Tim Ryan had two spells with Rovers as a player, although the second one was more memorable than the first. During the 1996-97 season, having signed from Buxton, he made 31 appearances, mostly at left-back. He left Rovers and joined Football Conference team Southport after falling out with the self-styled “Football Consultant” Ken Richardson.
While at Southport he earned honours for the England Semi-Professional side, playing mostly as a left-sided centre-back, and in July 2000 he returned to Rovers, by then free of the plague represented by Richardson.
Under manager Dave Penney, Tim became a key member of a Rovers defence that was the foundation of promotion back into the Football League and then the Third Division championship in 2003-04. In the Conference Play-Offs he scored a penalty in the shoot-out win over Chester City and then moved to left-back for the Final to allow Steve Foster and Dave Morley to play in the centre.
He remained there for most of the following season, as part of a defence that conceded only 37 goals. Having failed to score for Rovers until September 2003, he revealed a penchant for long-distance shooting which brought him four goals in 2004-05, most of them spectacular efforts.
In January 2006 he moved on to Peterborough United, having missed much of the season due to injury but subsequently he returned to work in a coaching role for Club Doncaster Foundation. He is now Youth Team manager with York City. He remains a popular figure around the club, remembered for his tenacious defending and powerful shooting.
Rovers Debut: 24th August 1996, Division Three, vs. Hereford United (away) Lost 0-1.
Final game: 2nd September 2005, League One vs. Blackpool (home) Lost 0-1.
Rovers Career: Football League: 116 appearances, 6 goals. All senior games: 232 appearances, 6 goals
Honours with Rovers: Sheffield and Hallamshire Senior Challenge Cup winner 2000-01, 2001-02. Seven England “C” Team (Semi-professional) international caps. Promoted to the Football League via play-offs 2002-03. Division Three Championship 2003-04.