Ricky Little

Ricky was signed in summer 2013 by Paul Sheerin, the central defender having spent the previous three seasons with Queen’s Park. Unfortunately, he suffered an injury early on in his competitive debut for the club, breaking a bone in his foot in a Challenge Cup tie against Stenhousemuir in late July, which saw him unable to make any further appearances until into the New Year. After returning, he managed 11 appearances in the second half of the campaign, but he was unable to help the team avoid relegation from League One.

After a difficult first season, Ricky began to establish himself as a regular at the heart of our defence, never making less than 30 appearances in the following nine years. The 2016-17 season was a particular highlight, with Ricky starting every game he was available for and helping the club win the League Two title. That summer the club signed Tam O’Brien, with Tam and Ricky spending the next seven seasons as our central defensive pairing, helping the club to another title win, this time in League One, in the 2018-19 campaign.

After promotion to the Championship, Ricky helped the club maintain our place in the division, as well as an incredible title push during the 2021-22 season, before a difficult 2023-24 campaign saw the club relegated under Jim McIntyre, with Ricky leaving the club that summer on a free transfer. All in, Ricky spent eleven years at Gayfield, travelling from his home in South Ayrshire for training twice a week and games, of which he played 393 and scored 13 goals.