Ray Richards (footballer)

Ray Richards
Personal information
Full nameRaymond Richards
Date of birth18 May 1946
Place of birthCroydon, England
Playing positionMidfielder
Youth career
Croydon
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1963-1967Latrobe Soccer Club
1968Hollandia
New Lambton
1969Sydney Croatia
1969–1977Marconi
1979APIA Leichhardt4(0)
National team
1967–1975Australia31(5)
1967–1974Australia B29(5)
Teams managed
1974–1976Marconi
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Raymond "Ray" Richards (born 18 May 1946) is an Australian former football (soccer) midfielder. He was a member of the Australian 1974 World Cup squad in West Germany and represented the country 31 times in total for 5 goals between 1967 and 1975 as well as representing Queensland and New South Wales.[1]

Playing career

Club career

Richards started his football career at Croydon in England before moving to Australia in 1963, to play with the Latrobe Soccer Club, based in Brisbane. In 1968 he moved to Hollandia Soccer Club, also in Brisbane. In 1969 he moved to Sydney to play for Sydney Croatia. Between 1969 and 1977 Richards played for Marconi in the New South Wales State League and in the first year of the National Soccer League in 1977. In 1979 Richards played four matches for A.P.I.A. Leichhardt Tigers.[2]

International career

In all Richards played 31 times for the Australian national team and scored 5 times from 1967-1975.[3]

1974 World Cup

Richards played in Australia's three matches at the 1974 FIFA World Cup in Germany. Richards has the dubious honour of being the first Australian to be sent off in a World Cup match, being sent off in the game against Chile in 1974. He actually received three yellow cards. It wasn't until the reserve official, Clive Thomas, informed the linesman of the mistake four minutes after the third yellow card that the referee, Jafar Namdar, realised his mistake and ordered him off the field.[4][5][6]

Coaching career

Between 1974 and 1976 Richards acted as a player/coach at Marconi Stallions.[2]

Honours

Richards is a member of the Football Federation Australia Football Hall of Fame.[7]

References

  1. Match report, including date of birth
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Australian Player Database - R". ozfootball.net. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
  3. The Australian National Men’s Football Team: Caps And Captains. Football Federation Australia.
  4. Motson, John (2006). "Two Yellows Does Not Necessarily Equal A Red". Motson's World Cup Extravaganza. Robson. p. 133. ISBN 1-86105-936-1.
  5. "Just the card". The Age. 7 July 2006. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
  6. Ashdown, John; Dart, James; Smyth, Rob (5 July 2006). "World Cup Knowledge: part five". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
  7. "Ray Richards". Football Hall of Fame. Football Federation Australia. Retrieved 30 December 2009.