Having played for Charlton and Millwall, Jim Ryan played for Exeter City in 1967 having signed from Hastings United. He later played for Dover.

Jim, who also worked as a model, started his professional footballing career with Charlton Athletic in February 1963 having been playing for Dulwich Hamlet and serving as a police officer in the Metropolitan Police. A Wales Under-23 player he made 16 league appearances for Charlton (scoring 8 times) before making the short move to Millwall in February 1965 where he netted a further two goals in 12 starts. He then joined Southern League Hastings United in the summer of 1966 and it was from there that Exeter City signed him in January 1967 for £900.