Position : Centre half
Played : 1999-2000 (on loan from Walsall) ; 2001-02 (didn't appear)
Appearances : 6
Goals : 0
Richard was signed on loan from Walsall for a month at the end of September to cover for injuries to Keith Hill and Dave Bayliss. His career began at Shrewsbury in 1986 and he made 125 appearances there before moving to Swindon on a free in November 1990. Before making an appearance for them he suffered a serious back injury and was thought to be finished but incoming manager Glenn Hoddle sent him to faith healer Eileen Drewery and Richard credits her with saving his career. However he moved on to Gillingham in 1992 without having made a first team appearance. Richard became captain making 206 appearances over six seasons and was part of the meanest defence in the League when Gillingham went up in 1996. He signed for Walsall two years later and helped them to promotion in 1999 but thereafter became surplus to requirements.
Although we only won one of the games Richard played in we only conceded 2 goals and he was excellent every time, an ultra-solid centre half who always made the right decisions. Unfortunately, starring in our win at Northampton alerted them to his availability and they signed him permanently instead. Yet again Richard featured in a promotion-winning side but was released 18 months later.
Richard then came back to us in July 2001 but eyebrows were raised. It looked suspiciously like a panic signing after the rash decision to release both Hill and Monington ; at 33 Richard was older than either of them. The move was a disaster. Firstly Richard injured fellow new signing Kieran Durkan by accidentally pouring boiling water on his gonads then got injured himself in pre-season and never played again.
He is now a driving instructor in Walsall.
No comments:
Post a Comment