- Position:
- Defender
- Date signed:
- 1st July 2016
A winger-turned-wing-back, Ritchie's passion and consistency has made him a mainstay of the United squad since his arrival from Bournemouth in the summer of 2016.
The Hampshire-born player joined the academy at local side Portsmouth aged 13 and after breaking into the first team set-up, he was loaned to Dagenham and Redbridge, where he made his Football League debut in 2008.
Further loan spells to Notts County and Swindon Town followed and after ten appearances for parent club Pompey, he made a permanent switch to Swindon in January 2011.
Despite picking up the club’s player of the year award, the Robins were relegated to League Two but Ritchie’s outstanding form helped the club to bounce straight back with the title - earning him the League Two player of the year for 2011/12.
After a positive start to the 2012/13 campaign, he was snapped up by AFC Bournemouth in January and he was again named his division’s player of the year - this time in League One.
Achieving incredible back-to-back promotions with the Cherries, he was a Premier League player by 2015/16 and stood out in both matches against the Magpies - scoring at St. James’ Park.
He would prove his worth in a promotion-chasing campaign once again after joining Newcastle, playing a starring role as Rafa Benítez's side won the Championship in 2017.
Ritchie has remained a vital and popular member of the playing staff at St. James', with recent seasons seeing the Scotland international successfully revert to a deeper role on the left flank.
- Full Name:
- Matt Ritchie
- Position:
- Defender
- Squad Number:
- 11
- Nationality:
- Scottish
- Date of birth:
- 10th September 1989
- Place of birth:
- Gosport, England
- Height:
- 172
- Weight:
- 76
- Date signed:
- 1st July 2016
- Debut:
- 5th August 2016 v Fulham (A)
- First Team Appearances:
- 24
- Previous club:
- Portsmouth, Dagenham & Redbridge (loan), Notts County (loan), Swindon Town (loan), Swindon Town, AFC Bournemouth
