Professional Career
His first season as a professional saw him make intermittent appearances without finding the net and in November 2005 he linked up with Ilkeston Town on a month's loan debuting in the 3-1 home victory over Gateshead on 5 November 2005. Recalled to Lincoln in December, he agreed a one-year extension to his Lincoln contract in March 2006.
His second professional season saw Ryan restricted to only seven league appearances, all from the substitutes bench, and despite regular goals for the reserve team he could not find a goal for the first-team. He was, however, given a final opportunity to impress when he agreed a new six-month contract in May 2007.
He continued to struggle to find not only a starting position but also an elusive goal in his third professional season despite scoring 119 goals in 125 appearances for the reserves. On 2 October 2007 he made his first league start for 598 days in the 1-1 away draw with Bury. He kept his starting role for the next three league and cup games culminating in the 4-0 away defeat to MK Dons which saw Lincoln's manager John Schofield sacked and Ryan dropped from the team. He was offered a chance to impress the new manager Peter Jackson when handed a starting role in the game at Wycombe Wanderers on 17 November 2008 but disaster struck when he was sent-off after just 27 minutes for a foul tackle on Will Antwi. Despite this he did agree a six-month contract extension at the beginning of January, 2008 but he would start no further games and, with his substitute appearances becoming even more sporadic, it was no surprise when, in March 2008, he agreed to cancel his contract with Lincoln and join up with Hucknall Town. Perhaps inevitably, he marked his Hucknall debut by scoring in the 2-1 defeat to Hinckley United on 22 March 2008 but after one further start he dropped down to the substitutes bench. He enjoyed a brief sojourn to Bourne Town, scoring in the 2-1 away victory over St Ives Town on 15 April 2008, before returning to Hucknall and his place on the bench. At the end of the season, Hucknall announced that Ryan would not be offered a new contract. Having first expressed an interest in signing Ryan a year previously, it was no surprise when Tommy Taylor signed Ryan for Boston United ahead of the 2008-2009 season. Ryan was offered fresh terms for the 2009-10 season, but rejected a new contract and left the club, joining Harrogate Town. In January 2010 he joined Belper Town on loan. Released by Harrogate at the end of the season, Ryan trialled with both Northwich Victoria and Chester before agreeing a deal to join the former club on 13 August 2010.
On 18 June 2011 he joined Frickley Athletic.
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