![]() Richards pictured in 2011 | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Matthew Lee Richards [1] | ||
Date of birth | [1] | 26 December 1984||
Place of birth | Harlow, England | ||
Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) [1] | ||
Position(s) | Midfielder / Left back | ||
Youth career | |||
2000–2002 | Ipswich Town | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2002–2009 | Ipswich Town | 148 | (8) |
2007 | → Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) | 14 | (0) |
2008 | → Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) | 14 | (0) |
2008–2009 | → Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) | 23 | (1) |
2009–2011 | Walsall | 86 | (12) |
2011–2013 | Shrewsbury Town | 85 | (12) |
2013–2015 | Cheltenham Town | 91 | (8) |
2015–2016 | Dagenham & Redbridge | 10 | (0) |
2017–2019 | Bath City | 24 | (3) |
2019 | Banbury United | 7 | (0) |
Total | 502 | (44) | |
International career | |||
2004–2005 | England U16 | 5 | (0) |
2005–2006 | England U17 | 5 | (0) |
2006 | England U18 | 1 | (0) |
2004 | England U21 | 1 | (0) |
* Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Matthew Lee Richards (born 26 December 1984) is an English former professional footballer who played as a midfielder or left back.
Matt is a graduate of the Ipswich Town academy, and made his debut in the UEFA Cup against Avenir Beggen aged just 17. He received his only England under-21 cap for appearing in the England U21 victory over Ukraine U21 in August 2004. He played a prominent role in Joe Royle's Play-off semi-finalist making teams in 2003/04 and 2004/05. When Club Captain Jim Magilton was made manager in 2006–07, Richards found himself out of favour. Originally regarded as a left-back, he is now much more comfortable as a midfielder, either playing on the left or in the centre.
On 18 September 2007, Richards joined League One side Brighton & Hove Albion on a provisional one-month loan deal, although the Seagulls had allegedly been tracking the player all through the summer of 2007.
Richards' loan deal at Brighton was extended by a further two months, running up until 18 December 2007. [2] [3] He played 14 League games in total during his three-month loan at the Withdean and ex-Brighton manager Dean Wilkins expressed his interest on loaning the player until the end of the 2007/08 season. On 17 January 2008, it was revealed that Richards had agreed to join Brighton on loan for the remainder of the 2007–08 season. [4]
Richards once again rejoined Brighton on loan until the end of December 2008 on 21 July 2008. [5] He scored his first goal for Brighton in a 4-0 Football League Cup win over Barnet on 12 August 2008. [6] In the following round he scored the winning penalty as Brighton knocked out Premier League side Manchester City in a shootout. [7]
Richards made his Ipswich return in 2009 under new manager Roy Keane starting against Cardiff in a 3–0 win at Ninian Park. [8] This would turn out to be his last game for the club as he was released on 14 May 2009. [9]
Richards had a trial spell with Burton Albion [10] scoring in a friendly against Ilkeston Town, however following a successful trial at League One side Walsall, Richards penned a two-year contract with the Saddlers. [11] Richards stated his desire to sign on at Walsall on Twitter, however, this was not possible.
Richards impressed during a trial period with Shrewsbury Town and underwent a medical at the Greenhous Meadow on 27 July 2011, with the deal expected to be completed in the following days. He signed a two-year deal with the Shropshire outfit on 28 July 2011, and scored his first goal in Shrewsbury colours on 8 October in a 3–2 home win over Barnet. [12] The season finished with Shrewsbury earning promotion to League One with Richards playing in excess of 30 games and earning players, and fans player of the year awards. [13]
Richards was released by Shrewsbury at the end of the 2012–13 season and joined Cheltenham Town on 5 July 2013. [14]
Richard joined League Two side Cheltenham Town on 5 July 2013. [14] He scored his first goal for Cheltenham in a 3–1 defeat to Plymouth Argyle on 17 August 2013. [15]
In August 2015, he signed for League Two side Dagenham & Redbridge on a one-year deal after impressing whilst on trial during pre-season. [16] In May 2016 as his contract expired, he was released along with eleven players as Dagenham were relegated to the National League. [17]
In November 2017, after a year out of the game, Richards joined Bath City of the National League South. [18] On 23 March 2019, he joined Banbury United in the Southern Football League Premier Division. [19] He left the club in late May, at the end of the season. [20]
Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Ipswich Town | 2002–03 [21] | First Division | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 [a] | 0 | 17 | 0 |
2003–04 [22] | First Division | 44 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 [b] | 0 | 50 | 1 | |
2004–05 [23] | Championship | 24 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 [c] | 0 | 28 | 1 | |
2005–06 [24] | Championship | 38 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 40 | 4 | ||
2006–07 [25] | Championship | 28 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 32 | 3 | ||
2008–09 [26] | Championship | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | ||
Total | 148 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 168 | 9 | ||
Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) | 2007–08 [27] | League One | 28 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 [d] | 0 | 33 | 0 |
2008–09 [26] | League One | 23 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 [d] | 0 | 32 | 2 | |
Total | 51 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 65 | 2 | ||
Walsall | 2009–10 [28] | League One | 40 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 [d] | 0 | 44 | 4 |
2010–11 [29] | League One | 46 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 [d] | 0 | 51 | 9 | |
Total | 86 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 95 | 13 | ||
Shrewsbury Town | 2011–12 [30] | League Two | 42 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 [d] | 0 | 48 | 5 |
2012–13 [31] | League One | 43 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 [d] | 0 | 45 | 7 | |
Total | 85 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 93 | 12 | ||
Cheltenham Town | 2013–14 [32] | League Two | 46 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 49 | 8 |
2014–15 [33] | League Two | 45 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 [d] | 0 | 50 | 3 | |
Total | 91 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 99 | 11 | ||
Dagenham & Redbridge | 2015–16 [34] | League Two | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 [d] | 0 | 11 | 0 |
Bath City | 2017–18 [35] | National League South | 19 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 6 [e] | 0 | 25 | 3 | |
2018–19 [36] | National League South | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 [e] | 0 | 6 | 0 | ||
Total | 24 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 31 | 3 | ||
Career total | 495 | 44 | 24 | 3 | 17 | 3 | 26 | 0 | 562 | 50 |
Shrewsbury Town
Individual