Justin Richards (footballer)

Justin Donovan Richards (born 16 October 1980) is an English former footballer who played as a striker. He has a tally of around one goal every four games and has played mostly in the Conference and lower reaches of the English Football League. Something of a journeyman player, he has tended to play for teams in his local area around the Midlands and Southern England.

This article is about the English footballer. For the writer, see Justin Richards.

Justin Richards
Richards in 2013
Personal information
Full name Justin Donovan Richards[1]
Date of birth (1980-10-16) 16 October 1980
Place of birth Sandwell, England[1]
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[2]
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
1997–1999 West Bromwich Albion
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2001 West Bromwich Albion 1 (0)
2001–2003 Bristol Rovers 16 (0)
2002 → Colchester United (loan) 2 (0)
2002–2003 → Stevenage Borough (loan) 13 (6)
2003–2004 Stevenage Borough 29 (3)
2004–2006 Woking 79 (35)
2006–2007 Peterborough United 13 (1)
2006 → Grays Athletic (loan) 5 (0)
2007 → Boston United (loan) 3 (0)
2007–2009 Kidderminster Harriers 65 (22)
2008 → Oxford United (loan) 15 (1)
2009–2010 Cheltenham Town 44 (15)
2010–2011 Port Vale 42 (9)
2011–2013 Burton Albion 48 (12)
2013 → Oxford United (loan) 2 (0)
2013 Oxford United 2 (0)
2013–2014 Tamworth 18 (1)
2014–2015 Sutton Coldfield Town
2015–2017 Stourbridge
2017–2018 Sutton Coldfield Town
2018 Hednesford Town 0 (0)
2018 Rushall Olympic 8 (1)
National team
2006 England C 1 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Richards started his career at West Bromwich Albion in 1997, and failed to establish himself at the club in four years. After two years with Bristol Rovers he switched to Stevenage Borough. In 2004, he signed with Woking, and after a highly successful two years was snapped up by Peterborough United. In 2007, he joined Kidderminster Harriers, where he stayed for two years before he signed with Cheltenham Town. In the summer of 2010 he was signed to Port Vale, before moving on to Burton Albion the following year, and to Oxford United and then Tamworth in 2013. He signed with Sutton Coldfield Town in July 2014 and Stourbridge in September 2015, before returning to Sutton Coldfield Town in December 2017. The following summer he joined Rushall Olympic via Hednesford Town. In addition to this he has enjoyed six loan spells at Colchester United, Stevenage Borough, Grays Athletic, Boston United and Oxford United.

Playing career

Richards began his career at West Bromwich Albion, joining as an apprentice in July 1997 and turning professional in 1999.[3] He made his Albion debut as a substitute against Ipswich Town in March 1999,[4] and made one further substitute appearance the following season before moving on to Ian Holloway's Bristol Rovers for £75,000 in January 2001.[3] A week after signing him Holloway left the club.[5] Richards joined Colchester United on loan on 22 October 2002.[6] He spent six weeks at Layer Road, making three substitute appearances for Steve Whitton's "U's".[6] In three seasons with the "Pirates" he started just three games and could do little to prevent the club's relegation from the second to third tier in 2000–01. At the end of 2002 he joined non-league Stevenage Borough on loan, scoring six goals in thirteen games, including a hat-trick against Farnborough Town.[7]

Richards signed a permanent deal with Borough in March 2003.[8] His high-scoring loan spell was not matched by a ratio of three goals in thirty games during his year-long injury-affected spell as a full-time Stevenage player.[9] In May 2004 he moved on to Woking.[10] His first season at the club was a moderate success with fourteen goals. During the 2005–06 season Richards was the second top scorer in the Conference with 22 goals in all competitions, a goalscoring record that attracted the attention of League Two club Peterborough United.

Richards moved to Peterborough in June 2006 on a free transfer, signing a two-year deal.[11] This came despite interest from Burton Albion manager Nigel Clough.[12] He scored just one goal for Peterborough before being loaned out to Conference club Grays Athletic in November 2006,[13] as part of a deal which saw Peterborough sign Gray's striker Aaron McLean.[14] He was recalled by the "Posh" the next month.[15] Despite continued interest from Nigel Clough,[16] in January 2007 Richards joined Boston United, then in League Two, on a one-month loan.[17]

At the end of the 2006–07 season, unwanted at 'Boro by Darren Ferguson,[18] Richards dropped back out of the Football League, signing for Kidderminster Harriers on a free transfer.[19] He was considered a big signing for the club.[20] He scored six goals in 22 appearances in his opening season with the "Harriers". In January 2008, he joined Oxford United on loan until the end of the season.[21] He managed just one goal in fifteen appearances for the Oxfordshire club.

