John Ruddy

David Moyes predicted former Cambridge United goalkeeper John Ruddy would continue his rapid development and one day rise to the top of the national game.  The shot-stopper joined Everton as an 18-year-old at the end of the 2004-05 season having signed a four-year contract.  David Moyes had huge hopes for the youngster after buying him for an undisclosed fee (apparently £250k), and the promise of a friendly between the sides, at the beginning of March 2005.  However, he was allowed to remain at United until the end of the 2004-05 campaign.

Moyes talked about the player, who had also attracted the attention of Arsenal and Manchester United — despite only making his League debut at the age of 17 in the final game of last season: "We think he has got terrific potential," said Moyes. "We have seen things in him that we think in years to come could make him one of the top goalkeepers.

"He has got a lot of work to do, we feel, but he will work with Chris Woods (the former England No 1 and Everton goalkeeping coach), who is excellent with the goalkeepers and works them really hard. He will see Nigel Martyn and Richard Wright and have the chance to work around them and with them. That can only benefit him as well.  I think, already, he has seen the level of work he will have to step up to will be a massive difference to what he has been doing at present. We hope he will continue to progress.  He's played quite a few games for a young lad and we are hopeful we will have a future Everton and a future England goalkeeper."

Ruddy completed his move to Everton in May 2005, signing a four-year contract with the Blues, and went on to play Reserves football, interspersed with various loan spells leading up to his most unexpected senior debut as a substitute at Goodison Park against Blackburn.  It was only Iain Turner's second game in goal, and his league debut, when he was cruelly exposed in a misunderstanding with Alan Stubbs that led to him handling the ball outside the area, and a red card after just 8 minutes.

Up stepped John Ruddy for his League debut (the second for an Everton goalkeeper in the same game!) and the lad did very well to keep a clean sheet, helping massively to secure a vital Everton win with 10 men.  But it wasn't good enough for David Moyes to trust the lad all by himself at the next game while Turner was suspended, so in came Sander Westerveld on temporary loan from Portsmouth. 

In September 2006, he went off for a month's loan with Stockport County, and in April 2007 he went off as an emergency stand-in at Bristol City.  With the acquisition of Stefan Wessels and competition from Turner, Ruddy stood fourth in line to the first-team goalkeeper's jersey occupied by Tim Howard during the 2007-08 season, and in February he went off on loan again for a second spell at  Stockport County, where he really impressed with loads of clean sheets and a Player of the Month award.

At the start of the 2009-10 season, Ruddy was farmed out yet again for another loam spell, this time at Motherwell... probably making him the most loaned player in Everton's history! The St Ives-born stopper featured 37 times at Fir Park in his most successful of an amazing eight loan spells in all.

Clearly Cinderalla who was never going to get another chance at the Everton ball, John Ruddy finally left Everton in July 2010, signing a 3-year deal with Norwich City of the Championship, Everton reciving an undisclosed fee, presumed to be around £100k.

By Michael Kenrick
Last updated July 2010