Former Millwall and Luton Town man poised for EFL return after overcoming nightmare situation in Australia
A stalwart of the English Football League is ready to return after a torrid time in Australia, with a whole host of League One clubs offering him a route back.
So often we see EFL journeymen take their career in a fresh direction with a move abroad. That was the case for former Manchester United academy graduate, Ryan Tunnicliffe, who joined Adelaide United in 2023.
The midfielder spent two years with Portsmouth before heading off to Australia. However, he’s played just 26 times during his time down under and has recently endured a nightmare situation that saw him frozen out of the first-team squad completely.
Tunnicliffe is no stranger to being a free agent, but being able to secure a new club this summer will be all the sweeter for the 32-year-old as he looks to get his career back on track in the wake of what he described as ‘disgraceful’ treatment at Adelaide United.
Ryan Tunnicliffe to be rescued with a number of EFL clubs keen
During his time in Adelaide, Tunnicliffe fell out of favour with former coach Ernest Faber, who reportedly forced the midfielder to train alone for two weeks. He only made one appearance for the club in the 2024/25 campaign.
But now, in an EFL Analysis exclusive via our Chief Football Correspondent Graeme Bailey, we can reveal that Tunnicliffe’s resilience and attitude in overcoming the situation in Australia has impressed many clubs in the EFL.
We understand Peterborough United (one of Tunnicliffe’s former clubs), Burton, and Cambridge United are all keen on securing the midfielder’s signature. Interestingly, all three clubs have managers at the helm who have worked with the player before.
Darren Ferguson took him on loan at Posh many years ago, while Gary Bowyer borrowed Tunnicliffe during his time at Blackburn Rovers, and Neil Harris signed him for Millwall in 2017.
There is also interest right now from the likes of Blackpool, League Two outfit Salford City, and two more of Tunnicliffe’s former clubs, Wigan Athletic and Barnsley.
Whether it’s League One or League Two, we expect Tunnicliffe to be back in England this summer.
Ryan Tunnicliffe knows the EFL inside out thanks to his long and varied career
Tunnicliffe began his career in Manchester United’s academy, before going out on loan to Peterborough, Barnsley, and Ipswich Town.
A permanent move to Fulham in 2014 followed, and after two loan spells with Wigan and another with Blackburn Rovers, Tunnicliffe joined Millwall on a free.
Two years at The Den led to another free transfer to Luton Town, and another two years there led Tunnicliffe to Portsmouth’s door.
Tunnicliffe has 356 appearances in English football to his name, including two for the Manchester United first-team.
The move to Australia clearly didn’t work out for Tunnicliffe, but he was praised by former assistant coach Travis Dodd, who shed some light on the matter and how the player dealt with what was described as “torturous running sessions.”
“Credit to him, for two weeks… he did what he was asked to do [training alone]. Seemingly, Ernest had enough after two weeks, and let him rejoin the first-team squad,” Dodd told 7 News.
The club’s chief executive officer, Nathan Kosmina, downplayed the severity of the situation, saying “Different players respond differently to different coaching techniques… that balance is always a tricky one… Regardless of right or wrong, what we don’t want is to be dragged into a tit-for-tat in the media.”
Tunnicliffe had originally declined to comment on the matter, but responded to Kosmina’s statement by taking to Instagram to say: “Being separated from the playing group and made to train in isolation, was not only deeply disappointing, it was disgraceful.
“Throughout this period, I continued to fulfil all contractual obligations, remained professional, and did everything that was asked of me.
“I was the only player subjected to this so-called ‘individualised program’, which in reality appeared to be a targeted effort to pressure me out of the club as part of a cost-cutting measure. It was, in my view, a deliberate attempt to undermine my resolve and force my departure.”
It is unclear exactly what motivated Faber’s decision, but it is said the PFA in Australia will be looked into as a potential breach of regulations.
