Player Profile

Rideout was signed on apprentice forms days after he had bagged a hat-trick for England schoolboys in 1980. Just months later, he broke into the Town's first team, becoming the youngest ever player to play for the Town - scoring in a 3-1 win over Hull City on 29th November, at the grand old age of 16 years and 107 days. He scored a total of four goals that season, from twelve appearances.

The following year, Rideout bagged another fourteen goals - the highlight of an otherwise miserable season, as the Town entered Division Four for the first time. As he started to attract interest from bigger clubs, Paul netted twenty goals in 1982/1983, finishing as the club's top scorer for the second season running.

At the end of the season, Aston Villa came in for his signature, and Rideout signed for £250,000, then a club record. He made just over fifty appearances for Villa, before being transferred to Italian club Bari for £1.5 million. When he decided to return to England, rumours were rife that Town manager Lou Macari tried to sign him, but the talks fell through.

Rideout did eventually return to Swindon again - though this time for a short loan spell in 1991. He went on to score the winning goal for Everton in the 1995 Cup Final.

Playing Record

Senior

Reserve and Youth Team Appearances

Note that appearance data for reserve and youth teams may not be complete. Expand for more information.

Career details

Club	Details
Avebury Avebury	(youth)
Swindon Town Swindon	September 16th, 1978 (schoolboy) June 9th, 1980 (apprentice) August 15th, 1981 (signed professional contract); transferred out (June 9th, 1983)
Aston Villa Aston Villa	June 9th, 1983 (transferred in, total fee £250,000, initial payment of £175,000 initial £175,000, plus £75,000 based on first team and England U21 appearances); transferred out (rptd June 29th, 1985)
AS Bari Bari	rptd June 29th, 1985 (transferred in , £1,500,000 ); transferred out (July 5th, 1988)
Southampton Southampton	July 5th, 1988 (transferred in , £430,000 )
Swindon Town Swindon	March 28th, 1991 (loan); expired (1990/1)
Notts County Notts County	September 16th, 1991 (transferred in , £250,000 ); transferred out (rptd January 10th, 1992)
Rangers Rangers	rptd January 10th, 1992 (transferred in , £500,000 ); transferred out (August 14th, 1992)
Everton Everton	August 14th, 1992 (transferred in , £500,000 )
Qianwei Huandao Qianwei Huandao	March 1997
Kansas City Wizards Kansas City Wizards	rptd January 20th, 1998
Chongqing Longxin Chongqing Longxin	March 1999
Shenzhen Ping An Kejian Shenzhen Ping An Kejian	January 2000
Tranmere Rovers Tranmere Rovers	July 14th, 2000 ; retired (2001/2) May 2002 (academy coach)
KCFC Alliance KCFC Alliance	(youth coach)
Kansas City Wizards Kansas City Wizards	rptd June 1st, 2007 (youth coach)
Kansas City Roos Kansas City Roos	(assistant coach)
Sereno SC Sereno SC	(youth coach)