Ryan Woods (footballer, born 1993)
Ryan Michael Woods (born 13 December 1993) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for club Birmingham City. Woods began his senior career with Shrewsbury Town and is a product of the Shrewsbury Town and Walsall youth systems. In 2015, after helping Shrewsbury to promotion back to League One, he transferred to Brentford for a fee of £1 million. He became a key member of the Brentford squad helping the team to establish themselves in the Championship. Woods spent four seasons at Griffin Park before joining Stoke City in August 2018 . Woods struggled for game time at Stoke following a change of managers and he spent one-and-a-half seasons on loan at Millwall. He joined Birmingham City in June 2021. Career. Shrewsbury Town. Woods began his youth career with local club Walsall, but was released at age 15 and moved to Shrewsbury Town in 2009. He completed a scholarship and signed his first professional contract in May 2012. Woods received his maiden call into the first team squad for a League One match at home to Carlisle United on 15 December 2012, but remained an unused substitute during the  2–1 win. After six further calls into the squad, Woods made his debut as an 89th-minute substitute for Aaron Wildig in a 1–0 home win over Oldham Athletic on 23 April 2013. Four days later he played his only other game of the season, again replacing Wildig for the last six minutes of a 3–2 win against Portsmouth at the New Meadow. He signed a contract extension on 10 June 2013. Woods made his first senior start for Shrewsbury Town in a 2–2 draw away at Rotherham United on 24 August 2013, playing at right back owing to a  shortage of defenders. He scored his first senior goal – and only Shrewsbury goal – on 11 January 2014, in the seventh minute of a 3–2 defeat to Milton Keynes Dons at the Stadium mk. Having established himself in the first team, with 43 appearances in all competitions in 2013–14, he triggered a clause in his contract to extend his stay at the club for at least another season, despite the Shrews' relegation to League Two. His performances during the campaign earned him the Shrewsbury Town Away Travel Club Young Player of the Year and the Family Stand Player of the Season  awards. Woods had an excellent 2014–15 season, making 51 appearances and helping Shrewsbury secure automatic promotion back to League One with a second-place finish. Woods and teammate Connor Goldson were named in the League Two PFA Team of the Year. Woods was nominated for the League Two Player of the Year at the Football League Awards, but lost out to Danny Mayor of Bury. Woods began the 2015–16 season as an ever-present and following vice-captain Connor Goldson's departure, he captained Shrewsbury for the first time on 22 August 2015. Woods' final Shrewsbury appearance came on 29  August in a 1–0 defeat to Burton Albion and he departed the New Meadow three days later on transfer deadline day. He made 103 appearances and scored once during his three years as a professional with Shrewsbury Town. Brentford. Woods signed a three-year contract with Championship club Brentford on 1 September 2015. The fee, officially undisclosed, was reported locally as £1 million. He made his debut 11 days later, away to Leeds United, as a 74th-minute substitute for Maxime Colin. Two minutes after coming on, he turned over possession to Mirko Antenucci, who then scored the equaliser  in a 1–1 draw. After the appointment of interim manager Lee Carsley later that month, Woods became a regular starter. He scored his first Brentford goal with a long-range strike to open a 2–1 win over Reading at the Madejski Stadium on 28 December, assisting Sergi Canós for the winning goal in the second half. On 23 April 2016, he scored from a similar distance in a 4–1 win at Milton Keynes Dons, a result which confirmed the opponents' relegation. He finished the 2015–16 season with 42 appearances and two goals. After beginning the 2016–17 season as an ever -present in central midfield, Woods signed a new four-year contract on 31 August 2016. He made 45 appearances during the season and won the club's Players' Player of the Year award. Aside from a short period out of the team for personal reasons, Woods continued as an ever-present during the early months of the 2017–18 season and scored his first goal of the campaign in a 3–1 victory over Leeds United on 4 November 2017. He received the first red card of his career as a result of "scuffling over the ball" with Sheffield United goalkeeper Jamal  Blackman during a 1–1 draw on 30 March 2018. Woods finished the 2017–18 season with 40 appearances and one goal and was voted the club's Supporters' Player of the Year. Stoke City. On 25 August 2018, Woods joined Championship club Stoke City from Brentford on 25 August 2018 on loan, with the intention of making the move permanent the following January. He made his debut on 1 September against West Bromwich Albion. Woods began his Stoke career well under Gary Rowett and was made stand-in captain in the absence of Ryan Shawcross. However his form dropped off by  December as Stoke were struggling to put a run of wins together. Woods rarely featured in the second half of the campaign under the management of Nathan Jones as Stoke finished in 16th position. Woods started three matches under Jones at the start of the 2019–20 season before losing his place in the side. Woods returned to the side under new manager Michael O'Neill in November 2019 starting in five consecutive games. However he lost his place in the team again and was linked with a move away from the club in the January transfer window. Millwall (loan). On 17  January 2020 Woods signed on loan with Championshp rivals Millwall managed by Gary Rowett, for the remainder of the 2019–20 season. Woods played 18 times for the Lions as they finished in eighth position, narrowly missing out on a play-off place. He re-signed with Millwall, again on loan, for the 2020–21 season. Woods was a regular in the side under Rowett, making 46 appearances as Millwall finished in 11th position. Birmingham City. Woods joined another Championship club, Birmingham City, on 23 June 2021 on a three-year contract. He made his debut in the starting eleven for the  opening fixture, away to Sheffield United, made the pass from which Jérémie Bela crossed for Maxime Colin to head the only goal of the game, and was booked for what the "Birmingham Mail" described as a rugby tackle. Style of play. Although Woods' favoured position is as a central midfielder (being dubbed "the ginger Pirlo" by the Shrewsbury Town supporters), he can also play in a variety of positions in defence and midfield. During the 2013–14 season he demonstrated his versatility by also playing right back, on the right side of midfield and at left back. In January 2015, "FourFourTwo  named Woods as one of the 10 best young players in the Football League. The magazine reported that he demonstrates an ability to play a range [of] passes, as well as easily creating space for himself" and quoted Shrewsbury Town manager Micky Mellon as saying "he's the first player on the training pitch and the last off. He's a terrific kid and has some unbelievable ability". Personal life. Woods was born in Norton Canes, Staffordshire, and raised in Pelsall. He supported Walsall as a youngster. Honours. Shrewsbury Town Individual