Home
Ricardo Santos knows he is going to get a rough ride on his old stomping ground at Peterborough United tomorrow.
Not only will he be tasked with stopping prolific striker Jonson Clarke-Harris – something he achieved impressively back in September when the two players last met at the UniBol – but he will also be up against a potentially hostile home crowd.
By his own admission, Santos did not leave Peterborough in the way he would have liked in January 2017. Later, he played for Barnet at London Road in a League Cup tie and inflamed matters with what the local press claimed were “inflammatory gestures” to the home fans.
Santos returns as club captain of Bolton Wanderers, and a changed man.
“When I was young, I said some silly stuff about the club which came out,” he told The Bolton News. “I was immature, probably bitter because I’d left. It was all silly.
“It was a good club and I enjoyed my time there, met some good people, it’s run well. I basically started my career there and learned a lot, so I do have to thank them for that.
“Darren Ferguson was my first manager there too, so it will be good to go back, but I don’t think it will be a warm welcome.
“I’m going there to take three points from them, and that is all I care about.”
The tussle with Clarke-Harris made for fascinating viewing as Wanderers beat Peterborough 1-0 earlier this season.
Santos looks forward to tackling him again in what looks like being the key clash of an intriguing contest.
“It is the kind of thing I like – I’m a big guy and I like to show I can deal with strikers like that,” he said. “That game I had a bust lip, a dead arm, left the pitch bruised. It will be like that again on Saturday but if I have to do that to win, I’ll take it.
“He’s a good player, top scorer, and probably their main threat. If I deal with him then there is more chance of us winning.”
Peterborough owner Darragh MacAnthony said earlier this season that Santos “owed an apology” for his behaviour after leaving his club, who had brought the defender out of non-league football with Thurrock.
The Wanderers skipper insists there is no bad blood.
“He’s a character,” he added. “You don’t get many people like that in football.
“He was alright with me when I was there. But he’s very different to Sharon (Brittan)!”
Source