Rhoys Wiggins

Rhoys Barrie Wiggins (born 4 November 1987) is a former professional footballer who played as a left back.

Wiggins began his career at Crystal Palace, from where he had his first spell on loan to AFC Bournemouth. After just one first-team appearance for Palace, he signed for Norwich City, but soon found himself again on loan at Bournemouth, for whom he signed a permanent contract in 2010. A season later, he joined Charlton Athletic, where he spent four years of regular first-team football. After a brief spell with Sheffield Wednesday, he returned to Bournemouth, by then in the Premier League, in January 2016, but did not play. He signed on loan at Birmingham City the following August, but was seriously injured in his second match and retired from football in May 2018.

Born in England, Wiggins has represented Wales in international football from under-17 to under-21 level.

Wiggins was born in Uxbridge, England. He came through the academy at Crystal Palace, played regularly for their reserve team, and was shortlisted for the 2006 Football League Championship Apprentice of the Year, but lost out to Derby County's Lewin Nyatanga. In the summer of 2006, he signed his first professional contract with the club, but his progress was disrupted when he ruptured knee ligaments in a pre-season friendly against Palace's feeder academy, Crystal Palace Baltimore. He needed reconstructive surgery, and was sidelined for the rest of that season.

Although manager Neil Warnock thought Wiggins' impressive performances for Wales U21 against England in the European Championship qualification play-off round were not reflected on Palace's training ground, he gave him a first-team start soon afterwards, at home to Nottingham Forest in the Championship. His debut was marred by involvement in Forest's winning goal, but Warnock still "thought he did alright last night, first half I thought he was the only one that tackled. He's got a lot of attributes and he has got to use his strength and become a defender first and foremost." However, that one appearance was not added to, and Wiggins was made available for loan to get more playing time.

On 8 January 2009, Wiggins joined EFL League Two club AFC Bournemouth on a month's loan. He made his debut on 17 January, playing the whole of a 1–0 defeat against Rotherham United. He impressed at left back, and his loan was extended to the end of the season. Against Accrington Stanley on 14 February, he gave away what he felt was an unjust late penalty, but the kick was missed and Bournemouth won the match 1–0. During that match, Wiggins suffered knee damage that kept him out for six weeks, but he regained the left-back position and retained it for the rest of the campaign as Bournemouth secured their Football League status with one match to play. He made 13 appearances for the side.

Wiggins had further surgery on his knee, and was offered a new contract at Palace, but chose to move on in search of regular football. He had considered signing permanently for Bournemouth, but became one of several signings made by Bryan Gunn for Norwich City, newly relegated to League One. By the time Wiggins completed his rehabilitation and made his first outing for Norwich's reserves, Paul Lambert had replaced Gunn as manager. Wiggins made his first-team debut on 6 October, playing the whole of the Football League Trophy win over Gillingham. His next appearance, a month later, was as a substitute for established left-back Adam Drury in an FA Cup tie against Paulton Rovers; he kept his place for the next match, in the Football League Trophy, but when the league programme resumed, Drury was fit and Wiggins returned to the reserves.

Wiggins returned to AFC Bournemouth on 29 January 2010 on a 28-day emergency loan, permitted under the club's transfer embargo because so many players were injured or suspended. He started the next day's 2–1 win over Crewe Alexandra, He played regularly at left back even after Warren Cummings' suspension ended, and his loan was extended initially for a second month and then to 1 May. He started all 19 of Bournemouth's matches during his loan spell, and played the whole of all but the last, a 4–0 win against Port Vale that confirmed his team as 2009–10 League Two runners-up, when he was taken off after 87 minutes. His parent club, Norwich City, were promoted to the Championship at around the same time, and Wiggins suggested he had taken more satisfaction from Bournemouth's success because he had been part of the process.