Richards returned to Kidderminster and decided to stay on at the club for the 2008–09 season. He enjoyed his second most prolific season in the Conference, hitting seventeen goals in all competitions. His shooting partner, and good friend,[22] Matthew Barnes-Homer managed to top this tally with nineteen goals.

Richards in a September 2010 1–0 victory over Aldershot Town for Port Vale.

In June 2009, Richards signed a one-year contract with Cheltenham Town, making his second return to league football. He enjoyed a successful season in which he was the club's top scorer with 15 goals in 44 games.[23] In summer 2010 Richards was offered a fresh contract at Cheltenham, but was also approached by League Two rivals Port Vale.[24] In June 2010 Richards agreed terms with Port Vale.[25]

"Even at 29, there's things I can improve him on, I've had a decent record working with centre-forwards. The way we play will suit him and he knows he's got to work hard."

— Micky Adams speaking to BBC Radio Stoke.

He settled in quickly at the club, building a partnership with his namesake Marc Richards in the 2010–11 pre-season,[26] which continued into the league campaign.[27] He quickly endeared himself to "Valiants" fans, scoring a brace in their 3–1 win at Championship side Queens Park Rangers in the League Cup First Round.[28][29] This was followed by a thirteen-game barren spell, which was ended by three goals in four games, including a strike that took the club into the Third Round of the FA Cup.[30] The Richards duo's partnership was ended in January when Marc suffered a thigh injury; upon his recovery Justin was dropped to make way for loan striker Tom Pope.[31] Richards scored his first hat-trick in the English Football League on 30 April, along with Louis Dodds, in a 7–2 win over Morecambe.[32] In all he helped himself to fourteen goals in fifty appearances that season, whilst his strike partner and namesake hit twenty goals in 46 games.

In July 2011, Richards signed a two-year contract with Vale's nearby League Two rivals Burton Albion, after moving on a free transfer.[33] Though the move came as a surprise to outside observers, Burton manager Paul Peschisolido said that "Justin is a player I admire and...I'm sure he'll bring us goals."[34] Richards scored twice on his league debut, helping Burton earn a 2–2 draw at Torquay United on 6 August.[35] After four games without a goal, he then went on a streak of six goals in five games, including a brace against Oxford United at the Kassam Stadium. Richards finished the 2011–12 campaign with 12 goals in 37 appearances.

Under the stewardship of Gary Rowett, Richards slipped behind Calvin Zola, Matt Paterson, and Billy Kee in a largely single-striker system in 2012–13.[36] He returned to Chris Wilder's Oxford United on loan for a second time in January 2013; he was signed to provide cover for the suspended James Constable.[37] He played three games for Oxford, and was released from his contract at the Pirelli Stadium by Rowett at the end of the month.[38] He signed for Oxford on a deal until the end of the 2012–13 season on deadline day, 1 February 2013.[39] However, after less than two weeks he was ruled out of action for the rest of the season after picking up a knee injury.[40] He was one of 12 players released by manager Chris Wilder in May 2013.[41]

In June 2013, Richards signed a contract with Tamworth to play for them in the Conference Premier for the forthcoming season; manager Dale Belford stated that securing his services was a "massive coup" for the "Lambs".[42] He scored only one goal in 18 league appearances throughout the 2013–14 season, as the "Lambs" suffered relegation.

