Ryan Baldacchino

Ryan Baldacchino began his footballing career at Blackburn Rovers in 1996 as a promising winger capable of playing on either wing. With Blackburn, he went on to win the U17 Premier League and reach the FA Youth Cup final, playing in front of a 25,000-strong crowd against an Everton team featuring future Premiership footballers Leon Osman, Francis Jeffers, Richard Dunne and Michael Ball. Baldacchino went on to become a reserve team regular in forthcoming seasons and was rewarded with a four-year professional contract, but was transferred to Blackburn's local rivals Bolton Wanderers in March 2000 as comparisons to his former Blackburn teammates Damien Duff and David Dunn were made by his new manager Sam Allardyce and assistant manager Phil Brown. He was awarded squad number 33. With pace to burn and accurate crossing ability Baldacchino soon showed his potential in Bolton's reserve side and in pre-season games for the first team. However, the signings of Jay-Jay Okocha and Youri Djorkaeff hindered his chances of making a first-team breakthrough and he left Bolton after only 18 months, signing with Carlisle United on a three-year deal. Baldacchino was an instant hit with the club with an outstanding display of pace and trickery to help defeat Southend United away in his first match. Baldacchino was a regular for Carlisle before being prised away by Brooks Mileson and the spending power of Scottish club Gretna. Gretna, with their newfound wealth, won Scottish Third, Second and…