Inverness Caley Thistle record holder Mark Ridgers returns to club as goalkeeping coach for women’s first team and academy
Mark Ridgers is back in the fold at Inverness Caledonian Thistle – helping to coach the women’s first team and academy goalkeepers.
The Caley Jags record holder for keeping the most clean sheets for the club launched his own goalkeeping academy in the wake of his departure from the Caledonian Stadium last summer.
He would also exit full-time football, taking a day job in Ross County’s commercial department while continuing to play in the Highland League for defending champions Buckie Thistle.
After discussions with ICT Women’s manager Karen Mason, though, he is back involved with Caley Thistle as goalkeeper coach for the women’s side of the club, attending his first sessions this week.
“Throughout my time at Caley, I was helping out the boys in the academy when Ryan Esson was leading it, and there aren’t many goalkeeping coaches around,” Ridgers explained.
“We’ve got Michael Fraser, who has been really successful, but he was the only one doing it and demand is high.
“It also shouldn’t really be limited to academy kids who are at Caley or Ross County – everyone should get the opportunity to try and be a goalkeeper.
“I had previously been using a public park last summer, using pop-up goals, and then I used the Astroturf at Millburn Academy but the let for that ran out in January, so I was struggling to find somewhere.
“Karen approached me about working with them, and I could coach the academy kids and their first team goalkeepers while also working a little bit with my own goalkeepers on the Astroturf at Inverness Royal Academy.
“It worked out for both of us – I was more than happy to help her out, and she’s kind of helping me out too by giving me somewhere to train with my own group.
“It benefits both of us. It gives them the opportunity to get specialised training while being in the academy and first team at Inverness, and for me I’m getting back involved in the football club in some way which is nice as well.”
Through his own coaching, Ridgers has already worked with close to 40 children on their goalkeeping skills, including some who are in the Caley Thistle girls’ academy.
He has become increasingly interested in women’s football over recent years, with first team star Natalie Bodiam working in the men’s physiotherapy department at Caley Thistle.
Ridgers also saw first hand the level of interest when Ross County’s women played at the Global Energy Stadium for the first time earlier this season.
The 34-year-old, then, hopes to help make the ICT Women’s set-up even more professional by approaching sessions like he would have had in his playing days.
Even though his time as a player with Inverness came to a somewhat unceremonious end, he held no ill will towards the club when approached by Mason about the potential comeback.
“I’ve always said that the football club will be close to my heart,” Ridgers stressed.
“I will always have a lot of respect for the club. The issues I had didn’t come from the club, it was just certain individuals.
“I’ve never held a grudge against the club – I still speak to players who are there, and I’ve been messaging Scott Kellacher after good results because they have been flying.
“It’s nice to be back involved with it in some way, but obviously on the other side of things it’s allowing me to develop outwith professional football too.
“It gives me the opportunity to continue doing my own goalkeeping academy, and keep giving these kids the chance to learn to become a goalkeeper.
“When I discussed it with Karen, it makes sense for us both for the time being, and I can give a little bit back to the football club on that side of things.”
