Chris Riggott
Personal information
Full name	Christopher Mark Riggott
Date of birth	September 1, 1980 (1980-09-01) (age 29)
Place of birth	Derby, England
Height	1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Playing position	Centre Back
Club information
Current club	Middlesbrough
Number	5
Senior career1
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
1999–2003 2003– 2008	Derby County Middlesbrough → Stoke City (loan)	91 (5) 98 (5) 09 (0)
National team2
2000–2001	England U21	09 (0)
1 Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 02:12, 7 February 2009 (UTC). 2 National team caps and goals correct as of 19:24, 13 September 2008 (UTC). * Appearances (Goals)

Christopher Mark "Chris" Riggott (born 1 September 1980 in Derby, Derbyshire) is an English footballer. He is a defender, who currently plays for the Football League Championship side Middlesbrough.

[edit] Career

Riggott played at Derby County where he came through the youth system, whilst studying at [[St Benedict's RC secondry] school in Derby. Whilst at Derby he was coached by future England manager Steve McClaren and Middlesbrough 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).

Riggott 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 Middlesbrough 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 2005–06 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. In the UEFA Cup semi final against Steaua Bucharest, Boro found themselves 3-0 down on aggregate and needing four goals to get through to the final. Riggott crucially scored the third of the four needed as Middlesbrough miraculously reached the final.^[1]

The next season, new manager Southgate strengthened his defence by signing England and Germany internationals Jonathan 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, who had been promoted to the Premiership the previous season, but the rumours proved unfounded and he remained at Middlesbrough. Riggott joined Stoke City on loan on 29 February 2008, until the end of the season, in the hope of assisting the Potters in their promotion race, which he succeeded in doing. He returned to Middlesbrough on 2 May.^[2] Chris was recently quoted stating he would like to end his playing days with current club Middlesbrough due to his love of the club, fans and area.

[edit] Honours

Middlesbrough

• English League Cup

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Chris Riggott career stats at Soccerbase