Ricky Ulric Bascombe Shakes (born 25 January 1985) is a retired professional footballer who played as a winger. He has played in the Football League for Bristol Rovers, Bury, Swindon Town and Brentford. Born in England, Shakes represented the Trinidad and Tobago national football team once in a friendly, and thereafter has represented Guyana internationally.
Club career Born in Brixton, Greater London, Shakes began his career at Bolton Wanderers in 2004, and made his debut in an FA Cup third-round replay against Tranmere Rovers in January 2004, scoring a last-minute equaliser to take the match into extra time. He failed to make a league appearance for Bolton, and after spells on loan with Bristol Rovers and Bury, joined Swindon Town in July 2005. Shakes made almost 70 league appearances in two seasons at Swindon but was released at the end of the 2006–07 season.
He joined Brentford in August 2007 after training with the club during the summer and scored a late goal on his debut in September 2007 to give Brentford victory away to Bury. However, after making 39 league appearances, he was released at the end of the 2007–08 season.
He joined Conference Premier club Ebbsfleet United in July 2008. In August 2010, it was reported that he was on trial with League Two club Stockport County, before re-signing for Ebbsfleet a few weeks into the season.
Having scored 11 goals in 46 matches for Ebbsfleet in the 2010–11 season, he added to that statistic by scoring eight goals in 45 appearances for the club during the 2011–12 season. On 29 June 2012, Shakes signed for Kidderminster Harriers. Shakes made 18 appearances for Kidderminster in the 2012–13 season, helping the club finish second in the Conference Premier.
On 3 July 2013, Shakes signed for Conference South club Boreham Wood. Shakes suffered a serious knee injury in pre-season training and was expected to be out for six months.
On 7 January 2021, Shakes signed for National League South side St Albans City. On 6 April 2021, Shakes announced his retirement.RICKY SHAKES ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT, stalbanscityfc.com, 6 April 2021
International career Shakes made his international debut in March 2006, coming on as a half-time substitute for Trinidad and Tobago in a 2–0 victory against Iceland.
In October 2011, Shakes was called up to Guyana for their 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Barbados and Bermuda. Originally, Shakes failed to meet FIFA's age regulations for changing international allegiance, however, Guyana won an appeal in 2010 which allowed him to do so. He made his debut for Guyana in a 2–0 away win against Barbados on 7 October 2011, before scoring his first goal four days later in a 1–1 draw with Bermuda.
Shakes' third international appearance came in the 2–1 victory over Trinidad & Tobago on 11 November 2011 which sealed Guyana's qualification to the third round of the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. In that game, Shakes scored the first goal and created the second for Burnley's Leon Cort, before Kenwyne Jones' consolation for Trinidad & Tobago.
Shakes was eligible to play for Trinidad and Tobago through his mother's heritage, and Guyana through his father's birth.
Career statistics Club
+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueFA CupLeague CupOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsBolton Wanderers2003–04Premier League001100—112004–05Premier League000010—10Total001110—21Bristol Rovers (loan)2004–05League Two10——1020Bury (loan)2004–05League Two72———72Swindon Town2005–06League One3732010004032006–07League Two322301010372Total695502010775Brentford2007–08League Two393200011424Ebbsfleet United2008–09Conference Premier34420—1104742009–10Conference Premier42410—104442010–11Conference South34662—6346112011–12Conference Premier41710—31458Total15121102—21418227Kidderminster Harriers2012–13Conference Premier17000—10180Boreham Wood2013–14Conference South8100—00812014–15Conference South40941—4148112015–16National League45220—104822016–17National League29700—503472017–18National League42320—715142018–19National League46230—305222019–20National League16000—00160Total22624112—20225728St Albans City2020–21National League South40———40Career total514552933045759165
International
+ Appearances and goals by national team and yearNational teamYearAppsGoalsTrinidad and Tobago200610Total10Guyana201132201270201521201622Total145
International goals As of match played 4 June 2016. Guyana score listed first, score column indicates score after each Shakes goal.
+ International goals by date, venue, cap, opponent, score, result and competitionNo.DateVenueCapOpponentScoreResultCompetition111 October 2011Bermuda National Stadium, Devonshire Parish, Bermuda21–11–12014 FIFA World Cup qualification211 November 2011Providence Stadium, Providence, Guyana31–02–12014 FIFA World Cup qualification310 June 2015Arnos Vale Stadium, Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines112–12–22018 FIFA World Cup qualification44 June 2016Addelita Cancryn Junior High School Ground, Charlotte Amalie, United States Virgin Islands142–07–02017 Caribbean Cup qualification54–0
Honours Swindon Town Football League Two third-place promotion: 2006–07
Ebbsfleet United Conference South play-offs: 2011
Boreham Wood Conference South play-offs: 2015
References
External links
Ricky Shakes profile at the Boreham Wood F.C. website