Ryan initially played gaelic football for the Marino School in Dublin while growing up, but then switched to soccer after moving to Blackpool during the early years of the Second World War.
He then played with Claremount School, Blackpool Boys, various factory teams and had trials with both Sheffield United and Nottingham Forest before joining Nuneaton Borough.
In 1954, together with Ronnie Allen and Frank Griffin, he was also a member of the West Brom team that finished as First Division runners-up and FA Cup winners.
He was appointed team captain by manager Harry Storer and during his three seasons with the club missed only three matches – two because of injury one because of international duty.
He scored his first two goals for the FAI XI in October 1953 during the qualifiers for the 1954 World Cup, one against France in a 5–3 defeat and the second, a penalty, against Luxembourg in 4–0 win.
Ryan, together with Con Martin, Davy Walsh and Tom Aherne, was one of four players born in the Irish Free State, included in the IFA XI that day.
This situation eventually led to intervention by FIFA and as a result Ryan became one of the last four Irish Free State – born players to play for the IFA XI.
[6] After retiring as a player in November 1960, Ryan worked as a pools supervisor for both Coventry City (1960–1961) and West Bromwich Albion (1961–1962).