Memories of Matt Ritchie | OneFootball

Last weekend, in the midst of the Sela weekender buzz, I took the return of football seriously and caught up on the highlights of the first weekend of the Championship.

It’s always a bit of fun watching the second tier and part of the fun for me is the random player recognition, with every game having moments like “is he still playing???” or “when did such and such sign for Sheffield Wednesday?”

I had a major example of this in the main game on the highlights, not because of the surprise factor, but the unfamiliarity of it, as the Leeds v Portsmouth match saw Matt Ritchie wearing a shirt other than a Newcastle one for the first time in over 8 years.

Ritchie only appeared off the Pompey bench for the final seven minutes of the match, but the fact that there were two goals in that time (and a blown opportunity for a Leeds winner) meant he featured a fair amount in the highlights, dashing around in his number 30 shirt shouting and snarling at people in that familiar manner.

It made me think of how Matt Ritchie will be remembered at Newcastle, as I’m sure everyone will agree it was time for him to move on, if not now, possibly even a year or two ago.

In those past two years, Ritchie made 26 appearances for Newcastle, although that figure is possibly misleading. The only three starts there were in early stage domestic cup games, with the majority of the 23 sub appearances coming in ‘garbage time’, a mixture of Eddie Howe running the clock down on a good result or throwing Ritchie on as a Hail Mary during the injury-ravaged low points of last season. This paid off once, with a face saving 93rd minute equaliser rescuing a point against Bournemouth. The fact that he totalled 155 minutes in the Premier League in those final two seasons may have been the main factor in making people think that Ritchie was wasting a place in the squad (and the wage bill).

While there is a degree of truth there, it would be a shame if this was Matt Ritchie’s legacy at Newcastle. United have been on a transformative journey in the past few years and those that served with distinction in darker times have swiftly become dispensable as the upward trajectory gathers pace. Without the contribution of certain strong characters though, the club may not have been in a position to attract a takeover and begin the rise to (whatever might be coming our way). Ritchie is an absolute prime example of this.

Signed by Rafa Benitez as part of his 2016 overhaul to build a promotion challenging side, the (then) Scotland regular was one of the standout performers in the title-winning campaign. With 16 goals and 10 assists in an excellent debut season vital to the immediate return to the Premier League, including winners against Derby and Wigan. His most decisive action for me though, was the only goal in a bizarre home win against Burton, after the referee had incorrectly applied the rules in chalking off a Newcastle penalty, a decision that could have proved catastrophic given the title was secured by a single point on the final day.

Returning to the top flight saw an understandably less prolific return, but Ritchie’s three goals and six assists were equally as important as his Championship endeavours in keeping the club afloat. Two of those goals provided the season’s most memorable moments, winners against Arsenal and Man U, on a day that proved pivotal in United’s recovery from a mid-season slump that had caused another dalliance with the relegation zone.

The big game winning trick was repeated again in 2018/19 as United’s woeful losing run against Man City was ended by Ritchie’s winning penalty, but an injury time equaliser in a 2-2 draw against Bournemouth was to prove to be his last strike in front of Newcastle fans other than, err that injury time equaliser in a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth last year.

This sounds like a miserable fall away in standards but those with keener memories will recall that at some point Steve Bruce converted Matt Ritchie to an emergency left back, a position that stuck for way too horribly long despite a couple of behind closed doors efforts against Spurs and Sheffield United. By the time those doors reopened we only had to endure eight more rounds of Premier League Bruceball before the takeover emerged, swiftly followed by Eddie Howe.

The additions of Kieran Trippier, Matt Targett and Dan Burn in January, meant there were suddenly several good options at full back and, with his former positions further up the field filled, Ritchie only made a couple of fleeting appearances after that, with the 4-0 loss at home to Man City just before Christmas 2021 proving his final ever PL start.

The fact that the descent to squad filler seemed to have begun this far back adds weight to the argument of Ritchie outstaying his welcome, but the progress made in that time suggests people knew what they were doing for the most part. Sean Longstaff singled out Ritchie as the person who had approached him to turn things around when his exclusion under Bruce had seen his head drop so far he was considering signing for Everton (talk to your mates, they might be smiling, but under the surface they may be considering joining Everton). Overall, his place in the squad seemed to be valued by his peers, even as that appreciation waned with fans.

Overall, I choose to remember Matt Ritchie as one of the characters who lit up some dark hours, hauling the club out of the second tier in style, then offering enough as a Premier League player to play a huge part in keeping the club there long enough for a rescue to be finally completed. I’m pleased he had that one last moment against Bournemouth, but his time was indeed long overdue.

There are others who fit this bill, where I think we should appreciate their contribution in difficult times enough to remember it over any waning of powers in their latter days. There may even be another imminent departure (or two) who fits this bill, but that’s a thought for another day.

For now, best of luck on the south coast to the angry wee radgie, thanks for being there when you were exactly what we needed.