Liam Ridgewell

As of match played 15 May 2021

Early career

Ridgewell was born in Bexleyheath, in the London Borough of Bexley, and attended Bexleyheath School. He began his career with West Ham United, but moved to Aston Villa in February 2001. He was part of the team that won the 2002 FA Youth Cup final against Everton.

Aston Villa

The day after scoring for England Under-19s in a 2–2 draw against Yugoslavia in October 2002, he was loaned to AFC Bournemouth of the Third Division, for whom he made his debut in the Football League in a 2–1 win over Hartlepool United on 13 October and played five games in his month's loan spell. His debut for Aston Villa's first team came on 4 January 2003, in a 4–1 defeat to Blackburn Rovers in the FA Cup third round, when he came on as a substitute to replace Rob Edwards after 69 minutes. His first Premier League appearance came on 28 December 2003, as a 62nd-minute replacement for Mark Delaney in a 3–0 win over Fulham at Villa Park; he made 11 appearances over the season. On 15 January 2005, Ridgewell scored his first professional goal, heading in Nolberto Solano's cross in the ninth minute to open a 3–0 win over Norwich City. On 10 April, in a 1–1 draw with rivals West Bromwich Albion, he and opponent Jonathan Greening were sent off for headbutting each other. In the following Premier League campaign, Ridgewell recorded five goals in 32 games, including two in a 3–3 draw at Fulham on 28 December 2005. He scored his only goal of the 2006–07 season against his former…

Ridgewell took on his first coaching job in December 2020, when he joined National League club Dover Athletic in the role of a first-team coach, assisting the manager Andy Hessenthaler. Ridgewell joined the Portland Timbers coaching staff for the 2023 season. He holds a UEFA B Coaching License.

In October 2016, Ridgewell and Portland Timbers teammate Jake Gleeson were arrested and charged with driving under the influence and refusing breathalyzer tests in Lake Oswego, Oregon. The case against Ridgewell was dropped in January 2017 when a judge ruled that the police had insufficient cause to stop and test him, while Gleeson pleaded no contest to his charges. Ridgewell co-owns custom swimwear company Thomas Royall with fellow footballers Sam Saunders and John Terry.