Date / Year of birth: 15th August 1963

Position: Utility

Season of first appearance: 1980/81

Season of last appearance: 1989/90

Also played for: Herne Bay, Ramsgate, Sittingbourne and Faversham Town

Fast, versatile player who began his career in local amateur football during the 1977/78 season with Dreamland Colts. Richard then joined Margate for the 1980/81 campaign and played regularly for the reserves early on. He made his first team debut in a 2-1 win at Hastings on 9.12.80 and had a good game in midfield. Richard then scored from long range in a 3-2 defeat at Basingstoke four days later and the local press described him as being "promising". On 20.12.80 he scored with a powerful drive from 20 yards as Margate beat Andover 4-1 and Richard went on to make a total of 18 appearances, usually in midfield or attack, before the end of the season. He didn't add to his goal tally but turned in many impressive performances. In January 1981 manager Terry Morris said "Richard has a major part to play in the club's future plans" and the Thanet Times said that he "worked like a Trojan" in a 3-0 defeat at Dover on 14.2.81.

Richard also featured regularly in midfield for Thanet United during the 1981/82 season, making 25 appearances (one as sub) and he was joined in the first team by his younger brother Neville. Richard scored twice and both goals were memorable. On 13.10.81 he fired home a cannonball effort from 25 yards in a 3-1 home defeat against Addlestone & Weybridge, a strike described as "an absolute gem" by the Isle of Thanet Gazette. He also scored from distance in a 2-1 win over Chelmsford on 24.11.81 but Richard's season ended early after a broken glass was pushed into his face during a night out at the start of April 1982. He had to have 40 stitches in the wound and missed the last eight matches of the campaign as United finished bottom of the Southern League Southern Division.

By the start of the 1982/83 season Richard had recovered and he became a fixture in Thanet's side once more. Richard made 40 appearances and established himself in a new role as an attacking right-back. The Thanet Times praised him for his "telling runs" from defence in a 3-1 defeat at Crawley on 11.9.82 and the Isle of Thanet Gazette said that Richard was "outstanding with his darting runs down the right" in a 1-1 draw with Gravesend on 9.11.82. Later that month he escaped from a car crash with just a slight shoulder injury and Richard scored once before the end of the season.

He continued to be a regular in the United line-up during the 1983/84 campaign and spent most of the season playing in midfield, only playing twice at right-back. Richard also turned out as a striker on two occasions. He made 42 appearances (three as sub) to take his career tally for the club past 100. Richard scored three goals and each of them was spectacular. He fired home from 30 yards in a 4-3 win over Dover in an FA Trophy tie at Hartsdown on 13.9.83, a strike described by the Isle of Thanet Gazette as "a gem of a goal", and also scored from distance in a 2-2 draw at Chatham on 26.12.83. Richard then found the net with a scorching half-volley in a 2-1 home defeat at the hands of Chatham on 23.4.84. The Gazette said it was a "brilliant" effort.

In the summer of 1984 Richard left the club, along with his brother Neville, and he joined Herne Bay for the 1984/85 season, scoring eight times during the campaign.

Richard then rejoined Thanet for 1985/86 and he was in great form as an attacking right-back during the early months of the season. The Thanet Times said that he was "outstanding" in his first game back - a 3-1 win over Chichester City in an FA Cup tie at Hartsdown on 24.8.85. Richard had a run of games in midfield, often wide on the right, during late October and early November 1985 and the Thanet Times said "his biggest asset is his speed off the mark". He then had a long spell in the reserves, only starting one first team game between mid-November and the end of January 1986. He returned to the senior side for an Eastern Floodlight Cup tie at Dover on 28.1.86 and then enjoyed a good run in the first team through to the end of March 1986. However on 29.3.86 Richard failed to arrive at Hartsdown to board the team coach for a trip to Cambridge City and after Thanet had lost the match 6-0 manager John Wickens released him. Wickens said "Richard let me down badly and I can tell him now that he will never play for Thanet United again while I am manager". He added "he let the club, the team, the supporters and most of all himself down badly and I cannot forgive him for being so unprofessional". Richard had made 32 appearances (three as sub) before leaving the club and his two goals included a superb strike in a 2-2 draw at Dorchester on 26.10.85. He cut in from an angle and crashed an unstoppable shot into the net.

