Sam Ricketts

Samuel Derek "Sam" Ricketts (born 11 October 1981) is an English football manager and former player. He was manager of Shrewsbury Town from 3 December 2018 until 25 November 2020.

Playing career
During his playing career, Ricketts played as a full-back. Born in Aylesbury, he started his career at the academy of Oxford United before making the move to the first team. In 2002, he moved on loan to non-league side Nuneaton Borough. 2003 saw Ricketts sign for Telford United where he spent a year before joining Swansea City in 2004 then Hull City in 2006. After three years in Hull, Ricketts signed for Bolton Wanderers where he would spend another four years. He made the move to Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2013. A loan move to Swindon Town followed in 2015 and later that year, Ricketts signed for Coventry City. He made 495 league appearances during his career, scoring 12 league goals.

Pre-STFC management career
Shortly after retiring, Ricketts began his coaching career. After spending time alongside Brendan Rodgers at Celtic as well as a few other of his former managers, he joined the management staff at the Wolverhampton Wanderers Development Squad. On 2 May 2018, he was appointed manager of National League side Wrexham, where he would only spend just over 5 months.

STFC career
On 3 December 2018, Ricketts was announced as Shrewsbury manager on a 2​1⁄2-year contract after the dismissal of John Askey on 11 November. He won his first match in charge, a 2–1 win over rivals Walsall to reach the third round of the EFL Trophy. During the 2018–19 season, Ricketts lead the club to the fourth round of the FA Cup, defeating Championship side Stoke City 2–3 (from 2–0 down) away from home along the way. Town would go on to draw 2–2 with Wolves in the fourth round, only to lose the replay 3–2 at Molineux. After a rocky but steady time in the league, a late Fejiri Okenabirhie goal and a 1–1 draw away at Coventry City on 28 April 2019 secured Town's place in League One for the 2019–20 season.

Summer 2019 saw Ricketts make the signings of players such as Jason Cummings, Sean Goss, Donald Love and Aaron Pierre. Once again, Town would go on to reach the fourth round of the FA Cup, this time a 2–2 draw at home to Premier League leaders Liverpool won Town a replay at Anfield, which Town would sadly go on to lose 1–0 after a Shaun Whalley goal was disallowed by VAR for offside. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the League One season was cut short and was ended on a points-per-game basis. Town would end up finishing 15th in the final table.

The 2020–21 season would be Ricketts' toughest yet. By November, Town found themselves in the League One relegation zone and only off the bottom on goal difference. On 25 November 2020, Ricketts and assistant manager Dean Whitehead were sacked with immediate effect. They left the club second-bottom in League One with only 9 points from a possible 39. Two days later on 27 November, experienced manager Steve Cotterill took over the job. Ricketts' Town career ended with just 28 wins, 34 draws and 34 defeats in all competitive competitions, a win rate of just 29.2%.