Ricketts has 41 international caps for Wales

Wales defender Sam Ricketts is backing his former club Telford United to gain promotion back into the non-league top flight after a seven-year absence.

Now at Bolton Wanderers, Ricketts was a Telford United player when the club went out of business in 2004.

"I wanted to stay at Telford to finish the season off, it was a really enjoyable year for me," he told BBC Radio Shropshire.

Ricketts made 41 appearances for the Bucks under manager Mick Jones.

AFC Telford United play Guiseley in the Blue Square Bet North play-off final on Sunday at the Bucks Head.

"When I was at Telford, my aim was to get back into the Football League and I was hopefully going to do that with them," he added.

The 29 year-old was signed by Kenny Jackett at Swansea before a move to Hull City. He finally moved to Bolton where he has played in the Premier League for the last two years.

"I've always looked out for the Telford results. They've been around promotion every year.

"They've come full circle back to where the club was when I left and I think the club's in a stronger position now.

"They get bigger gates than what there was when I was there. We were the so-called Chelsea of the Conference that year."

Listen to Wales international Sam Ricketts on the Adam and Vicki show on BBC Radio Shropshire 96 FM from 1500 GMT on Thursday.

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