Ricardo Santos (footballer, born 1995) explained

Ricardo Santos
Full Name:Ricardo Alexandre Almeida Santos[1]
Birth Date:18 June 1995[2]
Birth Place:Almada, Portugal
Height:1.96 m[3]
Position:Centre-back
Currentclub:Bolton Wanderers
Clubnumber:5
Youthyears1:–2012
Youthclubs1:Dagenham & Redbridge
Years1:2012–2013
Clubs1:Dagenham & Redbridge
Caps1:0
Goals1:0
Years2:2013
Clubs2:Billericay Town (loan)
Caps2:4
Goals2:0
Years3:2013
Clubs3:Dover Athletic
Caps3:0
Goals3:0
Years4:2013–2014
Clubs4:Thurrock
Caps4:19
Goals4:1
Years5:2014–2016
Clubs5:Peterborough United
Caps5:63
Goals5:1
Years6:2017–2020
Clubs6:Barnet
Caps6:84
Goals6:6
Years7:2020–
Clubs7:Bolton Wanderers
Caps7:147
Goals7:3
Club-Update:16:30, 27 April 2024 (UTC)

Ricardo Alexandre Almeida Santos (born 18 June 1995) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for club Bolton Wanderers.

Career

Santos was a youth team player at Dagenham & Redbridge, making one appearance in the matchday squad,[4] before he was released and signed by Thurrock manager Mark Stimson, following a spell at Dover Athletic where he made no appearances.[4] He impressed for the Isthmian League club, making 24 appearances,[5] and was signed by Peterborough United manager Darren Ferguson on a three-and-a-half-year contract in February 2014.[6] Peterborough paid £8000 for him.[7] He made his League One debut on 3 May in a 0–0 draw with Port Vale at London Road.[8] Santos scored his first goal for the club when he scored a late winner against Doncaster Rovers on 19 March 2016.[9]

On 1 January 2017, Santos joined Barnet for a fee of £100,000.[10] He made his debut on the following day in a 1–0 win over Plymouth Argyle. He left the club at the end of the 2019–20 season having spent two and a half seasons with the Bees, making 94 appearances, scoring six goals.[11]

Bolton Wanderers

Santos signed for Bolton Wanderers on a two-year deal on 3 August 2020.[12] His debut came on 5 September in Bolton's first match of the season, a 2–1 home defeat against Bradford in the first round of the EFL Cup.[13] On 1 March 2021, Santos signed a new contract with Bolton until 2023.[14] He was named as EFL League Two Player of the Month for February 2021.[15] On 21 May 2021, following the team's direct promotion to the EFL League One, he was announced to have been voted as Bolton Wanderers' Player of the Year for the 2020–21 season.[16] Plus, he was named in the league's Team of the Year, together with his team-mate Eoin Doyle.[17]

On 22 October 2021, following the sudden departure of Antoni Sarcevic to Stockport County, Santos was appointed by manager Ian Evatt as Bolton's new captain.[18] He was named in the Team of the Year for the second consecutive year, this time in League One, for the 2021–22 season.[19] On 26 May 2022, Santos signed a new three-year deal with Bolton Wanderers which would keep him at the club until 2025.[20]

On 11 February 2023, Santos scored his first goals for Bolton with a brace in a 5–0 win at his former team Peterborough United, Bolton's 5000th league game.[21] On 2 April, he started in the 2023 EFL Trophy final which Bolton won 4–0 against Plymouth Argyle.[22] He was named in both the EFL[23] and PFA[24] Teams of the Season for the 2022–23 season, the third season in a row he had been named in Teams of the Year.

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueFA CupLeague CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Dagenham & Redbridge2012–13League Two0000000000
Billericay Town (loan)2012–13[25] Conference South4040
Thurrock2013–14[26] IL Division One North191202[27] 0231
Peterborough United2013–14League One100010
2014–15League One240101000260
2015–16League One37140101[28] 0431
2016–17League One1010102050
Total631603030751
Barnet2016–17League Two152000000152
2017–18League Two423102020473
2018–19National League50000050
2019–20National League221203[29] 0271
Total846302050946
Bolton Wanderers2020–21League Two460101000480
2021–22League One370201030430
2022–23League One303101070393
2023–24League One340411061452
Total147381401611755
Career total317111919026137113

Honours

Bolton Wanderers

2022–23[22]

Individual

February 2021[15]

