Preston North End released Connor Ripley over the summer and he hit the headlines this week with two penalty saves in one game for Morecambe.
Snapped up from Middlesbrough in January 2019, Ripley was signed as real competition for Declan Rudd.
Ripley had been impressing on loan at Accrington Stanley and PNE tracked his progress before securing a permanent deal.
Rudd needed competition and with Chris Maxwell frozen out, Ripley arrived to challenge for the number one jersey.
Ripley remarkably only ever started three league games for North End though in a disappointing spell at Deepdale.
The former Blackburn Rovers youngster never really recovered from a torrid display in the FA Cup against Norwich City in January 2020.
The writing was on the wall for Ripley just a year later as Rudd picked up an injury and PNE moved straight into the market to sign Daniel Iversen on what ended up being an 18-month loan deal.
North End allowed Ripley to go out on loan to Salford City in October of last year but it didn’t lead to a permanent move.
With his three-and-a-half-year deal coming to an end this past summer, PNE let Ripley go for free and he didn’t move far.
League One side Morecambe signed Ripley and he has become their first-choice goalkeeper this season.
On Tuesday night, Ripley started for Morecambe against Derby County and made not one but two penalty saves.
James Collins had a go in the first half but Ripley tipped his effort away, and the same fate came for David McGoldrick in the second half.
Ripley racked up 10 saves in total but was eventually beaten as Louie Sibley’s deflected strike squeezed past him.
Ripley passionately celebrated both penalty saves and seems to be enjoying his football again with Morecambe.
It’s a shame it never worked out for Ripley at North End but credit to him for going out and nailing down a first-choice role elsewhere.