Post by Cantankerous Gas on Dec 9, 2017 10:51:06 GMT
.....A move to Bristol Rovers came about somewhat fortuitously. The son of their chief scout Paul Molesworth was an avid Championship Manager player and informed his father of Ryan’s contract situation at Millwall. The club moved quickly and Ryan swapped a full house at Wembley for a mid-table League Two side.
"Straight away I knew it was a mistake to join," and says he struggled to adapt at a lower level of football from what he had been used to.
"I wish his son never played Championship Manager!"
Signed by Tony Pulis and ignored by his successor Danny Wilson, his fortunes changed under Paul Trollope before an ankle injury stopped him in his tracks. The Dubliner worked his way back to fitness, but couldn’t force his way into the first-team.
Ryan trained with Brentford, but they decided against offering the 30-year-old a short-term contract despite utterances to the contrary.
"'I couldn’t be bothered with this no more’ was my attitude when that deal fell through," though a new beginning was just around the corner.
A friend organised an interview with London Underground which led to an offer that was quickly accepted, and a decade later, Ryan is adamant it was the best decision he ever made.
"I’m a ‘call the cable’ linesman. When an electrician needs to work in a certain section of the underground, I can knock that section off so there’s no electricity. We do cables on the track," though says it took a bit of getting used to working through the nights.
He played part-time football during the beginning of his life in the Underground, but has very little interest in the game these days.
"It’s quite sad. Bristol changed me. I fell out of love with football, even though it had been my life. It doesn’t bother me because I’m happy. Nowadays I can hardly watch 90 minutes and I don’t really watch Ireland."
"Straight away I knew it was a mistake to join," and says he struggled to adapt at a lower level of football from what he had been used to.
"I wish his son never played Championship Manager!"
Signed by Tony Pulis and ignored by his successor Danny Wilson, his fortunes changed under Paul Trollope before an ankle injury stopped him in his tracks. The Dubliner worked his way back to fitness, but couldn’t force his way into the first-team.
Ryan trained with Brentford, but they decided against offering the 30-year-old a short-term contract despite utterances to the contrary.
"'I couldn’t be bothered with this no more’ was my attitude when that deal fell through," though a new beginning was just around the corner.
A friend organised an interview with London Underground which led to an offer that was quickly accepted, and a decade later, Ryan is adamant it was the best decision he ever made.
"I’m a ‘call the cable’ linesman. When an electrician needs to work in a certain section of the underground, I can knock that section off so there’s no electricity. We do cables on the track," though says it took a bit of getting used to working through the nights.
He played part-time football during the beginning of his life in the Underground, but has very little interest in the game these days.
"It’s quite sad. Bristol changed me. I fell out of love with football, even though it had been my life. It doesn’t bother me because I’m happy. Nowadays I can hardly watch 90 minutes and I don’t really watch Ireland."