After a spell in local amateur football Richard joined Ramsgate in the summer of 1986 and he enjoyed great success as a striker at Southwood. He scored 28 goals for the Rams during the 1986/87 campaign. Richard added another 20 goals during 1987/88 and led the Rams scoring charts for the 1988/89 season too.

In the summer of 1989 Richard returned to Hartsdown Park to join Margate and his first game for the club was the annual Isle of Thanet Gazette Cup match against Ramsgate that Margate won 3-1 at Hartsdown Park. Richard came on as a substitute. His appearance made him the first person to have played during the last season of Margate's previous era (1980/81) and the first of the club's new dawn and no other player matched his achievement as the season progressed. Richard was a regular in the squad during the first month or so of 1989/90 and made a good impression after coming on as a substitute for David Fells an hour into a 0-0 home draw with Yate on 18.8.89. The Thanet Times said he "slotted in superbly to the right-back position and took the eye with some intelligent passes and the occasional sprint". The paper added that he was Margate's "best player by far." Richard played a few games in midfield in the weeks that followed but in the days leading up to a 1-0 home defeat at the hands of Hythe on 28.8.89 he was disciplined by manager Trevor Ford after missing a training session. Despite that Richard kept his place for the Hythe game and in the words of Ford "played a blinder" keeping a tight reign on the mercurial Frank Ovard. However Richard then had to endure what the Gazette called "a mind-bending" six week ban. The suspension related to an offence committed with his Sunday League side Brittania during 1988/89 - Richard was the club's player-manager. The Gazette said that he would be "hard to replace".

When he returned to the Margate side in October 1989 Richard settled at right-back for a couple of months and the Thanet Times said that he made "several timely interceptions" during a 3-1 win at Hastings on 28.10.89. Towards the end of the year he was given a run of games as a striker and Richard scored three goals in six games in the forward line during December 1989 and January 1990. The Thanet Times said he "gave his all" up front in a 1-0 home defeat against Witney on 30.12.89 and the Gazette praised his "darting runs". On 6.1.90 Richard was harshly sent off after 50 minutes of a 3-2 defeat at Trowbridge. He was chopped down when running through on goal and remonstrated with Marcus Bray, the Trowbridge player who'd committed the foul. Bray fell to the floor theatrically and Richard was dismissed. After serving a suspension for the red card Richard found himself becoming something of a utility player for the remainder of the season, playing at full-back, in midfield, as an out-and-out winger and up front once again.

After the 'double-header' weekend at Witney and Yate in April 1990 Richard was fined a weeks' wages for his part in an escapade that involved the team coach making an unscheduled evening trip to Bristol. Several other players were also disciplined. Carl Scriven and John Love were fined whilst Gary Moss and Alan Scotting were sacked over the incident.

On 1.5.90 Richard scored with a rising drive from just outside box in a 2-0 win over Corinthian at Hartsdown and the Gazette claimed that he "would be worth a small fortune, if only he could cross accurately after his speedy runs down the flank". Richard then played in a 2-1 defeat at Fareham on 5.5.90, a match that turned out to be his last competitive game for the club. After making 41 appearances (three as sub) and scoring five goals he left Margate in August 1990 shortly after playing in two friendlies prior to the start of 1990/91. In the second of them - a 4-2 defeat at the hands of Gillingham - Richard played 45 minutes in goal after keeper Martin Woodthorpe was carried off.

Richard ending up joining Sittingbourne for the 1990/91 campaign and enjoyed a successful spell with the Brickies, usually playing at right-back.

He rejoined Ramsgate for 1992/93 and at the end of 1992 Richard had to have 19 stitches in a head wound suffered during a brawl in Margate.

He ended his senior career at Faversham during the 1993/94 season.

Richard later dropped back into Thanet amateur football before hanging up his boots.

He worked as a carpenter and his son Kane later progressed through Margate's youth ranks. He was playing for the reserves during the 2011/12 season.