Burnley X-Files: Ricketts Roving Again!

31-year old former Burnley loan striker, Michael Ricketts has had his contract at Prenton Park cancelled by mutual agreement. He only signed for Tranmere Rovers last August penning a one-year deal but he has not started a game since Novmeber having only made just eight starts all season.

Manager, Les Parry is quoted as saying in the Indpendent:

'Michael felt he needed regular football so we've given him the chance to join another club'

Ricketts must surely be one of the country's most travelled journeymen of football.

An England international with just one solitary cap, he started his career with Walsall before moving to Bolton in July 2000 for £500,000. In his best spell with any club he scored 37 goals in 98 appearances for the Trotters.

At the height of his career he signed for Middlesbrough in July 2003 for £3 million but the goals dried up and in June 2004, he signed for the then Championship side Leeds United on a free transfer.

He still could not get his goalscoring touch back and found himslef going out on loan to Stoke City and Cardiff.

In January 2006 Steve Cotterill brought him to Turf Moor in a loan deal that would keep him at the club until the end of the season. He showed early promise scoring twice in his first three games but then once again the goals dried up as Burnley struggled to avoid relegation.

After returning to Leeds in the summer, he finally left the club in June 2006, signing a two-year deal with Southend United.

He could not settle though, nor could he score and that remained the same after spells with Preston and then Oldham.

Ricketts finally returned to his first club, Walsall on loan in November 2007 before signing a permanent deal in July 2008 after Oldham cancelled his contract earlier in the year. At least his goal scoring touch returned with 12 goals in 40 matches for Walsall but once again he soon found himself looking for another club after being released at the end of that season.

Tranmere Rovers was his 11th professional club and now he is looking for a 12th!

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