Stoke City paid £7m for midfield ace in 2019 - he's now with non-league strugglers | OneFootball

Ryan Woods' move to the Potteries was the start of an unfortunate decline for the midfielder

There are now a plethora of once highly-rated and experienced figures from the Championship who are plying their trade in the non-league scene as their career reaches its latter stages.

A prime example is that of Britt Assombalonga, who netted several goals in English football's second tier for the likes of Peterborough United, Nottingham Forest and Middlesbrough, as he now turns out for Harborough Town of the National League North.

However, another figure who was very much viewed as a star performer in the Championship a decade ago is deep-lying midfielder, Ryan Woods.

There was even an expectation that a Premier League move wasn't too far away for the Norton Canes-born player after he eventually made the step-up to Championship level after signing for Brentford from Shrewsbury Town in 2015 for £1m.

The West London club were able to make a significant profit on his services, mind, but unfortunately for Woods, his Griffin Park exit would coincide with the start of a downward career trajectory, albeit he is still very much involved in the game at 32.

Ryan Woods flourished at Brentford despite difficult Griffin Park beginning

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As previously mentioned, Woods was recruited by the Bees by Marinus Dijkhuisen in 2015, but later admitted that his career in West London only really kickstarted following the appointment of Lee Carsley later that particular year.

“I made my debut at Elland Road, and I actually made a mistake and Leeds scored. I called my agent and said I would happily rip my contract up and move back to Shrewsbury because I wanted to play, that was all I wanted to do. It was out of the ordinary for me," he said.

During his first season, Woods posted five goal contributions, before really coming into his own in the 2016/17, controlling multiple games from deep under Dean Smith, winning the Players' Player of the Year award and subsequently earning recognition the following season from supporters.

In total, Woods featured 128 times for Brentford, scoring three times and posting 10 assists before moving to the Potteries in August 2018 on an initial loan basis.

Stoke City were unable to justify £7m Ryan Woods transfer move

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Woods was also the subject of interest from Swansea City, who were unable to match Brentford's hefty valuation, instead joining Stoke who parted with over £30m in the summer transfer window of 2018 in an attempt to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

With the midfielder joining on a loan deal, which was later turned permanent for £7m, then-Potters boss, Gary Rowett, said: "He's the type of player the squad has been crying out for."

Unfortunately, the North Staffordshire side could not justify such sums of money being paid for his services, as Woods only made 39 appearances in all competitions under Rowett, Nathan Jones and Michael O'Neill.

The latter also opted to sanction two separate loan spells to Millwall in the second half of the 2019/20 and the entirety of the 2020/21 campaign, where he became a regular fixture with 64 combined appearances.

Ryan Woods' Championship career was over by 2024

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“I went to Stoke hoping to be able to change their philosophy slightly and it just wasn’t to be," said Woods in 2021, just weeks into his time at Birmingham City, who he joined on a permanent basis under Lee Bowyer after a difficult spell at the Bet365 Stadium.

However, Woods' future moves across the Championship would not work out, unfortunately, and he last played as high as the second tier in 2024.

With Birmingham, he still featured 33 times in the 2021/22 campaign, before later joining Hull City, who conducted a rather intriguing summer window in 2022.

That said, Woods was largely unable to oust the likes of Jean Michael Seri, Ozan Tufan and Regan Slater from the midfield, playing just 27 times for the Tigers, before his contract was mutually terminated in May 2024 after loan spells with Bristol Rovers and Exeter City.

Ryan Woods' current predicament after career downsurge

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To his credit, Woods' later-permanent spell at Exeter was also rather successful, as the Grecians finished 16th in League One during 2024/25, before he was recruited by Oldham Athletic upon the Greater Manchester side's return to the EFL.

He was a key performer for Micky Mellon's side as the Latics mounted a play-off bid in League Two, producing five assists in 43 matches, but found himself in and out of the Scotsman’s starting lineup at the beginning of the current campaign.

As such, despite featuring against Port Vale and Fleetwood Town in August. Woods returned to his West Midlands roots yet again in September, joining Solihull Moors of the National League on loan until December 5th.

He made his debut for Chris Millington's side at Gateshead on September 5th hours after the deal was agreed, with the Moors boss claiming: “Ryan’s experience and quality will be a valuable addition to the group."

Even though Solihull have plenty of midfield options to call upon, Woods has immediately gained a spot in the lineup at Damson Park, and will be hoping the club can build on what has been a disastrous start, as they sit in the fifth tier's relegation zone, having waited until September 15th for their first win against Barrow.