| Ryan Edwards | |
| Fullname: | Ryan Christopher Edwards[1] |
| Birth Date: | 1993 10, df=y |
| Birth Place: | Halewood, Liverpool, England |
| Height: | 1.95m (06.4feet)[2] |
| Position: | Centre-back |
| Currentclub: | Chennaiyin |
| Clubnumber: | 3 |
| Youthyears1: | 2010–2012 |
| Youthclubs1: | Blackburn Rovers |
| Years1: | 2012–2014 |
| Clubs1: | Blackburn Rovers |
| Caps1: | 0 |
| Goals1: | 0 |
| Years2: | 2012–2013 |
| Clubs2: | → Rochdale (loan) |
| Caps2: | 26 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Years3: | 2013 |
| Clubs3: | → Fleetwood Town (loan) |
| Caps3: | 9 |
| Goals3: | 0 |
| Years4: | 2013 |
| Clubs4: | → Chesterfield (loan) |
| Caps4: | 5 |
| Goals4: | 0 |
| Years5: | 2013 |
| Clubs5: | → Tranmere Rovers (loan) |
| Caps5: | 0 |
| Goals5: | 0 |
| Years6: | 2014 |
| Clubs6: | → Morecambe (loan) |
| Caps6: | 9 |
| Goals6: | 0 |
| Years7: | 2014–2017 |
| Clubs7: | Morecambe |
| Caps7: | 111 |
| Goals7: | 2 |
| Years8: | 2017–2019 |
| Clubs8: | Plymouth Argyle |
| Caps8: | 61 |
| Goals8: | 8 |
| Years9: | 2019–2020 |
| Clubs9: | Blackpool |
| Caps9: | 21 |
| Goals9: | 1 |
| Years10: | 2020–2023 |
| Clubs10: | Dundee United |
| Caps10: | 86 |
| Goals10: | 8 |
| Years11: | 2023– |
| Clubs11: | Chennaiyin |
| Caps11: | 31 |
| Goals11: | 3 |
| Club-Update: | 12:48, 30 November 2024 (UTC) |
Ryan Christopher Edwards (born 7 October 1993) is an English professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Indian Super League club Chennaiyin.
Born in Liverpool, Edwards started a two-year scholarship with Blackburn Rovers in 2010. He was captain of the Blackburn squad that reached the final of the 2011–12 FA Youth Cup.[3] Following this, in May 2012, Edwards signed his first professional contract on a two-year deal.[4]
Despite being determined to make a breakthrough under the management of Gary Bowyer,[5] Edwards was among sixteen players to be released by the club at the end of the 2013–14 season.[6]
On 2 July 2012, Edwards joined League Two side Rochdale on a six-month loan.[7] He made his Rochdale debut in the first round of the League Cup, in a 4–3 loss against Barnsley.[8] and he also made his league debut, in the opening game of the season, in a goalless draw against Northampton Town.[9] Having made 26 league appearances for Rochdale, Edwards returned to his parent club after the club's management decided not to extend his loan spell.[10]
Following his time at Rochdale, Edwards had been linked to sign on loan for the second half of the season.[11] On 21 February 2013, he joined Fleetwood Town on a one-month loan.[12] He made his debut for the club two days later, in a 2–0 loss against Aldershot Town.[13] After making four appearances for the club, his loan spell with Fleetwood Town was extended until the end of the season.[14] Edward went on to make nine appearances for the club before returning to Blackburn Rovers.
