Ryan Reunites With Grant

Centre back Ryan Bridgewater has become the latest signing for Grant Joshua's new-look squad.

The 26-year-old defender signs following a lengthy and successful spell with Lye Town, where he worked under manager Grant Joshua and played a key role in the club's promotion from Step 5 before helping establish them in the NPL Midlands.

Bridgewater was a standout performer throughout his time at Lye and picked up both the Managers' Player of the Season and Players' Player of the Season awards during the 2023/24 campaign before suffering a serious ACL injury in April 2024.

Having worked his way back to full fitness, the defender returned to action last season with Gornal Athletic and Dudley Town and now reunites with Joshua once again.

The Rugby Town manager believes the opportunity to sign Bridgewater was one the club simply could not ignore: "It’s not one that, as a serious football club, we could even think about turning down once it became clear Ryan wanted to join us given my relationship with him.

"We have outstanding options all over the pitch. This is a deal we wanted to do last season and we needed it, but timing and circumstance weren’t right."

Joshua was emphatic in his praise of the defender's ability: "I’ll put my neck on the line with some confidence with this signing. It’s no risk, it’s gold.

"Ryan is up there with the top centre-halves at Step 4, never mind Step 5, and if it wasn’t for his injury in my last game at Lye, he’d be at Step 3 looking upwards without any doubt or hesitation in my mind. At 26 he’s not even in his prime years yet."

The Town boss highlighted the all-round qualities Bridgewater brings to the squad.

"Bridgey has every single attribute you would want in a centre-half. He’s outstanding one-v-one, reads the game incredibly well, is a good communicator and comes out with the ball very well, commits players and starts our attacks."

Having enjoyed four successful seasons together previously, Joshua believes the move is a natural fit for both player and club.

"We had our most successful times together over four seasons and he was the heartbeat of my successful Lye side, so it’s only natural that once he’s back fully fit, he’s chosen to come back with the staff that helped him reach the levels he got to before.

"He knows how I work, what I expect from him and how to be in a successful environment.

"He’s got zero ego considering how good he is and he’s a perfect fit for this football club and the next chapters we’re about to enter into."