Ryley Towler
{{Short description|English footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Ryley Towler
| image =
| fullname = Ryley Ben Towler{{cite web |url=https://www.efl.com/contentassets/399875ceb4a34a7590d82ea228fd09a1/squad-list-publication-report---10.02.2021.pdf|title=EFL - Squad List 2020/21|publisher=English Football League |accessdate=11 July 2021}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2002|5|6|df=y}}
| birth_place = Bristol, England
| height = 1.86 m
| position = Defender, Midfielder
| currentclub = Portsmouth
| clubnumber = 4
| youthyears1 = 2011–2019
| youthclubs1 = Bristol City
| years1 = 2019–2023
| clubs1 = Bristol City
| caps1 = 4
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2019
| clubs2 = → Frome Town (loan)
| caps2 = 2
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2020
| clubs3 = → Taunton Town (loan)
| caps3 = 5
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2021
| clubs4 = → Grimsby Town (loan)
| caps4 = 13
| goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2022–2023
| clubs5 = → AFC Wimbledon (loan)
| caps5 = 17
| goals5 = 1
| years6 = 2023–
| clubs6 = Portsmouth
| caps6 = 38
| goals6 = 3
| club-update = 30 January 2025 (UTC)
}}
Ryley Ben Towler (born 6 May 2002) is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for {{English football updater|Portsmou}} club Portsmouth.
Towler began his career with Bristol City, spending time on loan with Frome Town, Taunton Town, Grimsby Town and AFC Wimbledon.
Career
=Bristol City=
Towler joined his local City academy in the under 9 age group.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bcfc.co.uk/teams/first-team-squad/34-ryley-towler/|title=34. Ryley Towler|website=Bristol City}} A left footed player who went to Mangotsfield School, Towler is considered an option at left back or left centre back.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/bristol-city-expected-team-face-4986387|title=Bristol City expected team to face Sheffield United with Ryley Towler an option|first1=Gregor|last1=MacGregor|date=February 10, 2021|website=BristolLive}}
On 10 February 2021, Towler made his debut for Bristol City in the FA Cup fifth round starting away at Bramall Lane against Sheffield United.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55953173 |title=FA Cup: Sheffield United 1–0 Bristol City |work=BBC Sport |date=10 February 2021 |accessdate=13 February 2021 }}
On 9 September 2021, Towler joined Grimsby Town on loan until January 2022.{{cite news | url=https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/grimsby-town-bristol-city-towler-5888782 | title=Grimsby Town sign highly-rated Bristol City midfielder Ryley Towler | newspaper=Grimsbylive | date=8 September 2021 }} Towler made his debut for the 'Mariners' on 11 September 2021, in a 3–1 away win against Torquay United. He went on to play 13 games in the National League for Grimsby Town, and one appearance in the FA Cup in a 1–0 defeat to Kidderminster Harriers. Towler was recalled on 20 December 2021 and returned to Bristol City.{{cite web | url=https://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/towler-recalled-from-loan/ | title=Towler recalled from loan }}
On 1 September 2022, Towler joined AFC Wimbledon on loan for the 2022–23 season.{{cite web | url=https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/bristol-city-ryley-towler-loan-7537046 | title=City defender Ryley Towler signs for AFC Wimbledon on loan | date=September 2022 }} He scored his first goal for Wimbledon in a 3–1 loss to Walsall on 8 October 2022.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/63099377 |title=Walsall 3–1 AFC Wimbledon |publisher=BBC |date=8 October 2022 |access-date=11 October 2022}} Towler was recalled from his loan on 6 January 2023.{{cite web|url=https://www.afcwimbledon.co.uk/news/2023/january/ryley-recalled/|title=Ryley recalled|website=www.afcwimbledon.co.uk|date=6 January 2023|accessdate=6 January 2023}}
=Portsmouth=