Neil Tooth, manager of Northern Premier League Division One South side Sutton Coldfield Town, signed Richards in July 2014.[43] He finished as the "Royals" top-scorer in the 2014–15 season with 23 goals, helping the club to win promotion after beating Leek Town in the play-off final.[44]

He moved on to Northern Premier League Premier Division rivals Stourbridge in September 2015.[45] The club finished in sixth place in 2015–16, and qualified for the play-offs with a third-place finish in 2016–17 before losing 1–0 to Spennymoor Town in the play-off final.[46] He rejoined Sutton Coldfield Town in December 2017.[47] Town were relegated after they finished bottom of the Northern Premier League Premier Division at the end of the 2017–18 season. He went on to join Hednesford Town, but left the club after less than a month after it was confirmed they would not be placed in the Southern League Premier Division Central the following season.[48] On 20 July 2018, he joined Rushall Olympic in the Southern League Premier Division Central.[49] The "Pics" finished the 2018–19 season in eighth-place, with Richards scoring one goal in 12 games.[50]

International career

His success at Woking saw him earn a call-up to the England C team in May 2006.[51] He scored in his only game, a 1–1 draw with Wales in the Four Nations Tournament at Priory Lane.[52] His career as a semi-international was quickly ended once he joined Football League club Peterborough United later that year.

Personal life

On 19 December 2010, Richards and four friends took part in a drunken brawl with another man during a night out in Leeds.[53] The following year he pleaded guilty to affray, and was fined £2,000 and given a community order with 100 hours unpaid work.[53] Two of his friends were given suspended prison sentences, whilst the other two were also fined and given unpaid work.[53] Judge James Spencer QC accepted that the men behaved out of character and were ashamed of their behaviour.[53][54]

In June 2011 he was studying to complete a degree in Professional Sports Writing and Broadcasting at Staffordshire University, alongside former teammates Gareth Owen, Adam Yates, and Ritchie Sutton.[55]

Statistics
Club Season Division League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
West Bromwich Albion1998–99[56]First Division1000000010
1999–2000[57]First Division0010000010
2000–01[58]First Division0000000000
Total 1010000020
Bristol Rovers2000–01[58]Second Division7000001[lower-alpha 1]080
2001–02[59]Third Division1000000010
2002–03[60]Third Division8000000080
Total 160000010170
Colchester United (loan)2002–03[60]Second Division2000000030
Stevenage Borough2002–03[60]Conference196000000196
2003–04[61]Conference23300001[lower-alpha 1]0243
Total 429000010439
Woking2004–05[62]Conference411410002[lower-alpha 1][lower-alpha 2]04414
2005–06[63]Conference382140003[lower-alpha 1][lower-alpha 2]1[lower-alpha 1]4522
Total 79355000518936
Peterborough United2006–07[64]League Two13100201[lower-alpha 1]0161
Grays Athletic (loan)2006–07[64]Conference5000000050
Boston United (loan)2006–07[64]League Two3000000030
Kidderminster Harriers2007–08[65]Conference266200000286
2008–09[66]Conference391621001[lower-alpha 2]04217
Total 65224100107023
Oxford United (loan)2007–08[65]Conference151000000151
Cheltenham Town2009–10[67]League Two441510101[lower-alpha 1]04715
Port Vale2010–11[68]League Two42942222[lower-alpha 1]1[lower-alpha 1]5014
Burton Albion2011–12[69]League Two351100101[lower-alpha 1]1[lower-alpha 1]3712
2012–13[70]League Two13100101[lower-alpha 1]0151
Total 48120020215213
Oxford United2012–13[70]League Two4010000050
Tamworth2013–14[71]Conference Premier181200000201
Rushall Olympic2018–19[50]Southern League Premier Division Central81000040121
Career total[lower-alpha 3] 40510618372193449114
  1. Appearance/s and goal/s in the EFL Trophy.
  2. Appearance/s in the FA Trophy.
  3. Statistics for Sutton Coldfield Town and Stourbridge not recorded.

