Jimmy Ryan came through the prestigious Academy at European giants Liverpool, but failed to make the grade at Anfield and left in search of regular first-team football. He didn’t have to travel far, as he pitched up at local lower league side Accrington Stanley, via a year-long spell at Shrewsbury Town.
The midfielder had failed to make a senior appearance on Merseyside, and only managed a handful of appearances with the Shrews too, but he quickly established himself at the Crown Ground. He was part of the engine room last season, chipping in with 10 goals along the way and signed a new contract this summer.
The Liverpool-born playmaker spoke to Ransacker’s Chris Galea about which football boots helped him to adjust to life in League Two.
Q. What football boots do you wear?
A. I wear adidas Predator PS XTRX football boots.
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Q. Have you always worn adidas adidas Predator PS XTRX football boots?
A. Yeah, pretty much. They just suited me when I picked them as a kid and I’ve never considered changing really. It’s a boot that has been around for a long time and there’s a good reason for that – the quality.
Q. There is a lot of technical jargon written about football boots these days, but do you really look in to that when selecting which football boots to wear?
A. No, not really. Most players will tell you that it is all about comfort because remember they are our tools of the trade. We have to wear them pretty much every day of the year, with training and games etc, so it is an important choice to make because you want to feel at home in them.
At the end of the day different football boots suit different players in different positions, so it’s always important to get the choice right. When I was a lad I’d go into the sports stores in town and try out each of the boots for feel and comfort, then come on, get on the internet and get a better price. That’s the way forward, definitely.
Q. How many pairs of football boots do you tend to go through during the course of a season?
A. I would say about 10 pairs of adidas Predator PS XTRX football boots, which is probably about average for a professional. Keepers may use less because they don’t run around as much or come into contact with opposing players as frequently, but the boots can rip now and then. When that happens then there is nothing you can do about it, apart from get a new pair obviously!
Q. You came through the ranks at Liverpool, were you a boot boy there?
A. No, by the time I progressed through the academy there they already had staff cleaning the players’ boots, so thankfully I missed out on those chores. They weren’t really jobs that you would look forward to doing, even if the football boots did belong to someone like Steven Gerrard!
How Jimmy rates his adidas Predator PS XTRX
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About the author
It's a hard life but someone has to do it. I spend my whole life reporting on football. When I get the chance I ask the professional footballers about their boots for Boot Room Banter.
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