Gary Richards

Who is Gary Richards?

Gary Richards is a former Welsh footballer. Richards began his career with hometown club Swansea City, turning professional in August 1981. He made his first team debut at the end of the 1981-82 season in Swansea's 3-0 defeat at Aston Villa. This was Villa's last league match before winning the European Cup. He would appear 15 times the following season as Swansea suffered relegation from the First Division and would also feature in Swansea's 1983 Welsh Cup final success when the Swans defeated Wrexham 4-1. Richards was a regular the following season, appearing 34 times, but Swansea slipped to a second successive relegation. He reached only 16 appearances in the 1984-85 season, departing Swansea at the end of the season for a spell in Sweden with Jönköpings Södra IF.

Returning to the Football League, Richards linked up with Lincoln City, making his debut in the 1-1 home draw with Bristol City on 6 November 1985. Following the sacking of Lincoln's manager John Pickering in December, Richards found himself out of favour with the new manager George Kerr and moved on to Cambridge United.

In July 1986 he moved on to Torquay United where a serious injury caused the end of his professional career. He moved into the non-league ranks and played for Newport County in their ill-fated 1988-89 season before enjoying spells with Llanelli, Saltash United, Forest Green Rovers, Barry Town and Haverfordwest County.