Joshua Ruffels

Ruffels's current-season form is down 40% on last season (Season 20→12), while his Rating eased 13→9. His peak season for form remains 2020/21 (Season 39).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2026/27	Shrewsbury · 8th	8	0	0	6.37	13	8
2025/26	Shrewsbury · 19th	28	2	2	6.7	13	20
2024/25	Huddersfield · 10th	25	0	0	6.88	23	18
2023/24	Huddersfield · 23rd	11	0	0	6.7	33	8
2022/23	Huddersfield · 18th	38	3	0	6.8	48	23

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 10 earlier seasons and 1 youth-team spell in the full career.

Scout report

Experienced headCentral defender

J. Ruffels is a 33-year-old central defender at Shrewsbury, enjoying a standout season — 0 goals and 0 assists in 8 appearances, a Season grade of 12, top 85% of League Two centre-backs. On long-term scout potential he's rated 8.7, ranking 222nd of 254 in the League Two. A seasoned veteran, he has been a fringe squad member (32.6% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 3.34 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Ruffels.

Judged on this season alone, Ruffels graded 12 — a workmanlike campaign that ranks 47th of 55 of the 55 centre-backs in the League Two, on 2 clean sheets and 3.338 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's a drop on last season (Season 20 → 12). Over the 7 seasons on record his form has drifted down, peaking in 2020/21.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 9, 46th of 55 of the 55 centre-backs in the League Two. At 33 Ruffels is into the veteran stage, where the age curve weighs on the projection, and a market index of 0.5 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

Past his 2020/21 peak — the recent trend is downward, so buyers are paying for what's left, not what was.

Peak: 2020/21Trending downBreakout: 2022/23Stepped up 2021/22

Current potential46th of 55 centre-backs · League Two · 8 apps Current season47th of 55 centre-backs · League Two · 8 apps 47th-best centre-back in the League Two 222nd in the League Two · potential 46th-highest potential centre-back in the League Two

8.7

Ratingi

46th of 55 centre-backs

11.8

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

32.6%

Minutes

limited game time

3.34

Def. actions / 90

moderate defensive volume

Output in context · Shrewsbury finished 14th of 24 · a mid-table side

Apps

3.34

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

3.34 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — moderate defensive volume, with 2 clean sheets across 8 appearances.

Watch points

Game time. Only 32.6% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
Age curve. At 33, both level and resale value are on the downslope.
Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

With a Rating of 8.7, Ruffels carries the 46th-highest potential of the centre-backs in the League Two of 55 — though on just 8 appearances this season, so the standing rests on a small sample. Defensively he reads as moderate defensive volume (3.34 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). Veteran phase — a short-term, lower-fee proposition as both level and value decline (0.7× and falling).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %32.6%

Available fixtures12 of 12

Goals / 900

Assists / 900

Goal contribution / 900

Defensive actions / 903.338

Player flow

Goal involvements0

Shot conversion %0

Shot accuracy %66.7

Pass accuracy %57

Dribble success %100

Cards / 900.267

Foul involvement / 901.202

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~2), then tapers with age. At 33, Ruffels sits on 0.5, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Ruffels's projected Rating — 8.7 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among centre-backs in the League Two with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals0

Shots on target2

Shots3

Passing

Assists0

Chances created1

Passes278

Pass accuracy57%

Possession

Successful dribbles3

Dribble success100%

Duels won50

Duels won %49.5%

Fouls won4

Defending

Tackles7

Interceptions14

Blocks4

Fouls committed5

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards2

Red cards0

Transfer history

ShrewsburyOct 2025 – nowFree

HuddersfieldJul 2021 – Oct 2025Free

Oxford UnitedJul 2013 – Jul 2021Free

Coventryuntil Jul 2013

About J. Ruffels

Joshua Andrew Bernard Ruffels is a 32-year-old centre-back who plays for Shrewsbury, born on October 23, 1993 in Oxford, standing 178 cm tall. He is from England. Shrewsbury currently sit 8th of 24 in the League Two.

This season

In the current season, J. Ruffels has made 8 appearances with 0 goals and 0 assists across 674 minutes, with 2 yellow cards.

J. Ruffels's next match is on October 31, 2026, when Shrewsbury face Gillingham at home in the League Two.

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates J. Ruffels at 8.7 with a Season form score of 11.8, ranking 222nd of 254 centre-backs in the League Two. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

Career

Across 15 recorded seasons, J. Ruffels has totalled 382 club appearances with 27 goals and 11 assists for 5 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2018/19, with 44 appearances for Oxford United.

J. Ruffels's career has also included time at Huddersfield, Oxford United and Coventry.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.

Profile

Season stats

Performance data · by competition

Career

Scout report

Output in context · Shrewsbury finished 14th of 24 · a mid-table side

Watch points