Former Plymouth Argyle full back would jump at chance of joining Southend United

13 July 2011 23:49
Ex-Tiverton Town Right-back Ryan Leonard has made a habit of scoring long range screamers in our first two friendlies, and has certainly caught the eye of Blues boss Paul Sturrock!   Ryan Leonard: Has made an early impression on Luggy!   Let's face it, your introduced to your team mates just before the kick-off of a pre-season friendly at Dartford, and let's face it, for a Plymouth boy he probably hasn't got a frigging clue where the hell that is, blimey if they didn't have a tunnel nor would I.   You get on as a right-back at half time, it's 0-0, the games is dull in the extreme, and then after you've seen your side go two up you decide to let fly from an estimated 30-yards out and see it scream past the opposition keeper and nearly break the back of the net for the third........and then for good measure the very next night, at around the same time, you do it all again, but this time further out and even harder, and the team your trying to prove a point too have finished with five against Great Wakering Rovers!   Not a bad two night's work, especially for a teenager who was taken on by the team manager who introduced him to the Pilgrims as a youth player when Paul Sturrock was in charge there and is now looking for new employment!   In fact, he was one of only three players who stayed on for the whole 90 minutes, not bad indeed.   Sturrock told www.southendunited.co.uk: “I will be having talks with Ryan. He's someone I signed for the youth team at Plymouth and have admired from afar ever since. He didn't get a look in at Plymouth after getting injured but he's done well in the two games he's had for us and has probably scored the best two goals of his life.”   And let's face it having been with Plymouth he's used to clubs with financial problems!   Though after being with on loan to a couple of non-league clubs Ryan will not be busting the budget while giving Sean Clohessy some decent cover.   Obviously the young lad is keen and after chatting to Echoman Chris phillips after the GWR win it would be no surpris if Ryan puts pen to paper sooner rather than later.   Does Scotland await!   Phillips wrote: 'Looking like Ryan Leonard will be signing. He said last night he would jump at the chance of joining Blues. Also said he has a good goalscoring record for a right back.'   And nobody at the two pre-season games would argue with that!   The Leonard Files   Personal information Full name Ryan Ian Leonard[1] Date of birth 24 May 1992 (1992-05-24) (age 19) Place of birth Plymouth, England Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) Playing position Defender / Midfielder Youth career 2001–2010 Plymouth Argyle Senior career* Years Team Apps† (Gls)† 2010–2011 Plymouth Argyle 1 (0) 2010–2011 → Weston-super-Mare (loan) 5 (0) 2011 → Tiverton Town (loan) 18 (1) * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19:12, 25 April 2011 (UTC).† Appearances (Goals). (Player info supplied by Wikipedia, for the full article go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryan_Leonard) Many thanks to www.weston-s-mareafc.co.uk for the use of the photo

Source: FOOTYMAD