Richard Hughes (footballer)

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Richard Hughes
Personal information
Full name Richard Hughes
Date of birth 25 June 1979 (1979-06-25) (age 28)
Place of birth    Glasgow, Scotland
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position Midfielder
Club information
Current club Portsmouth
Number 22
Youth clubs
1992–1993
1993–1998
Atalanta B.C.
Arsenal
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
1998–2002
2002–
2003
Bournemouth
Portsmouth
Grimsby Town (loan)
132 (14)
090 0(0)
012 0(1)   
National team
2004–2005 Scotland 005 0(0)

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only and
correct as of 14:58, 15 May 2008 (UTC).
* Appearances (Goals)

Richard Hughes (born 25 June 1979 in Glasgow) is a Scottish football (soccer) player. He currently plays for English club Portsmouth F.C. as a defensive midfielder, he can also play as a left winger or left back.

Contents

[edit] Career

[edit] Club

Hughes began his career as a youth player at Serie A side Atalanta. After he moved back to the UK he spent a year with Arsenal as a youth player. Hughes then failed to make the transition to the first team and so left the Gunners to join AFC Bournemouth in the summer of 1998 after failing to make an appearance.

The midfielder made his debut in 2-0 victory over Lincoln City F.C., and soon settled into the first team. Hughes impressed enough that Portsmouth signed him for £50,000 in the summer of 2002 as an excellent future prospect.

After making his debut in a 1-1 draw at Sheffield United F.C. he struggled to break into the team on a regular basis and was loaned out to Grimsby Town F.C., where he played 12 games.

Injuries meant he was handed a Premiership chance in December 2003, and he remained an important squad member for the remainder of the 2003/04 campaign. And his first ever Pompey goal came in an FA Cup tie - the winner in a 1-0 victory over Liverpool.

He has been a regular face in the Portsmouth line-up although it was thought he would be leaving in the summer of 2006. On 28 July 2006 he and fellow Portsmouth player Lomana LuaLua pledged their futures at the club, signing three year contracts each.

He writes a weekly column for the Portsmouth News entitled 'Look Hughes Talking'. He also presents "Richard Hughes' Scouting Report" on local radio station 107.4 The Quay on the Friday Night Pompey Preview programme.

On August 15, 2007 against Manchester United, Hughes was allegedly "headbutted" by Manchester forward Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo was quickly red carded for his actions, but after review, it revealed that Ronaldo did not headbut Hughes.

[edit] International

His performances earned him selection for the Scottish national side, and he won his first cap against Estonia in May 2004. He gained recognition for his performances at Bournemouth with a call-up to represent Scotland at Under-21 level.

[edit] External links