Taylor Richards

Taylor Richards

Personal information
Full name	Taylor Jerome Richards [1]
Date of birth	(2000-12-04) 4 December 2000 (age 23) [2]
Place of birth	Hammersmith, England
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) [2]
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Queens Park Rangers
Number	18
Youth career
2009–2015	Fulham
2015–2019	Manchester City
2019–2020	Brighton & Hove Albion
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2019–2023	Brighton & Hove Albion	2	(0)
2020–2021	→ Doncaster Rovers (loan)	41	(10)
2022	→ Birmingham City (loan)	6	(0)
2022–2023	→ Queens Park Rangers (loan)	15	(0)
2023–	Queens Park Rangers	4	(0)
International career
2017	England U17	3	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 10:59, 22 February 2024 (UTC)

Taylor Jerome Richards (born 4 December 2000) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for EFL Championship club Queens Park Rangers.

He began his senior career at Brighton & Hove Albion, with loans to Doncaster Rovers of League One and Championship clubs Birmingham City and Queens Park Rangers, before joining QPR permanently in 2023.

Richards has represented England at under-17 level.

Club career

Manchester City

Richards left Fulham to join Manchester City at the age of 14. ^[3] During his final season at the club he scored a goal against Rochdale to help his side reach the quarter-final of the EFL Trophy. ^[4]

Brighton & Hove Albion

In July 2019 Richards joined the academy of Brighton & Hove Albion for a transfer fee reported to be £2.5 million. ^{[3] [5]} He made his professional debut for Brighton on 25 September, in a 3–1 defeat at home against Aston Villa in the EFL Cup. ^[6]

Doncaster Rovers (loan)

On 25 August 2020, Richards signed for Doncaster Rovers on a season long loan for the 2020–21 season. ^{[7] [8]} He made his debut four days later starting in the 3–2 away defeat against Blackburn Rovers in the EFL Cup. ^[9] He made his league debut on 12 September, playing the whole of a 1–1 draw at home to MK Dons. ^[10] Richards scored his first goal on 26 September, Doncaster's third in a 4–1 home victory over Bristol Rovers. ^[11]

Return to Brighton

Richards made a Premier League matchday squad for the first time on 14 August in the opening game of the 2021–22 season; he remained as an unused substitute in the 2–1 away win over Burnley. ^[12] He made his first appearance of the season ten days later, starting in the 2–0 away victory over Cardiff City in the EFL Cup second round. ^[13] He made his Premier League debut on 28 August, coming on as a 73rd-minute substitute for Jakub Moder in the 2–0 home loss against Everton. ^[14] Richards made his second Premier League appearance almost four months after his debut, coming on as a 84th-minute substitute replacing Enock Mwepu in the 1–0 home defeat against Wolverhampton Wanderers. ^[15]

Birmingham City (loan)

Richards joined EFL Championship club Birmingham City on 7 January 2022 on loan for the remainder of the season. ^[16] He suffered an injury during the medical with the club, falling into the edge of a board during a jumping test that looks at the fitness of a player's calf. Manager Lee Bowyer said "I have never heard anything like this. The players have done it a thousand times – it's just this season, he did it ten times and then he does it. It's crazy. I have never heard of a player getting injured in the medical." ^[17] Richards made his first appearance in Birmingham's matchday squad on 26 February, but remained unused. ^[18] He eventually made his debut on 12 March, as a 69th-minute substitute for Juninho Bacuna in the goalless draw at home to Hull City. ^[19] According to the Birmingham Mail 's reporter, "He looked very, very neat on the ball, not afraid to take possession and retain it in tight spots and also good at finding little angles around and in the box. He is a languid mover with good pace and plays with his head up, looking to bring others into the game." ^[20] He made five more appearances (two starts) in what remained of the season. ^[21]

Queens Park Rangers

On 22 July 2022, Richards joined EFL Championship club Queens Park Rangers on a season-long loan for the 2022–23 season with an option for a permanent deal. ^[22] On 11 May 2023, Queens Park Rangers announced that Richards' move would be made permanent on a three-year deal. ^[23]

International career

In February 2017 Richards made three appearances for the England under-17 team. ^{[5] [24]}

