‘I gave everything I had’: Mat Ryan sends heartfelt farewell to former club

Socceroos goalkeeper Mat Ryan has written a heartfelt and classy letter to former club Brighton and Hove Albion as he signed off on four years in the Premier League.

Ryan made 123 appearances for the Seagulls between 2017 and 2020 and played a huge role in keeping Brighton in the top flight of English football over the years.

While he recently signed a two year deal with Real Sociedad after a loan spell at his boyhood club Arsenal, Ryan only has fond memories of his time at Brighton.

“My time with Brighton was a special period in my career and my life,” Ryan told brightonandhovealbion.com

“It was a childhood dream to have played in the Premier League – to do that with Brighton and achieve the things we did and the way we achieved them together with the supporters there, we definitely created some very special moments that I will remember for a very long time.

I look in the mirror knowing I’m at ease with the fact that I gave everything I had to the club.

“It didn’t always go to plan, but I look back and think I was able to make a contribution to the club and its success.

“I will miss living around the town and will always continue to support the club and keep an eye on how they’re doing.”

Ryan joined Brighton on a five-year deal from Valencia in the summer of 2017, for a then club-record transfer fee.

He made his debut in their opening Premier League fixture against Manchester City, and went on to play every minute of top-flight football for Brighton during the 2017/18 campaign.

He continued his fine form throughout the 2018/19 season, and was named the PFA Player of the Month for October.

Ryan cited a few "standout" memories, including a penalty save against Stoke City in the 2017/18 campaign, saving a spot-kick against Wayne Rooney, beating Manchester United to stay in the top-flight, and doing the double over Arsenal in the 2019/20 season.

Mathew Ryan celebrates with his teammates after beating Manchester United
Ryan celebrating with his teammates after beating Manchester United

While Ryan had his fair share of individual highlights, he reiterated that it would be his achievements with the team and the fans that would last long in his memory.

“I want to say goodbye and thanks to the supporters for all the memories that we shared,” Ryan said.

“They’re the ones who make it special with the atmosphere; they were always our 12th player.

“They are paramount to the success the club has had – we go through all the emotions with them, thankfully in my time we had a lot of good moments and those moments of ecstasy wouldn’t be what they were without the difficult moments in which the fans always stuck by us and we overcame.

“The saying is the bigger the challenge, the better the triumph. We faced the challenge of staying in the league each year and we did that as a collective.

“I am very happy that I had the opportunity to contribute to that, I have now got those life long memories that I can tell friends, and hopefully one day children and grandchildren!”

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Ryan also paid homage to his former goalkeeper coach Ben Roberts and the other goalkeepers who he shared a dressing room with.

Despite being displaced in Brighton’s starting 11 by Rob Sanchez, Ryan had only positive things to say about his former teammate.

“Rob Sanchez has come in and done a really good job, contributing to the team in a really good way,” Ryan said.

“He has matured a lot as a goalkeeper. When I first met him he was really young and he hadn’t had a lot of first-team exposure, he was raw like I was when I was that age. Under Ben’s guidance, he has come on leaps and bounds.

“The difference is made in the detail. Ben goes above and beyond to prepare the goalkeepers that he’s got, but he’s also aware of what is out there in the goalkeeping world no matter what the age or place they are from, he has really good knowledge.

“He saw something in me that he felt could help the team and I know he pushed hard to get me in, and then pushed me every day to get the best out of me, I have to give my thanks to him for making the dream and opportunity a reality. He went to great lengths to do that.”

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