C. players Category:Blackburn Rovers F.C. players Category:English Football League players Category:Scottish Professional Football League players Category:Wales men's youth international footballers Category:Wales men's under-21 international footballers Category:Wales men's international footballers Category:English people of Welsh descent Category:21st-century English sportsmen