New Wolves captain Sam Ricketts' horseplay

His dad Derek was the world showjumping champion in 1978, when Harvey Smith ensured the sport was box office, and his uncle is John Francome, who was champion jockey from 1981-85.

But as Aylesbury-born Ricketts never showed any inclination to follow his family's love of horses, it was left to his grandad Norman to ensure he became a success at football.

And if he wasn't to make it on four legs, then Ricketts senior was determined his grandson would do all he could on two.

"My family weren't football-orientated at all – I just played for my local side and got picked up as I went along," said Ricketts.

"My whole family is into horses so I was happy enough there; I had a couple of years as a pro and then dropped down to Telford and then went all the way through the leagues."

Head coach Kenny Jackett yesterday described his first signing as "one of the most two-footed players I've ever seen".

And Ricketts puts it all down to the coaching of his grandad, a former amateur with Swindon Town.

"I was naturally right-footed but every time I went to see my grandad as a kid, he used to coach me – he still tells me what I've done, good and bad," he said.

"I'd flick the ball up with my right foot, and he'd say: 'Now do it with your left.'

"And from a young age, every time I saw him, he'd only let me use my left foot.

"Unfortunately he can't go to the games any more, but I have them copied and sent down to him.

"He will watch me and say: 'In the warm-up, you kicked eight balls with your right foot and only two with your left – you need to do five on each foot.' That's what he's been like all the way through.

"Luckily, my debut for Wales was at left-back and I gave him my shirt because if it hadn't have been for him, I'd have never played left-back. I owe pretty much everything to him."

If Ricketts mastered being two-footed from an early age, he has also managed to remain a popular player with team-mates and fans.

Having come through non-league with Telford – he played for them the season they went bust in 2003-04 – the 31-year-old Ricketts has seen more highs and lows in his career than most.

That has helped keep him grounded and also suggests he is the ideal character to repair the damaged relationship between the Wolves players and fans.

"Every club I've played for has had that connection with the fans," said Ricketts.

"Playing in non-league gives you a good grounding – I'm still friends with a lot of the lads I played with at Telford, and not only there but at Nuneaton too, where I was on loan just before that.

"And when you go all the way through the leagues, you not only appreciate what it's like at the top more, but also understand the fans and you're more in touch with them and football.

"We need the fans as much as they need us, and we need to give them something to support as well, so it has to work both ways."

Like his ability to play equally well with either foot, Ricketts' versatility means he will try to bring the best out of others by showing them how rather than giving them the hairdryer treatment.

"From what I've seen, it's a pretty young squad here, and there's a good spirit in there already," he said.

"I'm not coming in to change anything, I'll just be myself. I'm not a shouter and a bawler.

"As a captain I will just try to lead by example – I've always tried to do the right things.

"That has been shown as I've gone through the leagues because it would have been very easy at Telford not to do the right things and just stay around non-league."

While Jackett is comfortable with his choice of skipper, Ricketts revealed a huge pull for him the chance to re-unite with the man who gave him his League break at Swansea in 2004.

"He taught me a lot – he started my career to be honest," he said.

"Within six or seven months of him signing me, I made my Wales debut and as a manager he instils the organisational side of the game into his players.

"You must have ability to go with it, but there's no point having that if you don't know what I'm doing or my team-mate next to me is doing," he added.

"He teaches people the game and that reflects on the team performance.

"When I was a utility player, he was the first one who sat me down and got me playing full back.

"He taught that position and that's where my career took off."