Two years after leaving the Wellington Phoenix midfielder Matthew Ridenton is back with the A League football club.
Ridenton first played for the Phoenix in 2013 and left in 2018 after 72 appearance joining the Newcastle Jets.
He was let go by Newcastle in February and briefly joined the Brisbane Roar for the remainder of the A-League season.
The 24 year who has also played six games for the All Whites has now signed a one year deal with the Wellington club which will be based in Wollongong when the new season kicks off in December.
Matthew Ridenton is back at the Phoenix after a two year absence. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Wellington Phoenix Head Coach, Ufuk Talay says that Ridenton will help shore up the depth in the Phoenix midfield and provide another versatile option.
"He'll have every chance to contribute next season and to show his skills; I know he's got a solid work-rate and a wide passing range which we hope will fit into our style of play.
Ridenton he feels he's developed since he last played for Wellington.
"I really appreciated the opportunity the Nix gave me in my last season [the 2017/18 season] to get some consistent game time and show what I could do, and hopefully this season I can show Ufuk and the team the development I've made since then while playing in Australia."
Riddenton admits too it will be a little odd re-joining the side.
"It'll be a different sort of feeling to meet up with the team in Wollongong as opposed to Wellington and, but that's the world we're living in at the moment."
Ridenton travel from Brisbane to Wollongong this weekend to join the team at their pre-season training camp, as the team prepares for the A-League season start on December 27th.