William "Billy" Richards: Man United centre-forward Profile & Stats
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Portrait of William "Billy" Richards

William "Billy" Richards

Position: centre-forward

England England flag

PWDLFA

HAN P W D L F A Diff Win%
H 4 2 0 2 2 3 -1 50.00
A 5 0 1 4 1 14 -13 0.00
TOTALS 9 2 1 6 3 17 -14 22.22

Name: William "Billy" Richards
Birthdate: 06-10-1874
Age: 151
Birthplace: West Bromwich, England
Height: 5' 9" (1.75m)
Weight: 11st 8lbs (73.48kg)
Years at Club: 1901-1902
Signing Info: Transferred from: West Bromwich Albion, 12/1901, £40
Previous Clubs: West Bromwich Albion
Debut: 21/12/1901 v Port Vale (Bank Street) 1-0 (League Division Two)
Farewell: Transferred to ?, 05/1902, £
Passed Away: 12/02/1926

Biography

If only Billy Richards knew what he was letting himself into when he left West Bromwich Albion for Newton Heath in mid-December 1901. Just over three weeks later, his new club, struggling financially, were wound up and all the players' contracts were cancelled. Perhaps as a sign of his growing bond with his new teammates, Richards rejected the opportunity to walk away and join another club by sticking with the Heathens until the end of the season.
Billy was a product of the Midlands having come through at Wordsley then Singers FC (now Coventry). The 5'9" centre-forward became a star with WBA when he joined them in 1894, promptly getting off the mark with a debut goal versus Wolverhampton in September. His career hit a setback just a month later when he missed the train to a game at Everton. The incensed West Brom board "questioned him at a considerable length" before suspending him until the New Year. Luckily, the FA met in November and removed his draconian ban once he paid a fine of one guinea.
At the end of 1894-95, Richards earned an FA Cup finalists' medal when Albion lost to Aston Villa, then in both 1895-96 and 1898-99, he led his club's scoring charts. By 1901, however, he had lost his regular spot in the first team, and that is when Newton Heath threw their last £40 on him.
Richards' Mancunian debut came in frosty weather against Burslem Port Vale on December 21st, 1901. Heath's goalkeeper and both fullbacks received heavy knocks during the game, but Billy brightened the occasion by claiming the only goal with a lighting shot that crashed just under the bar. Initially, Richards appeared in six consecutive outings but, when he could not find the net again, he lost his place to an even newer signing - Jamie Higson - and only added three more outings in February and March, still without scoring.
Not re-signed by the new owners, Billy left Manchester United in the 1902 close season and played for Stourbridge for two years. He ended his career at Halesowen Town where he played from 1904 to 1907.
Biography kindly provided by Charbel Boujaoude.
 
League League Cup FA Cup Charity Shield European Cup Europa League Super Cup Cup Winners Cup Inter-cont Cup World Clubs Cup    
Season Goals Season Apps
No Season League Goals League Apps LC Goals LC Apps FAC Goals FAC Apps CS Goals CS Apps EC Goals EC Apps Europa Goals Europa Apps SC Goals SC Apps CWC Goals CWC Apps IC Goals IC Apps CWC Goals CWC Apps Season
Goals		 Season
Apps
1. 1901-1902 1 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 9
TOTALS 1 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 9

Detailed Match & Performance Charts

MUFC Player Goals MUFC Player Appearances MUFC Player Opponent Manager MUFC Player Club Manager
No Opponent Goals Apps
1. Port Vale 1 1
No Opponent Apps Goals
1. Port Vale 1 1
2. Lincoln City 1 0
3. Preston North End 1 0
4. Gainsborough Trinity 1 0
5. Bristol City 1 0
6. Blackpool 1 0
7. Glossop 1 0
8. West Bromwich Albion 1 0
9. Chesterfield 1 0
No Opponent Manager No
1. Gleaves, Sam 1
2. Calderhead (Snr), David 1
3. Preston North End Committee 1
4. Gainsborough Trinity Committee 1
5. Hollis, Sam 1
6. Blackpool Committee 1
7. Glossop Committee 1
8. Everiss, Fred 1
9. Hind, E.F. 1
No MUFC Managers Count
1. West, James 9
Stadiums Competition Opponents Opponent Nationality
No Stadium Count
1. Bank Street 4
2. Ashton Gate 1
3. Saltergate 1
4. Sincil Bank 1
5. The Hawthorns 1
6. The Northolme 1
No Competition Count
1. League Division Two 9
No Opponent Count
1. Port Vale 1
2. Lincoln City 1
3. Preston North End 1
4. Gainsborough Trinity 1
5. Bristol City 1
6. Blackpool 1
7. Glossop 1
8. West Bromwich Albion 1
9. Chesterfield 1
No Opponent Nationality Count
1. England 9
Roy Keane own goal v Real Madrid Old Trafford 2000 Cup Finals
No Date Opponent Competition Own Goals
Player has never scored an own goal against the club.
No Date Opponent WDL F-A Competition
Player never featured in a Cup Final.
Penalties scored for Manchester United Manchester United Hat-Tricks
No Date Opponents Competition Penaltys
Player has never scored a penalty for the club.
No Date Opponent Competition Goals
Player has never scored a hat-trick or better during a game.
 
Red Cards  
No Date Opponent Competition
Player has never been sent off during a match.
 

All Matches played
No Date ▲ Comp Opponent WDL F-A HAN Goal!! Scorers Opponent scorers
1. 21-12-1901 Div 2 Port Vale Win 1-0 H 1 William Richards 29'
2. 26-12-1901 Div 2 Lincoln City Loss 0-2 A 0 Thomas McInnes 60', 89'
3. 01-01-1902 Div 2 Preston North End Loss 0-2 H 0 Robert Jack ??', Ernest Pegg ??'
4. 04-01-1902 Div 2 Gainsborough Trinity Draw 1-1 A 0 Hubert Lappin 20' William Jenkinson 39'
5. 18-01-1902 Div 2 Bristol City Loss 0-4 A 0 Tom Boucher ??', ??', Bert Banks ??', Jack Flynn ??'
6. 25-01-1902 Div 2 Blackpool Loss 0-1 H 0 Geordie Anderson ??'
7. 15-02-1902 Div 2 Glossop Win 1-0 H 0 Fred Erentz 87' (pen)
8. 08-03-1902 Div 2 West Bromwich Albion Loss 0-4 A 0 Tommy Worton ??', ??', ??', Billy McLean ??'
9. 17-03-1902 Div 2 Chesterfield Loss 0-3 A 0 Tommy Brown 17', 87', Herbert Munday 60'
 

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