Matthew Ridenton (Lions FC | Australia)

http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/wellingtonphoenix/news-display/ridenton-living-the-dream/77305

“He is a terrific signing for the future but I wouldn’t be surprised if he landed a place in the starting line up before the season ends.”

All bodes well for Vinny.

Can anyone confirm that this is the youngest squad we've ever had? We have a few over 30 for sure but a lot of under 23's.

With Fenton, Rufer, Ridenton, Boyd, Caira ..and maybe Adams and Shermy, we have a great amount of potential for the next two-three-four seasons.

I'm pretty sure it would be by some margin. Whether the starting line up is is a bit trickier.

Sounds like a good signing. Look forward to seeing him play tomorrow.

With Rufer & Ridenton, Ernie has a couple of the best young talents in NZ now. Time to see if he can help them fulfill their potential.

Exciting prospect.

Loving the signing up of young NZ talent.

So much potential coming through.

3 year contracts for Rufer and Ridenton clearly aimed at selling them later.

Year 1 = bench

Year 2 = start

Year 3 = sold

Good strategy.

The U17s coach said on the pod this week that there are about five really good players in the squad this time round. I wonder who the other three are?

Although Im being incredibly sarcastic I do think Ridenton, Rufer will end up doing well. More so than likes of Fenton/Boyd

better strategy for Nix than Rojas and Barbarousos..I do "worry" for young talent in NZ tho that signs for long periods and then isnt used but I dont think that will eventuate here.  More transition year in evidence...roll on 14/15

We really are modelling ourselves directly on Mariners aren't we - all the way down to trying to have an Academy team playing in Central League.

Not that there's anything wrong with that. If I was going to be a fan of any other A League club it would be Central Coast.

Re potential unfulfilled, I wonder if he's ever seen or heard of Steven Carmichael? Scored a hat-trick for NZ Under -17's last time round v Uzbekistan, now almost off the radar at ACFC.

We just need to figure out what to do about our far too big stadium.

We really do need a 20,000 rectangular stadium in future

I'm old enough to remember Busby's Babes, what a team. This kind of investment in yoof can pay amazing dividends. Welcome Matthew!

I think the next bigger step for Phoenix is to become a club where the players want to play. Like Rojas wanted the move to Melbourne to develop further. You have a few of the best very young local  talent. More mature younger players who will be potential stars, like Rojas before he left the Nix, or Fenton, etc. All combined with a solid bunch f 'older' players, good coaching, nice atmosphere inside squad and a good brand of football. 

Assuming:

- all ages are recorded as of 1 August of the year the season starts

- all contracted players (according to wiki) are included (includes injury cover, loans, international duty cover etc)

07/08 - 26 Years, 1 Month, 28 Days

08/09 - 26 Years, 9 Months, 25 Days

09/10 - 26 Years, 10 Months, 29 Days

10/11 - 26 Years, 11 Months, 7 Days

11/12 - 27 Years, 11 Months, 29 Days

12/13 - 26 Years, 4 Months, 0 Days

13/14 - 26 Years, 0 Months, 6 Days

So yes this is the youngest squad we have ever had.

Not by as much as I thought it would be. Fair bit of work there.

what position is he? 

Wiki missed out Gould, Webster, Clapham, Rowe and Imray. So will add those later

After adding in the missing squad members, believe it or not last season was actually the youngest average age with 25 Years, 11 Months, 1 Day.

Worthy of its own thread so will have a look at appearances and other things and create one

We've made an important signing for the 2018/19 Hyundai A-League season, with Matt Ridenton joining the Jets on a two-year deal.

More info ➡️ https://t.co/JFDOPoZNBb pic.twitter.com/G3AqjQVK8X

— NEWCASTLE JETS FC ✈️ (@NewcastleJetsFC) May 9, 2018

<waits for the thread to be moved>

This happens with club that has no coach and two horrible seasons. He is a good young player and will be only better and stronger in the future. To bad we lost him. I wish him all the best.

This friggen sucks. NO one can say he didn't make an effort. At least he tried and never gave up. Rather have him than the likes of Rufer.

Sucks but also may be awesome. As per other thread it shows the Nix can be a pathway 

He's also not the finished article. No reason we can't re sign him in the future. And if wed had a great season he couldn't have started every game.

He's benefited from it too

Good to see another kiwi being signed as an import.

Very happy for him and moderately gutted not to have him around the Nix next season. He's no Iniesta, but at his age, with the experience he's getting, he could easily have been a big contributor to the Nix next year.

I'm afraid if we don't hurry the F up to sign a coach, we'll see the NZ U23 side with Krishna and a couple of Aussies and foreign journeymen play for tne Nix next season.

Not really the pathway we are aiming for though is it?

Ozzy press hurting can't Put Phoenix in a headline

Another thing the Phoenix give to the A-League PLAYERS

Sound's like Matty is gonna play further forward for the Jets than we had him playing.