Scott Ruscoe


Scott Ruscoe is a Welsh former professional footballer who is now manager at Welsh Premier League team The New Saints.
A central midfielder, he was capped by the Wales semi-pro team. A former youth team player with Stoke City and Port Vale, he made his first team debut at League of Wales side Newtown in 1997. He spent three years with the club before joining Conference club Chester City in June 2000. He returned to the League of Wales with TNS in January 2002, and would go on to spend the rest of his career there. During this time the club won the league championship eight times, the Welsh Cup four times, the Welsh League Cup six times, and the FAW Premier Cup once. He was inducted into the Welsh Premier League league Hall of Fame in November 2015.
He was appointed manager of The New Saints in May 2017. He secured the Welsh Premier League and Welsh League Cup titles in the 2017–18 season and the league title and the Welsh Cup in the 2018–19 season.

Playing career

Newtown

Ruscoe started his career with two years at Stoke City, and then a year at Port Vale, before he joined League of Wales side Newtown in 1997. He scored seven goals from 34 appearances in the 1997–98 season as the "Robins" finished as runners-up behind champions Barry Town. He then scored four goals from 31 league games in 1998–99 as the Latham Park club dropped to sixth-position. He scored six goals in 33 games in 1999–2000 as Newtown posted an eighth-place finish.

Chester City

On 23 June 2000, Ruscoe signed a two-year contract with Conference club Chester City. He scores his first goal for the "Seals" on 28 November, coming off the bench to claim the winning goal in extra-time of an FA Cup first round victory over Third Division side Plymouth Argyle at Home Park. He played a total of 37 league and cup games across the 2000–01 campaign, as the "Blues" posed an eighth-place finish under the stewardship of Graham Barrow. However he lost his first team place at the Deva Stadium after new manager Gordon Hill was sacked early in the 2001–02 season.

TNS

On 29 January 2002, Ruscoe joined TNS on a free transfer, signing an 18-month contract. He scored three goals in 15 league games in the second half of the 2001–02 season as TNS finished as runners-up to Barry Town. He missed just two league games in the 2002–03 season, and scored nine goals in his 32 appearances, though TNS again finished as runners-up to Barry Town. He scored three goals in 26 matches in 2003–04 as TNS finished again in second place, just one point behind champions Rhyl. After three successive second-place finishes, he secured a league winners medal in 2004–05 after scoring three times in 31 games. The club retained their title with an 18-point margin in 2005–06, with Ruscoe claiming three goals from 30 league matches. A third consecutive title followed in 2006–07, Ruscoe claiming four goals from 29 matches.
He achieved a career best ten goals from 33 league appearances in 2007–08, however TNS finished as runners-up to Llanelli. They then dropped to third-place in 2008–09, with Ruscoe scoring five goals from 32 games. He played in the 2009 final of the Welsh League Cup, as TNS beat Bangor City 2–0 at Latham Park. He scored eight goals from 32 games in 2009–10 as TNS claimed the fourth league title of his spell at the club. They dropped to second-place in 2010–11, behind champions Bangor City, despite Ruscoe contributing five goals from 32 league appearances. He scored the winning goal in the last minute of extra-time in the 2011 Welsh League Cup final, a 4–3 victory over Llanelli at Park Avenue. He won a fifth league title in 2011–12, scoring twice from 22 games. A sixth league title followed in 2012–13, though he played just 14 league games, scoring once. He failed to make a first team appearance in 2013–14, played just twice in 2014–15, before retiring after failing to make a league appearance in the 2015–16 campaign.
During his time at the club the "Saints" won the league championship eight times, the Welsh Cup four times, the Welsh League Cup six times, and the FAW Premier Cup once. He also holds the league record for the most European appearances – with 30 games in total, and was named as Clubman of the Year by the Football Association of Wales in 2014. He was inducted into the Welsh Premier League league Hall of Fame in November 2015.

International career

Ruscoe won three caps for the Wales semi-pro team.

Style of play

Ruscoe was a central midfielder and a dead ball specialist.

Managerial career

On 30 May 2017, Ruscoe was appointed interim manager of The New Saints following manager Craig Harrison's departure to Hartlepool United. He led the club to victory over Gibraltar champions Europa in the first round of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League, and despite losing 7–1 in the following round to Croatian champions Rijeka, he was named as the club's permanent manager on 31 July. On 20 January 2018, he secured his first silverware as manager, as Saints won the Welsh League Cup final with a 1–0 victory over Cardiff Metropolitan University. He went on to lead the club to the Welsh Premier League title at the end of the 2017–18 season, as the Saints finished 14 points clear of second-place Bangor City. He was also named as WPL Manager of the Month for September and January.
Saints narrowly lost 5–4 on aggregate to Macedonian champions KF Shkëndija in the first round of qualification for the UEFA Champions League. They defeated Gibraltarian side Lincoln Red Imps in the second round of Europa League qualification, before being beaten 5–1 on aggregate by Danish club Midtjylland. They went on to win the 2018–19 Welsh Premier League by a 12-point margin over Connah's Quay Nomads. Defeated in the Welsh League Cup semi-finals, they went on to lift the Welsh Cup with a 3–0 victory over Connah's Quay Nomads. They ended the 2019–20 campaign as runners-up after finishing behind Connah's Quay Nomads on points per game; the season had been curtailed early due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Wales.

Statistics

Honours

Player

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