A footballer's career is usually full of ups and downs, and that's certainly been the case for Sam as, little more than five years after going in to non-league football, he had played in a full international against Brazil and become a key player at a Premier League club.

Having come through the youth ranks at the Manor Ground, Sam made his debut for Oxford United at Swindon Town in October 2000.

His first season of senior action ended in relegation to Division Three as the Us' demotion coincided with their move to the new Kassam Stadium.

Sam's United stint lasted 48 appearances, in addition to two loan spells at Nuneaton Borough.

He decided to make a permanent move from the Football League to the Conference in the summer of 2003 when he joined ambitious Telford United.

While the move proved to be a personal success for Sam as he won four caps with the England semi-professional team, Telford proved to be too ambitious as the Bucks went bust.

It meant he only served a year of his two season contract but that led to a swift return to return the FL ranks.

Sam was snapped up by Swansea City as they began their last season at The Vetch in the newly-named League Two under new boss Kenny Jackett.

After his earlier disappointments, Sam was truly back on the up as he missed only four games in the Swans 2004-05 promotion campaign, and he was named in the League Two Team of the Year.

Again, a new division greeted a new ground as Swansea moved to the Liberty Stadium.

With Sam once again a near-ever-present, the Swans narrowly failed to replicate the Tigers' back-to-back promotions (losing on penalties to Barnsley in the Play-Off Final at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium).

At least they had the consolation of lifting the Football League Trophy (beating Carlisle United in the Final, also at the Millennium Stadium).

In addition to domestic success, Sam's move to Wales also brought about a return to international action.

Although he was born in Aylesbury, a grandmother who hailed from Cardiff meant he was eligible to turn out for his adopted country.

Sam won the first of his full caps for Wales in John Toshack's first game in charge - against Hungary in February 2005.

He made a total of ten international appearances whilst with the Swans with the highlight being the World Cup qualifier with England in front of 70,715 at the Millennium Stadium in September 2005.

England won 1-0 with a Joe Cole goal.

As well as his family background giving him his big international break, it has also given him a sporting edge.

Father Derek is a former world champion showjumper, and he is a nephew of the former champion jockey and current TV racing pundit John Francombe.

Sam's success attracted the attention of new Tigers boss Phil Parkinson during his reign at Colchester United, and the versatile defender found it difficult to resist the temptation of Championship football at the KC Stadium.

Capable of playing at right-back or left-back, Sam moved to East Yorkshire for a £300,000 fee with a three-year contract.

After only three appearnces for the Tigers, Sam played for Wales in a friendly against Bulgaria at his old club Swansea.

He became the first current City player to represent Wales at full international level since Tony Norman against Italy in Brescia in June 1988.

Less than a month later, he became the first-ever current Tiger to play in a full intenational against Brazil.

In winning his 12th cap whilst with the Tigers (in Slovakia on 12 September 2007), Sam - who usually plays on the left-side of their defence - became the club's most capped Wales international beating the record held since 1978 by Dave Roberts.

In the season when we matched our highest-ever final league position and made our first-ever appearance at Wembley in the Championship Play-Off Final to win promotion to the top flight for the first time in our history, Sam was arguably the Tigers' most consistent performer.

But for the consequences of an early term sending-off at Coventry City, he would have been an ever-present at right-back.

Sam added another string to his bow during the 2008/09 season when injuries meant he had to cover at centre back against Arsenal. As you would expect, he produced a solid performance and let nobody down. 

SAM RICKETT'S FULL INTERNATIONAL APPEARANCES WHILST WITH HULL CITY
Total up to 3 April 2009: 24 caps
15.08.2006 H v Bulgaria in Swansea (Friendly)
02.09.2006 A v Czech Republic in Teplice (Euro 2008 Qualifier)
05.09.2006 A v Brazil in Tottenham (Friendly) - Sub
14.11.2006 H v Liechtenstein in Wrexham (Friendly)
06.02.2007 A v Northern Ireland in Belfast (Friendly) - Sub
24.03.2007 A v Republic of Ireland in Dublin [Croke Park] (Euro 2008 Qualifier)
28.03.2007 H v San Marino in Cardiff [Millennium Stadium] (Euro 2008 Qualifier)
26.05.2007 H v New Zealand in Wrexham (Friendly)
02.06.2007 H v Czech Republic in Cardiff [Millennium Stadium] (Euro 2008 Qualifier)
22.08.2007 A v Bulgaria in Bourgas (Friendly)
08.09.2007 H v Germany in Cardiff [Millennium Stadium] (Euro 2008 Qualifier)
12.09.2007 A v Slovakia in Trnava (Euro 2008 Qualifier)
13.10.2007 A v Cyprus in Nicosia (Euro 2008 Qualifier)
17.10.2007 A v San Marino in Serravalle (Euro 2008 Qualifier) - Sub
21.11.2007 A v Germany in Munich (Euro 2008 Qualifier)
06.02.2008 H v Norway in Wrexham (Friendly)
26.03.2008 A v Luxembourg in Luxembourg City (Friendly)
01.06.2008 A v Holland in Rotterdam (Friendly)
20.08.2008 H v Georgia in Swansea (Friendly)
10.09.2008 A v Russia in Moscow (World Cup 2010 Qualifier) - Sub
15.10.2008 A v Germany in Moenchangladbach (World Cup 2010 Qualifier) - Sub
19.11.2008 A v Denmark in Copenhagen (Friendly) - Sub
11.02.2009 N v Poland in Vila Real, Portugal (Friendly)
01.04.2009 H v Germany in Cardiff [Millennium Stadium] (World Cup 2010 Qualifier)