Editing Sam Ricketts (section)

===Early career===
Ricketts began his career at [[Oxford United F.C.|Oxford United]], making his first team debut on 8 October 2000 in a 2–1 [[Football League Second Division|Second Division]] defeat at rivals [[Swindon Town F.C.|Swindon Town]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/959715.stm |title=Swindon 2–1 Oxford |publisher=BBC Sport |date=8 October 2000}}</ref> He played 48 total games and scored once, in a 2–0 home win over [[Southend United]] on 22 September 2001.<ref>{{cite news |title=Oxford 2–0 Southend |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/1554259.stm |access-date=12 March 2019 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=22 September 2001}}</ref>

In 2002 he was loaned to [[Nuneaton Borough F.C.|Nuneaton Borough]] of the [[National League (English football)|Football Conference]]. On 26 December, he was sent off in the 25th minute of a 2–1 home loss to [[Burton Albion]] for a foul on [[John Burns (Irish footballer)|John Burns]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Nuneaton 1–2 Burton Albion |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/2588643.stm |access-date=12 March 2019 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=26 December 2002}}</ref> In the last of his 11 games for Nuneaton, he scored the equaliser in a 1–1 home draw with leaders [[Yeovil Town F.C.|Yeovil Town]] on 25 January 2003.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sam signs off in style |url=https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/other-sport/sam-signs-off-in-style-3188818 |access-date=12 March 2019 |work=Coventry Telegraph |date=27 January 2003}}</ref>

He was released from his professional contract to sign for  Conference side [[Telford United F.C.|Telford United]] in the summer of [[2003–04 in English football|2003]]. His form for Telford led him to be selected for the [[England national football C team|England non-League XI]] that season. On 6 April 2004, he scored the only goal of a win against [[Shropshire]] rivals [[Shrewsbury Town]] at the [[New Bucks Head]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Telford 1–0 Shrewsbury |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/3593315.stm |access-date=13 March 2019 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=6 April 2004}}</ref>