John Ryden
Encyclopedia
John Johnston Ryden is a former Scottish
professional footballer
who played for Duntocher Hibernian
, Alloa Athletic
, Accrington Stanley
, Tottenham Hotspur
, Watford
, Romford
, Tunbridge Wells Rangers and Bexley Utd
club Duntocher Hibernian before signing for Alloa Athletic on 13 May 1950. The strong tackling, uncompromising, centre half made 108 appearances in all competitions and scored 13 goals in three seasons. In February 1954 he joined Accrington Stanley in a £1,000 transfer deal where he scored once in 80 matches. Tottenham Hotspur paid £10,000 for his services in November 1955. Ryden spent five seasons at the White Hart Lane
club and was made club captain in the 1957–58 season. He made a total of 68 appearances and found the net on two occasions in all competitions between 1955–59. Ryden was involved in two memorable matches for the Lilywhites. In the first 4-4 draw against rivals Arsenal
on 22 February 1958 at Highbury. and featured again in manager Bill Nicholson's
first game in charge on 11 October 1958 at White Hart Lane in a 10-4 victory over Everton
Ryden was listed as one of the top 12 Scots
to wear the Spurs shirt. In June 1961 he joined Watford and went on to make a further 24 appearances and scoring one goal.He then moved into Non-League football with Romford then in 1965 he moved to Tunbridge Wells Rangers and then on to Bexley Utd as player/manager where he ended his career.
in the companies offices at Maidstone
and later in Richmond. Today (2010), Ryden is retired and living in Kent
.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
professional footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who played for Duntocher Hibernian
Duntocher Hibernian F.C.
Duntocher Hibernian Football Club were a Scottish Junior football club from the village of Duntocher, West Dunbartonshire, who played in three spells over a period of eighty-six years...
, Alloa Athletic
Alloa Athletic F.C.
Alloa Athletic Football Club are a Scottish football team based in Alloa, Clackmannanshire. They are members of the Scottish Football League and currently play in the Third Division....
, Accrington Stanley
Accrington Stanley F.C.
Accrington Stanley is an English association football club from Accrington in Lancashire, in the North West of England, who play in Football League Two, the fourth-highest division in the English football league system....
, Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
, Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
, Romford
Romford F.C.
Romford F.C. is an English football club based in Romford, Greater London. The club are currently members of Division One North of the Isthmian League, and play at Mill Field in Aveley.-History:...
, Tunbridge Wells Rangers and Bexley Utd
Bexley United F.C.
Bexley United Football Club were an English football club who played at Park View Road in Welling.There was a club of the same name which played in the Kent League before the war....
Playing career
Ryden began his career at non-LeagueNon-league football
Non-League football is football in England played at a level below that of the Premier League and The Football League. The term non-League was commonly used well before 1992 when the top football clubs in England all belonged to The Football League; all clubs who were not a part of The Football...
club Duntocher Hibernian before signing for Alloa Athletic on 13 May 1950. The strong tackling, uncompromising, centre half made 108 appearances in all competitions and scored 13 goals in three seasons. In February 1954 he joined Accrington Stanley in a £1,000 transfer deal where he scored once in 80 matches. Tottenham Hotspur paid £10,000 for his services in November 1955. Ryden spent five seasons at the White Hart Lane
White Hart Lane
White Hart Lane is an all-seater football stadium in Tottenham, London, England. Built in 1899, it is the home of Tottenham Hotspur and, after numerous renovations, the stadium has a capacity of 36,230....
club and was made club captain in the 1957–58 season. He made a total of 68 appearances and found the net on two occasions in all competitions between 1955–59. Ryden was involved in two memorable matches for the Lilywhites. In the first 4-4 draw against rivals Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
on 22 February 1958 at Highbury. and featured again in manager Bill Nicholson's
Bill Nicholson (footballer)
William Edward "Bill" Nicholson OBE was an English football player, coach, manager and scout who devoted his life to Tottenham Hotspur in North London.-Early life:...
first game in charge on 11 October 1958 at White Hart Lane in a 10-4 victory over Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
Ryden was listed as one of the top 12 Scots
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
to wear the Spurs shirt. In June 1961 he joined Watford and went on to make a further 24 appearances and scoring one goal.He then moved into Non-League football with Romford then in 1965 he moved to Tunbridge Wells Rangers and then on to Bexley Utd as player/manager where he ended his career.
Post–football career
After his football career had ended, Ryden was employed by a finance and insurance brokerInsurance broker
An insurance broker finds sources for contracts of insurance on behalf of their customers. The three largest insurance brokers in the world, by revenue, are Aon, Marsh & McLennan, and Willis Group Holdings.-Purpose of insurance brokers:...
in the companies offices at Maidstone
Maidstone
Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
and later in Richmond. Today (2010), Ryden is retired and living in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
.