Career statistics

As of match played 17 February 2024

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			Domestic Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Manchester City U21	2017–18 [25]	—			—		—		3 [lower-alpha 1]	0	3	0
	2018–19 [26]	—			—		—		4 [lower-alpha 1]	2	4	2
	Total		—		—		—		7	2	7	2
Brighton & Hove Albion U21	2019–20 [27]	—			—		—		3 [lower-alpha 1]	1	3	1
Brighton & Hove Albion	2019–20 [27]	Premier League	0	0	0	0	1	0	—		1	0
	2021–22 [21]	Premier League	2	0	0	0	2	0	—		4	0
	Total		2	0	0	0	3	0	—		5	0
Doncaster Rovers (loan)	2020–21 [28]	League One	41	10	3	1	1	0	3 [lower-alpha 1]	0	48	11
Birmingham City (loan)	2021–22 [21]	Championship	6	0	0	0	—		—		6	0
Queen Park Rangers (loan)	2022–23 [29]	Championship	15	0	1	0	0	0	—		16	0
Queens Park Rangers	2023–24 [30]	Championship	4	0	0	0	1	0	—		5	0
Career total			68	10	4	1	5	0	13	3	90	14

1. appearances in EFL Trophy

References

1. "2019/20 Premier League squads confirmed". Premier League. 3 September 2019. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
2. "Taylor Richards". Premier League. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
3. Brennan, Stuart; Corless, Liam (22 July 2019). "Promising youngster Taylor Richards reveals reason for leaving Man City after scoring on Brighton debut". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
4. "EFL Trophy: Sunderland beat Newcastle U21s, Man City U21s progress". BBC Sport. 9 January 2019. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
5. Dunford, Mark (18 July 2019). "Brighton and Hove Albion sign Manchester City and England starlet". Brighton & Hove Independent. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
6. "Brighton 1–3 Aston Villa". BBC Sport. 25 September 2019. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
7. "Taylor Richards: Doncaster Rovers sign Brighton midfielder on loan". BBC Sport. 25 August 2020. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
8. "Richards joins Doncaster on loan" (Press release). Brighton and Hove Albion F.C. 25 August 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
9. "Carabao Cup first round: Blackburn Rovers 3–2 Doncaster Rovers". BBC Sport. 29 August 2020. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
10. "Doncaster Rovers 1–1 Milton Keynes Dons – BBC Sport". BBC Sport. 12 September 2020. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
11. "Doncaster Rovers 4–1 Bristol Rovers". BBC Sport. 26 September 2020. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
12. "Burnley 1-2 Brighton & Hove Albion: Substitute Alexis Mac Allister seals comeback win". BBC Sport. 14 August 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
13. "Cardiff City 0-2 Brighton & Hove Albion: Seagulls into Carabao Cup third round". BBC Sport. 24 August 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
14. "Brighton & Hove Albion 0-2 Everton: Gray and Calvert-Lewin strike to extend Toffees' unbeaten start". BBC Sport. 28 August 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
15. "Brighton 0-1 Wolves: Romain Saïss goal takes visitors up to eighth in Premier League". BBC Sport. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
16. "Taylor Richards joins Blues on loan!". Birmingham City F.C. 7 January 2022. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
17. "'It's crazy' – Birmingham City boss Lee Bowyer opens up on Brighton loanee's freak injury". Sussex Live. 25 February 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
18. Dick, Brian (4 March 2022). "Lee Bowyer reveals hope for Birmingham City's 'wild card' signing". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
19. "Birmingham City 0-0 Hull City: Blues and Tigers share the points at St Andrew's". BBC Sport. 12 March 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
20. Dick, Brian (13 March 2022). "Birmingham City prospect could save Blues a summer transfer as Taylor Richards debut assessed". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
21. "Games played by Taylor Richards in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
22. "Taylor Richards is home". Queens Park Rangers. 22 July 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
23. "Amos among six players released". Queens Park Rangers. 11 May 2023.
24. Mumford, Jack (14 February 2017). "Man City youngsters impress in Algarve Cup". Manchester City F.C. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
25. "Games played by Taylor Richards in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
26. "Games played by Taylor Richards in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
27. "Games played by Taylor Richards in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
28. "Games played by Taylor Richards in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
29. "Games played by Taylor Richards in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
30. "Games played by Taylor Richards in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 22 February 2024.