Newcastle sign John Ruddy following Birmingham exit
Newcastle United has added John Ruddy to their team after his contract with Birmingham City ended. They got him for free.
Ruddy, aged 37, was the main goalkeeper for Birmingham in the 2023-24 Championship season, playing in 44 out of their 46 games as they dropped down to League One.
The ex-England soccer player moved to Birmingham from Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2022 and is departing Birmingham after playing in 89 matches during his two-year stay in the West Midlands.
Ruddy was with Wolves for five years, mostly serving as their second-choice goalkeeper after they moved up to the Premier League in 2018. Prior to that, he spent seven seasons as the starting goalkeeper for Norwich City.
Ruddy is now the fourth player to join Newcastle this summer, joining the team alongside Lloyd Kelly, Odysseas Vlachodimos, and Lewis Hall.
Newcastle Signs Ruddy: Hear The Scoop
This may not be the most exciting signing for fans in Tyneside, but the significance of bringing in a third-string goalkeeper is often underestimated.
Nick Pope is the confirmed starting goalkeeper, with Vlachodimos coming in as the substitute. Martin Dubravka is likely to leave and Loris Karius has already left without a fee, so Mark Gillespie would have been the third choice without a new signing. Gillespie has never played in a competitive match under Howe.
The third-choice goalkeeper typically doesn't get much playing time and is usually not even included in the matchday squads. However, they have the potential to influence the team atmosphere behind the scenes. They set a high standard and provide valuable experience, so they must stay positive and motivated despite their limited playing opportunities.
It appears that Newcastle have decided that Ruddy meets their requirements.
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Chris Waugh writes for The Athletic about football in the North East, especially focusing on Newcastle United. He previously worked for MailOnline and reported on NUFC for The Chronicle, The Journal, and The Sunday Sun. He has been covering NUFC games both at home and away since 2015. You can follow Chris on Twitter @ChrisDHWaugh.
