Ryan began his professional career with
Shrewsbury Town, as he progressed through the youth system and made four
Football League appearances for them from 1990 to 1992. He later had two spells with
Chester City and also played for
Stockport County and
Rochdale before drifting out of the English Football League in 1996. He has since become an established figure in Welsh football, through clubs including a successful period with professional club
Barry Town and later
Total Network Solutions and
Newtown. He replaced his former Chester teammate
Roger Preece as Newtown manager in October 2006. He remained with the club for four years, stepping down in August 2010. He joined Airbus UK as manager in March 2011 before returning to Newtown in June, but quit after just seventeen days in charge to become First Team Coach at
Northwich Victoria. He resigned from the club on 16 January 2012 along with the rest of
Andy Preece's management, with the club reporting that Preece was expected to be appointed Director of Football at
Welsh Premier League side
Airbus UK Broughton the next day. The next day he was appointed as Head Coach at Airbus UK. Ryan initially joined the
Wolverhampton Wanderers Academy on a part-time basis before being appointed Under-18s coach in July 2017. In July 2025, Ryan joined
UAE Third Division League club Dubai Irish in the role of Head of Youth Development. ==References==