2020–21 League Two,[31] 2021–22 League One,[19] 2022–23 League One[24]

2020–21[16]

2022–23[23]

2023–24 League One[32]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Professional retain lists & free transfers 2012/13 . 55 . The Football League . May 2013 . 10 May 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140802074454/http://www.football-league.co.uk/staticFiles/4e/bd/0,,10794~179534,00.pdf . 2 August 2014 .
  2. Web site: Ricardo Santos . 11v11 . 7 July 2016.
  3. Web site: Ricardo Santos . Bolton Wanderers F.C. . 5 October 2022.
  4. News: Munford. Colin. Former Daggers defender joins Peterborough United. 3 May 2014. Barking and Dagenham Post. 5 February 2014.
  5. Web site: Club not live. pitchero.com. 28 February 2021.
  6. News: Peterborough sign Portuguese defender Ricardo Santos. 3 May 2014. BBC Sport . 5 February 2014.
  7. https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/19205588.peterborough-united-owner-darragh-macanthony-wants-boltons-ricardo-santos-say-sorry/ The Bolton News: Why Peterborough United owner Darragh MacAnthony wants Bolton's Ricardo Santos to say 'sorry': "We got Rico from Thurrock and paid eight grand for him"
  8. News: Peterborough 0-0 Port Vale. 3 May 2014. BBC Sport . 3 May 2014.
  9. News: Doncaster 1–2 Peterborough. BBC Sport . 19 March 2016. 17 September 2016.
  10. Web site: Barnet complete Santos signing. barnetfc.com. 28 February 2021.
  11. Web site: Club update. barnetfc.com. 28 February 2021.
  12. Web site: Evatt Recruits Portuguese Defender. bwfc.co.uk. 28 February 2021.
  13. Web site: Report: Bolton Wanderers 1–2 Bradford City. bwfc.co.uk. 28 February 2021.
  14. https://www.bwfc.co.uk/news/2021/march/almeida-santos-signs-new-deal/ BWFC.co.uk: "Almeida Santos signs new deal"
  15. Web site: Manager and Defender win Sky Bet monthly awards . 24 April 2023 . bwfc.co.uk.
  16. https://www.bwfc.co.uk/news/2021/may/ricardo-almeida-santos-named-as-bolton-wanderers-202021-player-of-the-year/ Bolton Wanderers: "Ricardo Almeida Santos Named As Bolton Wanderers' 2020/21 Player Of The Year"
  17. Web site: Wanderers duo named in PFA League Two Team of the Year. 3 June 2021. bwfc.co.uk. en-gb.
  18. Web site: Santos Gets Captain's Job. bwfc.co.uk. 22 October 2021.
  19. https://www.thepfa.com/news/2022/6/9/pfa-awards-22-league-one-toty The PFA: "PFA League One Team of the Year"
  20. Web site: Done Deal As Captain Commits. bwfc.co.uk. 26 May 2022.
  21. https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/23315443.bolton-wanderers-boss-ian-evatts-joy-ricardo-santos-first-goals/ The Bolton News: "Bolton Wanderers boss Ian Evatt's joy at Ricardo Santos first goals"
  22. News: Bolton Wanderers 4–0 Plymouth Argyle . Brent . Pilnick . BBC Sport . 2 April 2023 . 2 April 2023.
  23. Web site: 23 April 2023 . EFL Team of the Season line-ups revealed . 24 April 2023 . English Football League.
  24. News: Erling Haaland: Manchester City forward wins PFA men's Player of the Year award . BBC Sport . 29 August 2023 . 29 August 2023.
  25. Web site: Games played by Ricardo Santos in 2012/2013 for Billericay Town . Soccerway . 10 May 2014.
  26. Web site: Games played by Ricardo Santos in 2013/2014 for Thurrock . Thurrock F.C. . 7 May 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140508061359/http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/thurrock/s/the-team-113793.html?player_id=1003261 . 8 May 2014 . dmy-all.
  27. Appearances in FA Trophy
  28. Appearance in Football League Trophy
  29. One appearance in FA Trophy, two appearances in National League playoffs
  30. https://www.soccerbase.com/tournaments/tournament.sd?comp_id=4 Soccerbase: League Two 2020/21 Table
  31. https://www.thepfa.com/news/2021/6/3/pfa-league-two-team-of-the-year The PFA: "PFA League Two Team of the Year"
  32. News: PFA League One Team of the Year . PFA . 20 August 2024 . 21 August 2024.