Stoke City’s lack of success in the Championship has been highlighted by disappointing signings like Ryan Woods.
Woods went from being compared to ‘ginger Pirlo’ to struggling in lower leagues due to Stoke’s poor recruitment decisions.
Stoke City is still in the Championship since they aren’t able to get back into the Premier League.
Since their 2018 relegation from the top level, the club’s best result in the second tier is 14th on two occasions.
They are regarded as one of the most ambitious and thus highest spending clubs in the division, yet they have failed to finish in the hunt for the postseason on numerous occasions.
Since their relegation, Stoke has added a number of players who came with high transfer fees and high expectations; however, many of them have fallen short of the expectations.
One of the best examples of this is when they signed Ryan Woods in 2018.
Woods starred as ‘ginger Pirlo’ early in his career
Woods, a defensive midfielder, began his senior career at Shrewsbury Town in 2012. He made his debut in 2012 and made 41 appearances in the 13/14 season, helping the club relegate from League One. The drop down to League Two allowed Woods to excel, leading to promotion to the third tier. He was dubbed the ‘ginger Pirlo’ by Salop fans due to his excellent passing range.
Woods’ performances at Shrewsbury Town caught the attention of higher-tier teams, leading to his signing with Brentford in the Championship in 2015. He made over 100 appearances for the club, winning the Players’ Player of the Year and Supporters’ Player of the Year awards. Woods moved to Stoke, signing on an initial loan deal in 2018 and permanently in 2019 for £7 million.
Woods, a key player for the Potters, struggled to showcase his qualities at Shrewsbury and Brentford. After being made temporary captain, his form dropped significantly in the first half of the season, leading to his drop in the second half.
His Stoke career looked over within a year and a half in Staffordshire. Woods was loaned out for the rest of the season and the next season to Millwall before permanently leaving for Birmingham City in summer 2021.
His career has progressively deteriorated, with Woods struggling in his first season with Birmingham City and spending the first half of this season in League One with Bristol Rovers. He is now on loan with Exeter City, fighting the drop in the third tier.
| Ryan Woods’ career stats (all comps, as of 09/03/24, as per FotMob) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Years at club | Clubs | Appearances | Goals |
| 2024 (loan) | Exeter City | 5 | 0 |
| 2023 – 2024 (loan) | Bristol Rovers | 16 | 0 |
| 2022 – present | Hull City | 27 | 0 |
| 2021 – 2022 | Birmingham City | 33 | 0 |
| 2020 – 2021 (loan) | Millwall | 64 | 0 |
| 2018 – 2020 | Stoke City | 39 | 0 |
| 2015 – 2018 | Brentford | 128 | 3 |
| 2012 – 2015 | Shrewsbury | 103 | 1 |
When looking at it, the move to Stoke seemingly ruined his career. After such a great start where was compared to one of the greatest passers the game has seen, he is now struggling at the bottom of League One.
Woods is a prime example of Stoke’s poor recruitment, having signed for £7 million and then left for nothing just two years later.