Honours
Woking
Sutton Coldfield Town

References
  1. Rollin, Glenda; Rollin, Jack, eds. (2012). Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2012–2013 (43rd ed.). London: Headline. p. 444. ISBN 978-0-7553-6356-8.
  2. "FootballSquads - Port Vale - 2010/11". www.footballsquads.co.uk. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  3. Matthews, Tony (2005). The Who's Who of West Bromwich Albion. Breedon Books. p. 192. ISBN 1-85983-474-4.
  4. Matthews, Tony (2007). West Bromwich Albion: The Complete Record. Breedon Books. pp. 374–375. ISBN 978-1-85983-565-4.
  5. Fletcher, Paul (1 December 2005). "Cards ace bets on League return". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  6. "Justin Richards - Players - Colchester United". www.coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  7. "Stevenage 5–0 Farnborough". BBC Sport. 28 December 2002. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  8. "Stevenage land Richards". BBC Sport. 18 March 2003. Retrieved 21 May 2007.
  9. "Westley praises Richards". BBC Sport. 22 January 2004. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  10. "Richards signs for Woking". BBC Sport. 11 May 2004. Retrieved 21 May 2007.
  11. "Posh snap up Richards from Woking". BBC Sport. 1 June 2006. Retrieved 21 May 2007.
  12. "Clough chases Curtis and Richards". BBC Sport. 11 May 2006. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  13. "Grays extend Posh striker's spell". BBC Sport. 1 December 2006. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  14. "Grays star McLean moves to Posh". BBC Sport. 31 October 2006. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  15. "Grays sign Cowan from Shrewsbury". BBC Sport. 2 January 2007. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  16. "Clough keen on striker Richards". BBC Sport. 22 December 2006. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  17. "Boston sign Posh striker Richards". BBC Sport. 11 January 2007. Retrieved 21 May 2007.
  18. "Posh manager wants seven to leave". BBC Sport. 4 May 2007. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  19. "Richards signs for Kidderminster". BBC Sport. 6 June 2007. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  20. Owens, Trevor (6 June 2007). "Richards is Aggborough-bound". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  21. "Patterson signs trio of new faces". BBC Sport. 25 January 2008. Retrieved 25 January 2008.
  22. "Old pals act working for Harriers". BBC Sport. 16 September 2008. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  23. "Cheltenham sign striker Richards". BBC Sport. 9 June 2009. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  24. Shaw, Steve (9 June 2010). "Port Vale: Richards flattered by Vale interest". The Sentinel. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
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  35. "Torquay 2 - 2 Burton Albion". BBC Sport. 6 August 2011. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
  36. "Burton Albion striker Justin Richards set for Oxford switch". Derby Telegraph. 4 January 2013. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
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  38. "Striker leaves by mutual consent". burtonalbionfc.co.uk. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  39. "Luke McCormick: Oxford United sign Truro City keeper". 1 February 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  40. "Oxford United fear lengthy Justin Richards absence". BBC Sport. 13 February 2013. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
  41. "Oxford United: Michael Duberry among 12 released". BBC Sport. 2 May 2013. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  42. "Tamworth swoop for former West Bromwich Albion youth". Tamworth Herald. 20 June 2013. Archived from the original on 16 July 2013. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
  43. "Royals Sign 4". Pitchero.com. 30 July 2014. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  44. Panter, Matt (8 May 2015). "Sutton Coldfield Town's top marksman Richards hails 'special' play-off final win". Royal Sutton Coldfield Obserbor. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  45. "Stourbridge bring in striker Richards as Chilton departs". Halesowen News. 10 September 2015. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
  46. "Spennymoor Town 1 - 0 Stourbridge - The Evo-Stik League Northern Premier". www.evostikleague.co.uk. 29 April 2017. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
  47. "Saturday's Christmas Transfer List! - The Evo-Stik League". www.evostikleague.co.uk. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  48. Edwards, Joe (5 July 2018). "Justin Richards makes swift Hednesford Town exit". Express and Star. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  49. "Pics secure experienced talisman". www.rofc.co.uk. 20 July 2018. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  50. "Justin Richards Profile | Aylesbury United FC". www.aylesburyunitedfc.co.uk. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  51. "Fairclough names 35-man squad". BBC Sport. 2 May 2006. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  52. "Wales and England settle for draw". BBC Sport. 26 May 2006. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
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  54. "Footballer Seen Joining Drunken Attack". Security Oracle. 8 July 2011. Archived from the original on 9 September 2012. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
  55. Earle, Robbie (23 June 2011). "Robbie Earle: Career after football can be daunting prospect". The Sentinel. Retrieved 23 June 2011.
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  61. "Games played by Justin Richards in 2003/2004". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  62. "Games played by Justin Richards in 2004/2005". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  63. "Games played by Justin Richards in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  64. "Games played by Justin Richards in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  65. "Games played by Justin Richards in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  66. "Games played by Justin Richards in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  67. "Games played by Justin Richards in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  68. "Games played by Justin Richards in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  69. "Games played by Justin Richards in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  70. "Games played by Justin Richards in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  71. "Games played by Justin Richards in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
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