Player Profile: Neil Ruddock

Where’s the referee in this picture? Where’s the ball? Is a headlock a legitimate tackle?

Typical of Neil Ruddock’s style, he would do anything to get the job done. Rugged, uncompromising and tough are all words to describe ‘Razor’s’ approach to football.

His attitude on the pitch made him a cult-figure with many fans and left a lasting impression on former Liverpool team mate Ian Rush, who said in 1994, “I always make sure he’s on my side in training. There’s not an ounce of compromise in him.”

Useful going forward and a dependable stopper, Ruddock played for Millwall, Tottenham, Southampton, Liverpool, West Ham, Crystal Palace and Swindon, but made just one appearance for England in a friendly against Nigeria 1994.

His spell at Anfield was arguably his most successful and during this time he clashed with many players, the most memorable being Cantona, after he repeatedly turned down The Frenchman’s collar, prompting him to threaten “me and you [Ruddock] will fight in le tunnel.”

After leaving Liverpool in 1998, Razor struggled with his fitness and appetite, which has unfortunately for him been exaggerated in his Wikipedia profile picture, shown below. His weight ultimately limited his first team opportunities and caused friction between himself and the management.

His fortunes as a footballer faded in the latter stages of his career. He signing for Crystal Palace in 2000, but he failed to make an impression on Chairman Simon Jordan, who accused him in an article in The Observer in 2005, of “taking the team out and getting them wasted when we were fighting relegation.”

Controversy would follow him to Swindon in 2001, where he was appointed as player/coach, under the guidance of Director of Football, Roy Evans. The club experienced serious financial difficulties at the time and he was reportedly advised to step down as a money saving measure. When he refused, Swindon sent him a clear message; they stopped paying his wages, appointed Steve Coppell as assistant manager and restricted his coaching duties.

Eventually forced out of The County Ground, Ruddock took The Robins to a tribunal over his unpaid wages and was awarded damages. This though was to end his involvement with professional football.

Never one to shy away though from the limelight, Razor returned in 2004 as a star of reality TV in I’m A Celbrity… Get Me Out Of Here! After finishing third in the competition, utilising his dressing-room banter, further TV coverage made him a minor celebrity.

In 2005 he hosted reality show Football Saved My Life on Bravo and took part in Celebrity Wife Swap with his partner and ex-Page 3 and Playboy model Leah Newman and pop oddity Pete Burns and his partner.

Having made a welcome return to football, he is currently imparting his no-nonsense wisdom on players who have been released by academies at his Pass & Move Soccer School.

Posted By Dan Mobbs - Tuesday June 16, 2009.
Tags: Neil Ruddock, Liverpool