Riccardo Scimeca

Football player infobox
playername = Riccardo Scimeca


fullname = Riccardo Scimeca
height = height|ft=6|in=1
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1975|6|13
cityofbirth = Leamington Spa
countryofbirth = England
currentclub = Cardiff City
clubnumber = 19
position = Midfielder, Defender
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1993–1999
1999–2003
2003–2004
2004–2006
2006
2006–
clubs = Aston Villa
Nottingham Forest
Leicester City
West Bromwich Albion
→ Cardiff City (loan)
Cardiff City
caps(goals) = 073 (2)
153 (7)
029 (1)
035 (0)
001 (0)
063 (6)
nationalyears = 1998
nationalteam = England B
nationalcaps(goals) = 001 (0)
pcupdate = 15:35, 28 August 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate =

(Felice) Riccardo Scimeca (born 13 June 1975, Leamington Spa) is an English professional footballer who currently plays for Cardiff City.

Career

Scimeca started his career at Aston Villa, coming through the clubs youth system, as a centre forward and was largely a squad player until his move to Nottingham Forest in 1999.He moved on to Leicester City in 2003, [cite news
date=2003-06-24
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/leicester_city/3016036.stm
title=Foxes snap up Scimeca
publisher=BBC Sport
accessdate=2007-05-01] on a free transfer after failing to agree a new deal, then West Bromwich Albion a year later by activating a get out clause in his contract which allowed him to leave Leicester, [cite news
date=2004-05-18
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/west_bromwich_albion/3726847.stm
title=Scimeca joins West Brom
publisher=BBC Sport
accessdate=2007-05-01] before his transfer to Cardiff in 2005. [cite news
date=2006-01-13
url=http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=353179&plid=1323&clid=97&cpid=10
title=Scimeca heads to Wales
publisher=Sky Sports
accessdate=2007-05-11]

Since his arrival at Ninian Park Scimeca has become an important part of the Cardiff side under manager Dave Jones and has also developed something of a goal scoring touch which he admitted surprised him. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/cardiff_city/5398914.stm "Scimeca amazed by scoring touch"] BBC Sport retrieved on 1 October, 2007] At the beginning of the 2007–08 season he was sidelined with a groin injury and started the season on the treatment table. He attempted a comeback in August in a reserve match against Plymouth Argyle but only lasted twelve minutes after suffering a recurrence of the injury. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/cardiff_city/6981648.stm "Cardiff suffer double injury blow"] BBC Sport retrieved on 1 October, 2007] He again came close to a return in December 2007 after having an operation on his groin injury but suffered another setback after he contracted the MRSA virus after the incision failed to fully heal. [ [http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/footballnation/cardiff-city-fc/2008/01/16/my-brush-with-the-mrsa-bug-scimeca-91466-20355914/ "My brush with the MRSA bug - Scimeca"] South Wales Echo Retrieved on 16 January, 2008] He made his long awaited return for Cardiff on 19 February, 2008 by playing 45 minutes against Newport County in the FAW Premier Cup, his first appearance for the Bluebirds for nearly a year. He went on to make a total of 11 appearances in all competitions during the season, mostly as a substitute in order to return to match fitness.

The start of the 2008-09 season looked to be more promising for Scimeca as he began the season fully fit and an injury to Gavin Rae saw him back into the first-team early in the year but he went on to suffer another injury setback after seriously damaging ankle ligaments during a 2-1 victory over MK Dons in the second round of the Carling Cup. [ [http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballnation/cardiff-city-fc/2008/08/28/jones-to-chase-prem-replacement-for-scimeca-91466-21624573/ "Jones to chase Prem replacement for Scimeca"] South Wales Echo Retrieved on 28 August, 2008]

Club stats

As of 28 August, 2008

Honours

;Cardiff

*

References

External links

* [http://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10335~8266,00.html Riccardo Scimeca player profile] at cardiffcityfc.co.uk
* [http://www.wba.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10366~8266,00.html Riccardo Scimeca player profile] at wba.co.uk
* [http://www.lcfc.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10274~8266,00.html Riccardo Scimeca player profile] at lcfc.co.uk
*soccerbase|id=7105|name=Riccardo Scimeca