On 6 January 2023, Towler signed for League One club Portsmouth for an undisclosed fee on a three-and-a-half-year deal.{{cite web|url=https://www.portsmouthfc.co.uk/news/2023/january/pompey-complete-towler-signing/|title=Pompey Complete Towler Signing|website=www.portsmouthfc.co.uk|date=6 January 2023|accessdate=6 January 2023}} He made his Pompey debut as a substitute against Bolton Wanderers in January 2023, and made his full debut a week later in a 2–0 home win over Exeter City. Towler scored two second-half goals in a 3–1 win over Bolton on 28 February 2023.{{cite news |last1=Weld |first1=Neil |title=Pompey 3 Bolton 1 |url=https://www.portsmouthfc.co.uk/news/2023/february/match-report-for-portsmouth-vs-bolton-wanderers-on-28-feb-23/ |work=www.portsmouthfc.co.uk |date=28 February 2023 |language=en-gb}} However, with the promotion of Portsmouth to the Championship, the club looked to loan him out in the 2024–25 winter transfer window.{{cite web |url=https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/sport/football/portsmouth-fc/aouchiche-towler-bramall-moxon-stevenson-portsmouth-transfer-window-state-of-play-as-business-ramps-up-4968126 |title=Aouchiche, Towler, Bramall, Moxon, Stevenson: Portsmouth transfer window state of play as business ramps up |website=The News |author=Neil Allen |date=30 January 2025 |access-date=2 February 2025 }}
Career statistics
{{updated|match played 10 January 2025}}
| class=wikitable style="text-align: center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||||
| rowspan=2|Club
!rowspan=2|Season !colspan=3|League !colspan=2|FA Cup !colspan=2|EFL Cup !colspan=2|Other !colspan=2|Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan=4|Bristol City
|2019–20{{soccerbase season|133357|2019|accessdate=13 February 2021}} |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2020–21{{soccerbase season|133357|2020|accessdate=13 February 2021}}
|Championship |3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 4 | 0 | ||
| 2021–22{{soccerbase season|133357|2021|accessdate=21 December 2021}}
|Championship |1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2022–23{{soccerbase season|133357|2022|accessdate=28 January 2023}}
|Championship |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 0 | 0 | ||
| colspan=3|Total
!4||0||1||0||0||0||colspan=2|—||5||0 | ||||||||||
| Frome Town (loan)
|2018-19{{cite web |url=https://southern-football-league.co.uk/Player-Display/80004/2018/2019 |title=Ryley Towler Profile |website=southern-football-league.co.uk |publisher=Southern Football League |access-date=21 December 2021}} |SL Division One South |2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| Taunton Town (loan)
|2019–20{{cite web |url=http://www.aylesburyunitedfc.co.uk/players/ryley-towler |title=Ryley Towler Profile |website=aylesburyunitedfc.co.uk |publisher=Aylesbury United F.C. |access-date=7 November 2020}} |SL Premier Division South |5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
| Grimsby Town (loan)
|13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 1{{efn|Appearance in FA Trophy}} | 0 | 15 | 0 | ||
| AFC Wimbledon (loan)
|17 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4{{efn|name=EFLT|Appearances in EFL Trophy}} | |0 | 24 | 1 | |
| rowspan="4" |Portsmouth
|20 | 2 | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 20 | 2 | ||||
| 2023–24{{soccerbase season|133357|2023|accessdate=2 January 2025}}
|League One |6 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 1 | 0 | 4{{efn|name=EFLT}} | 1 | 11 | 1 | ||
| 2024–25{{soccerbase season|133357|2024|accessdate=2 January 2025}}
|Championship |9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 11 | 1 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!35||3||1||0||2||0||4||1||42||4 | ||||||||||
| colspan="3"|Career total
!76||4||6||0||2||0||9||1||93||5 |
{{notelist}}
Honours
References
{{reflist}}
{{Portsmouth F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Towler, Ryley}}
Category:Footballers from Bristol
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Bristol City F.C. players
Category:Frome Town F.C. players
Category:Taunton Town F.C. players
Category:Grimsby Town F.C. players
Category:AFC Wimbledon players
Category:Portsmouth F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:Southern Football League players