CHRIS RIGGOTT

'Christopher Mark "Chris" Riggott' (born September 1 1980 in Derby, England) is an English footballer. He is a defender, who currently plays for English Premiership football team Middlesbrough as a centre back..

Contents

Club career

Honours

Middlesbrough

External links

Club career

Chris Riggott played at Derby County where he came through the youth system, whilst studying at Saint Benedict school in Derby. Whilst at Derby he was coached by current England manager Steve McClaren and Boro coaches Steve Round and Bill Beswick. He made 91 appearances for Derby and scored 5 goals during his spell at the club. At the end of the 2000-01 season he was named Derby's Player of the Year.
After being strongly linked with Liverpool in the 2001-02 season he eventually joined Middlesbrough, with Malcolm Christie for a combined fee of 3 million pounds in January 2003 (though this could rise to 5 million in the future).
Chris immediately became popular among the fans, scoring twice on his second appearance in the Tees-Wear derby against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, which Boro won 3-1. He was part of the 2004 League Cup final squad but did not play in the final. In the 2004-05 season he made 32 appearances, mostly covering for the much injured Ugo Ehiogu, contributing to the team's most successful season since the Premier League was established.
In the 2005/2006 season Riggott became the first choice central defensive partner for Gareth Southgate, in a successful season which saw the club reach the UEFA Cup final he stood out and was generally regarded as being one of the outstanding players for Middlesbrough during the season.
The next season, new manager Gareth Southgate strenghtend his defence by signing England and Germany internationals Johnathan Woodgate and Robert Huth, from Real Madrid and Chelsea respectively. This cast into doubt Riggot's place in the starting line up, and a series of injuries and the form of Middlesbrough's new defensive partnership of Woodgate and player of the year Emanuel Pogatetz limited his appearances that season. At some points he was even relegated to fourth choice centre-back, behind new signing Huth, who himself had injury problems. During the close season he was linked with a move to former club Derby County, who had been promoted to the Premiership the previous season, but the rumours proved unfounded and he is set to remain at Middlesbrough and fight for his place in the team

Honours

Middlesbrough

★ English League Cup

External links

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