On 24 July 2013, Edwards joined Chesterfield on a one-month loan deal.[15] Upon the move, the club's first-team coach Keith Lynch believed Edwards could be a "good asset".[16] Edwards made a starting debut for the club in the opening game of the season, a 2–0 win over Bury.[17] His performances throughout the pre-season and at the start of the season led to Chesterfield extending Edwards' loan spell for two months.[18] Edwards featured less in the first team, and then on 24 October 2013 he returned to Ewood Park.[19]
On 28 November 2013, Edwards joined Tranmere Rovers on loan until 29 December 2013;[20] however, he made his only appearance for the club in the second round of the FA Cup, in a 5–0 defeat to Peterborough United.[21] After his loan spell at Tranmere Rovers came to an end,[22] manager Ronnie Moore explained his decision not including Edwards, stating: "It is not ideal for a young kid to be coming into the side with the way we are playing at the moment."[23]
On 21 March 2014, Edwards joined League Two side Morecambe on a one-month youth loan.[24] The next day, he made his debut in a 1–1 draw against Northampton Town.[25] Edwards' seven appearances for the club led, on 24 April 2014, to the extension of his loan stay with the Shrimps until the end of the 2013–14 season.[26] He went on to make nine appearances for the club.
After a successful loan spell at the Globe Arena towards the end of the 2013–14 season, Edwards signed a two-year deal after being released by Blackburn Rovers on 19 May 2014;[27] however, at the start of the season, Edwards fractured his fingers in a friendly match, which kept him out for two months.[28] Throughout August, Edwards started to maintain his fitness after surgery.[29] Edwards' first game after signing for the club on a permanent basis, as well as coming from injury, came in a goalless draw against Cheltenham Town on 6 September 2014.[30] Edwards continued to be in the first team, although he spent six games on the substitutes bench.
Edwards was sent off on 7 March 2015, in a 3–2 win over Luton Town.[31] After making his return against Shrewsbury Town on 17 March 2015,[32] he provided an assist for Kevin Ellison in a 1–1 draw against Accrington Stanley on 3 April 2015.[33] Edwards ended his first full season at Morecambe with 31 appearances after suffering a back injury.[34]
Edwards scored his first career goal in a 2–0 win over Portsmouth on 16 August 2016.[35]
On 13 June 2017, Plymouth Argyle announced Edwards as their third signing of the summer, from Morecambe.[36]
He was offered a new contract by Plymouth Argyle at the end of the 2018–19 season.[37]
On 14 June 2019, Edwards signed a two-year contract with Blackpool,[38] marking a return to his native North West.
He made his debut for the Seasiders in their opening fixture of the 2019–20 season, a 2–0 victory over Bristol Rovers at Bloomfield Road.
On 3 August 2020, Edwards signed for Scottish club Dundee United.[39] [40]
Following his release from Dundee United, Edwards joined Chennaiyin in the Indian Super League.[41]
Edwards survived testicular cancer after treatment only three months after being diagnosed with the disease.[42]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Blackburn Rovers | 2012–13 | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2013–14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Rochdale (loan) | 2012–13 | League Two | 26 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[43] | 0 | 29 | 0 | |
| Fleetwood Town (loan) | 2012–13 | League Two | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | |
| Chesterfield (loan) | 2013–14 | League Two | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[44] | 0 | 7 | 0 | |
| Tranmere Rovers | 2013–14 | League One | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Morecambe (loan) | 2013–14 | League Two | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | |
| Morecambe | 2014–15 | League Two | 31 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[45] | 0 | 34 | 0 | |
| 2015–16 | 37 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3[46] | 0 | 43 | 0 | |||
| 2016–17 | 43 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4[47] | 1 | 50 | 2 | |||
| Total | 111 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 127 | 2 | |||
| Plymouth Argyle | 2017–18 | League One | 25 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[48] | 1 | 30 | 4 | |
| 2018–19 | 36 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[49] | 0 | 38 | 5 | |||
| Total | 61 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 68 | 9 | |||
| Blackpool | 2019–20 | League One | 21 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3[50] | 0 | 27 | 1 | |
| Dundee United | 2020–21 | Scottish Premiership | 24 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 4 | |
| 2021–22 | Scottish Premiership | 36 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 4 | ||
| 2022–23 | Scottish Premiership | 32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 36 | 0 | ||
| Total | 92 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 112 | 8 | |||
| Chennaiyin | 2023–24 | Indian Super League | 22 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 2 | |
| 2024–25 | Indian Super League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 22 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 2 | |||
| Career total | 356 | 18 | 20 | 1 | 19 | 1 | 19 | 2 | 414 | 22 | |||