Richards Sam Image 1 Notts County 1910

Description

Bulwell, Nottinghamshire born inside left San Richards began his football career with Bulwell Forest Villa from where he was signed by First Division club Notts County, making his Football League debut at Manchester City in September 1910, scoring the only goal in a 1-0 victory. Although he lost his place in January 1911 he returned for 4 matches before the season end, and was again a regular during The Magpies’ 1911-12 campaign, scoring 14 goals during the season and top scoring for Notts County by a distance as they finished in the lower reaches of the division. The following season saw their relegation to the Second Division, but Richards’ 21 goals, along with Jack Peart’s 28 strikes, won the Second Division Championship at the first attempt in 1913-14 as Notts County returned to the First Division.

The 1914-15 season proved the last peacetime season before the onset of the First World War forced the suspension of peacetime football in May 1915 when he again second top scored behind Peart, but after the conflict Richards returned to Meadow Lane in 1919, scoring 7 goals in 11 matches during their 1919-20 campaign, of which only two were lost. However this was not enough to save Notts County from relegation once more, and Richards remained at Meadow Lane for two further seasons in the Second Division before his retirement in 1922 after 71 goals in 185 appearances for The Magpies.