Ryan Sears
{{short description|Welsh footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2019}}
{{Infobox football biography
| embed =
| name = Ryan Sears
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| fullname = Ryan Joseph Sears{{cite web |url=https://www.efl.com/siteassets/image/201920/efl-professional-retain-list--free-transfers---2018-19.pdf |title=Club list of registered players: As at 19th May 2019 |publisher=English Football League |access-date=13 July 2019}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|12|30|df=y}}
| birth_place = Newtown, Wales
| height =
| position = Right back
| currentclub = Caernarfon Town
| clubnumber = 27
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = Shrewsbury Town
| years1 = 2016–2021
| clubs1 = Shrewsbury Town
| caps1 = 7
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2017–2018
| clubs2 = → Newtown (loan)
| caps2 = 31
| goals2 = 2
| years3 = 2018
| clubs3 = → AFC Telford United (loan)
| caps3 = 6
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2020
| clubs4 = → AFC Telford United (loan)
| caps4 = 1
| goals4 = 1
| years5 = 2021–2022
| clubs5 = Grimsby Town
| caps5 = 6
| goals5 = 0
| years6 = 2022–2024
| clubs6 = Newtown
| caps6 = 75
| goals6 = 6
| years7 = 2024–
| clubs7 = Caernarfon Town
| caps7 = 0
| goals7 = 0
| nationalyears1 =
| nationalteam1 =
| nationalcaps1 =
| nationalgoals1 =
| medaltemplates =
| club-update = 22 April 2024
| nationalteam-update =
}}
Ryan Joseph Sears (born 30 December 1998) is a Welsh footballer who plays as a right back for Cymru Premier club Newtown.
Sears came through the youth academy at Shrewsbury Town playing seven times for the club in EFL League One. He also spent time on loan with Welsh side Newtown as well as two separate spells with AFC Telford United before signing for Grimsby Town in June 2021 ahead of the 2021–22 season. Sears was called up to the Wales under-21 side in 2019 but failed to win a cap.
Career
=Shrewsbury Town=
Born in Newtown, Powys, Wales, Sears was a youth player at Shrewsbury Town and scored twice to help them to the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup in 2016–17, while also being an unused substitute for the senior team in EFL League One three times around the turn of the year.{{cite web |title=Ryan Sears |url=https://www.shrewsburytown.com/teams/first-team/defender/ryan-sears/ |publisher=Shrewsbury Town F.C. |access-date=5 September 2018}}
He was loaned to his hometown team Newtown A.F.C. in the Welsh Premier League for the 2017–18 season. He played 35 total games and scored three goals across all competitions, including one in a 4–2 win at reigning champions The New Saints on 30 December.{{cite news |last1=White |first1=Barrie |title=Second half horror show for Saints as Newtown rock them |url=http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/15848749.Second_half_horror_show_for_Saints_as_Newtown_rock_them/ |access-date=5 September 2018 |work=The Northern Echo |date=31 December 2017}} He was voted the club's Players' Player of the Season.
On 2 August 2018, Sears was loaned for a month to Shrewsbury's neighbours A.F.C. Telford United in the National League North.{{cite news |last1=Edwards |first1=Joe |title=Shrewsbury Town youngster goes on loan to AFC Telford |url=https://www.shropshirestar.com/sport/football/afc-telford-united/2018/08/02/shrewsbury-town-youngster-goes-on-loan-to-afc-telford/ |access-date=5 September 2018 |work=Shropshire Star |date=2 August 2018}} After six games for the Bucks, he was recalled slightly ahead of schedule by Shrews manager John Askey, due to injury to starting right back James Bolton.{{cite news |last1=Hatfield |first1=Luke |title=Shrewsbury Town recall Ryan Sears from AFC Telford loan |url=https://www.shropshirestar.com/sport/football/afc-telford-united/2018/08/31/shrewsbury-town-recall-ryan-sears-from-afc-telford-loan/ |access-date=5 September 2018 |work=Shropshire Star |date=31 August 2018}}
Sears made his professional debut on 1 September, playing the full 90 minutes of a 1–1 home draw with Bristol Rovers. After the game, Askey praised his performance as "perfect".{{cite news |last1=Cox |first1=Lewis |title=John Askey hails youngster Ryan Sears for a 'perfect' Shrewsbury Town debut |url=https://www.shropshirestar.com/sport/football/shrewsbury-town-fc/2018/09/02/john-askey-hails-youngster-ryan-sears-for-a-perfect-shrewsbury-town-debut/ |access-date=5 September 2018 |work=Shropshire Star |date=2 September 2018}} He scored his first professional goal on 8 January 2019, opening a 1–1 draw at Port Vale in the EFL Trophy third round, which Shrewsbury lost on penalties.{{cite news |last1=Cox |first1=Lewis |title=Checkatrade Trophy: Port Vale 1 Shrewsbury 1 (Vale win 4-3 on pens) - Report and pictures |url=https://www.shropshirestar.com/sport/football/shrewsbury-town-fc/2019/01/08/checkatrade-trophy-port-vale-1-shrewsbury-1-vale-win-4-3-on-pens-report-and-reaction/ |access-date=25 February 2019 |work=Shropshire Star |date=8 January 2019}}
