John Ritchie

John has a wealth of goalkeeper playing/coaching experience and is one of the most qualified coaches in Scotland! He currently is an International Goalkeeper coach for Scotland and his list of honours has only been achieved by a few other professional players!

Over a 15 year professional playing career, John notched up more than 450 professional games, playing for Cowdenbeath FC, Brechin City FC, Bradford City FC and Dundee United FC.

On retiring from playing due to injury he moved to the coaching and management side of the game with such clubs like, Brechin City, Forfar Athletic as assistant manager before returning to Brechin City as manager, a position he held for seven years. During this time he twice led Brechin to promotion.

He then joined Hibernian FC as SFA Community Coach and first team Goalkeeping Coach. At this time he coached Jim Leighton, Scotland's most capped goalkeeper, Brian Gunn and Oli Gottskalksson.

After six years at Hibs, John joined Dunfermline and become head of player development and their goalkeeper coach.

For the past 4 years John has been involved with the SFA as goalkeeping coach to the International Youth Teams, U17 and U19 male and female squads. He is also a staff coach with the SFA delivering the goalkeeping licence diploma.

Presently John is also the coaching mentor to the Management team at Thornton Hibs JFC. He has been responsible for training and coaching the team and advising the Management team on team tactics. The high spot of this his first venture into junior football was to help Thornton Hibs progress to the semi final of the Scottish Junior Cup last April, a feat that was last achieved in the season 1959 - 60.

Although coaching goalkeepers is his specialist field John is also fully qualified as an outfield coach through the SFA Coach Education Programme:

John's immense coaching qualifications include:

• Coaching Children's licence Diploma
• Youth Licence Diploma
• Goalkeeping Licence Diploma
• A Licence Diploma
• UEFA Pro Licence Diploma

So why not pop along to Johns Just4keepers class and be taught by an International Goalkeeper Coach!

Also check him out at: www.jr-coaching.com

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