Ryan Naysmith

Ryan Naysmith (played by actor British actor Ricky Whittle) was a character in the Sky One football drama Dream Team from 2002-2006.

He played on the left wing and was the son of Stuart Naysmith. He joined Harchester United after being released from Birmingham City due to committing arson. He was offered a trial and impressed manager Patrick Doyle. In his first season at the club, he had several off the field troubles such as a police investigation into a hit and run, and was injured in a fight by Marcel Sabatier that meant he missed the rest of the season.

Ryan started the 2003-04 season with a bang, playing well supplying Luke Davenport up front and gaining a call to the England squad. Ryan, though had accidentally killed a ticket tout during a fight, and the guilt consumed him, and when a bid come in from Liverpool for £11 million, he took the move, and when Luke Davenport blocked it, Ryan punched him, causing serious eye trauma (blind in one eye). Afterwards, Ryan checked into a clinic for depression. He returned in the February when the club was wound up, and the players played without any money and played well for the rest of the season, it turned out though in the penultimate game of the season against Wolves, he had been taking Nandrolone after drugs testers turned up and asked to be taken off at half time. To make matters worse, his father Stuart entered the witness protection scheme after giving evidence in the case of Sabatier's steroid abuse-related death. Ryan managed to gain a call up for England's Euro 2004 campaign, but broke his leg in training.

Ryan missed most of the 2004-05 season with injury, and with nothing to do, found himself to be having an affair with Chelsea Wright, wife of goalkeeper, Vivian 'Jaws' Wright. When she left town, Viv found out she had left, he went looking for the culprit and when he turned up on Ryan's doorstep with a shotgun, Ryan blamed Clyde who had committed suicide, making up a story to save himself. Ryan returned to the team in the March, and helped lead the team into the Championship promotion play-offs. On the eve of the play-off final, Viv read a letter penned by Barker revealing the truth about Chelsea's affair. When Viv went to confront Ryan in the Millennium Stadium car park before the game, Ryan escaped in Barker's car. Viv called Ryan as he wanted him to play in the match, Ryan agreed, but on his way back to the ground was arrested for reckless driving and the police found Fletch's body in the boot and arrested him. This proved lucky for Ryan as he was not on the coach when Barker crashed his car into it, killing everyone on board, including Viv in the resulting explosion.

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