In late April 2019, Sears signed a two-year contract extension with the option of a third year. However, he also suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in training, ruling him out for nine months.{{cite news |title=Ryan Sears: Shrewsbury Town defender faces nine months out with knee injury |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48105067 |access-date=2 May 2019 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=30 April 2019}} The following 14 March, he was loaned back to Telford for a month.{{cite news |title=Ryan Sears joins AFC Telford United on loan |url=https://www.shrewsburytown.com/news/2020/march/ryan-sears-joins-afc-telford-united-on-loan/ |access-date=14 March 2020 |publisher=Shrewsbury Town F.C. |date=14 March 2020}}
On 12 May 2021 it was announced that he would leave Shrewsbury at the end of the season, following the expiry of his contract.{{Cite web|url=https://www.shrewsburytown.com/news/2021/may/released-and-retained-list/|title=Released and retained list|website=www.shrewsburytown.com}}
=Grimsby Town=
On 9 June 2021, Sears joined Grimsby Town on a one-year contract, reuniting him with former Shrews boss Paul Hurst.{{cite news| url = https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/grimsby-town-sears-shrewsbury-transfer-5504561| title = Grimsby Town make third signing as former Shrewsbury defender Ryan Sears joins Mariners - Grimsby Live| newspaper = Grimsbylive| date = 9 June 2021}} On 9 January 2022, Sears left the club after his contract was terminated by mutual consent.{{Cite web |url=https://gtfc.co.uk/ryan-sears-departs/ |title=Ryan Sears departs |publisher=Grimsby Town FC |date=9 January 2022 |accessdate=9 January 2022}}
=Newtown=
On 9 January 2022, Sears rejoined Cymru Premier side Newtown on an 18-month contract.{{Cite web |url=https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/sears-grimsby-town-departure-transfer-6464313 |title=Ryan Sears rejoins former club on free transfer after Grimsby Town departure |publisher=Grimsby Telegraph |first=Elliott |last=Jackson |date=9 January 2022 |accessdate=9 January 2022}}
=Caernarfon Town=
On 16 June 2024, following the expiry of his contract at Newtown, Sears joined fellow Cymru Premier side Caernarfon Town.{{Cite web |url=https://www.caernarfontownfc.co.uk/en/news-events/welcome-to-the-carling-oval-ryan-sears-2024-06-16 |title=Welcome to the Carling Oval Ryan Sears |publisher=Caernarfon Town F.C. |date=16 June 2024 |accessdate=12 July 2024}} He made his competitive debut for the club on 11 July 2024 in a 2–0 victory over Crusaders at Nantporth, in the first leg of Caernarfon's first qualifying round tie in the UEFA Conference League.{{Cite web |url=https://www.skysports.com/football/caernarfon-town-vs-crusaders/teams/506679 |title=Caernarfon Town vs Crusaders lineups |publisher=Sky Sports |date=11 July 2024 |accessdate=12 July 2024}}
International
In March 2019, Sears was called up for the first time to a Wales under-21 training camp in Monmouthshire.{{cite news |last1=Cox |first1=Lewis |title=Shrewsbury Town defender Ryan Sears called up to Wales under-21 squad |url=https://www.shropshirestar.com/sport/football/shrewsbury-town-fc/2019/03/07/shrewsbury-town-defender-ryan-sears-called-up-to-wales-under-21-squad/ |access-date=8 March 2019 |work=Shropshire Star |date=7 March 2019}}
Career statistics
{{updated|match played 22 September 2020}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | ||||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National Cup !colspan="2"|League Cup !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan="6"|Shrewsbury Town
|2016–17{{soccerbase season|100009|2016|accessdate=27 October 2020}} |rowspan="5"|League One |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2017–18{{soccerbase season|100009|2017|accessdate = 27 October 2020}}
|0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2018–19{{soccerbase season|100009|2018|accessdate = 27 October 2020}}
|5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4Appearances and goals in the EFL Trophy | 1 | 10 | 1 | |
| 2019–20{{soccerbase season|100009|2019|accessdate = 27 October 2020}}
|2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2020–21{{soccerbase season|100009|2020|accessdate = 27 October 2020}}
|0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| style="font-weight:bold; background:#f3f3f3"
|colspan="2"|Total !7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 13 | 1 | |
| Newtown (loan)
|2017–18{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/ryan-sears/470804/|title=Ryan Sears Soccerway|publisher=Soccerway|access-date=27 October 2020}} |31 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 3 | |
| rowspan="3"|AFC Telford United (loans)
|rowspan="2"|National League North |6 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 6 | 0 | ||||
| 2019–20
|1 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 1 | 1 | ||||
| style="font-weight:bold; background:#f3f3f3"
|colspan="2"|Total !7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | |
| colspan="3" |Career total
!45 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 58 | 5 |
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerway|ryan-sears/470804}}
- {{Soccerbase|100009}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sears, Ryan}}
Category:Welsh men's footballers
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:People from Newtown, Powys
Category:Footballers from Powys
Category:Shrewsbury Town F.C. players
Category:Newtown A.F.C. players
Category:AFC Telford United players
Category:Grimsby Town F.C. players
Category:Cymru Premier players
Category:National League (English football) players