When John Ruddy put pen to paper on a deal with Norwich City on July 5, 2010, his nomadic life was finally over.
Ruddy had made a name for himself at Cambridge United, earning a move to Everton in May 2005. But he would play just one league game – off the bench - for the Toffees, who sent him out on loan an incredible nine times. Walsall, Rushden, Chester, Stockport, Wrexham, Bristol City, Stockport, Crewe and Motherwell became temporary homes.
But a decade of being farmed out ended when Paul Lambert brought him to Norfolk, having not been able to sign League One promotion keeper Fraser Forster on a permanent deal.
Lambert, reportedly, had Ruddy on his radar for a while, before his Carrow Road tenure.
“It is funny but we went to watch him for Crewe at MK Dons, but he had an absolute stinker,” said Lambert. “We also saw him when he was at Stockport and I decided against him at that time, but when Fraser (Forster) went and it was clear we wouldn't be able to get him back again I knew John had had a really good season at Motherwell.
"There was that clamour to sign Fraser, but with the finances we just couldn't do that. I wanted somebody with the same stature, a big goalkeeper, and John had that."
Ruddy became a permanent fixture on City team sheets, making 235 league appearances, plus eight in other competitions. In his first season City were promoted to the top flight and he added a Championship play-off final win to his CV in 2015.
Ruddy’s time at City came to an end in May 2017 when he was one of seven top players to leave the clubs. He went on to play for Wolves and Birmingham before joining Newcastle a year ago.